Team Chartering

An essential step in establishing a team (Project Leadership Team, Project Staff, Technical Team, or Issue Task Force) is team chartering. Key components of team chartering include:

• Identify team members and confirm availability, commitment, and organizational support.
• Endorse goals and objectives.
• Develop measures of success.
• Confirm the responsibilities of the team.
• Clarify the role of individual team members.
• Develop ground rules for the team.
• Identify decision making and conflict resolution processes for the team.
• Develop team schedules and milestones.
• Define communication procedures.
• Identify a process for documenting meetings and decisions.
• Confirm other processes as appropriate.
• Endorse the charter.

The chartering process occurs at the beginning, as teams are being formed.  The importance of the chartering process is the foundation it provides for effective interaction and focused collaboration. The chartering process may take place in a few hours, in a day-long workshop, or over a series of meetings. It is essential that all members of the team have a clear understanding of the purpose of the team, their individual roles, the processes that will be used, and the schedule to which they will adhere. Clarifying expectation on the part of all team members lays the groundwork for cooperative problem solving and minimizes the potential for disputes.