What is a key characteristic of a well-defined project charter?

A well-defined project charter serves as a foundational document that outlines the essential components of a project before work begins. One of its key characteristics is that it clearly identifies project stakeholders and their roles. This is crucial because understanding who has a vested interest in the project and what their responsibilities will be is vital for ensuring effective communication and collaboration throughout the project lifecycle.

Identifying stakeholders along with their roles establishes accountability and helps manage expectations, which contributes to the overall success of the project. It allows the team to recognize who will provide input, who will be impacted, and who is responsible for different aspects of the project. This clarity can also aid in risk management and resource allocation.

While other aspects of a project charter are important, such as having it created at the project's initiation phase and possibly including a high-level overview of processes, the specific identification of stakeholders and their roles is fundamental to facilitating engagement and driving project progress successfully.