Projects don't "go wrong". They start wrong. The PMBOK states that the Sponsor "issues" the charter. Does this sound like your situation? In real life, the Project Manager generally has to coax or wheedle project requirements out of a number of stakeholders including the sponsor. To formally authorize the project, the project manager needs to make the implicit business needs of the project explicit at a very high level. This work may uncover the need for a feasibility study or more detailed needs assessment.

In Drafting the Project Charter participants use live projects or prepared case studies to practice formally validating what the project should accomplish. A unique aspect of the class includes role playing with a slippery sponsor in an attempt to nail down what she really wants. Analyzing the audience is the key to every communication transaction. Participants will practice various tools to identify the stakeholder community and elicit their feedback.