Project Management Project Charter

---
name: project-management-project-charter
description: Define a project charter — purpose, vision, SMART objectives, in- and out-of-scope items, constraints, milestones and initial risks. Use when a project is starting and the user needs its purpose, scope boundaries and milestones agreed before planning the work. Not for breaking one feature into coding tasks; see /development-plan.
metadata:
  argument-hint: "[project] [--skip-checks]"
  workflow: project-management
  phase: 0
  artifact: 00-initiate.md
---

# Project Charter

Define the project charter for "$ARGUMENTS". Establish the project's purpose and vision, set measurable objectives, define scope boundaries, identify constraints and assumptions, and outline an initial timeline with milestones.

**Arguments.** `$ARGUMENTS` may contain the project name and optional flags. Take the first token as `<project>` and treat `--skip-checks` as a flag; never include flags in file paths. All paths below use `<project>`. If `--skip-checks` is present, skip the prerequisite check and, **before writing any artifact**, append one line to `.singularskills/log.jsonl`: `{"ts":"<ISO timestamp>","skill":"project-management-project-charter","workflow":"project-management","phase":0,"project":"<project>","event":"skipped","artifact":"00-initiate.md","note":"<reason or \"none given\">"}`.

## Prerequisites

**Part of a workflow.** This skill is phase 0 (Initiate) of the Scrum workflow (`project-management`); cross-domain workflows run it too. First check `.singularskills/log.jsonl` for an open run for this project: a `run-started` line with `"project":"<project>"` and no later `run-finished` line for the same `workflow` and `project`. If one exists, the conductor is running you: continue here. Otherwise, if the user asked to start, run, continue or resume a process or workflow rather than this one step, do not continue here: invoke the `workflow` skill with the workflow the user asked for, or `project-management` when they named none, followed by `<project>`; it runs this phase in order, asks before it writes and records the run. Otherwise, unless the user named this skill, ask one question, since this is the first phase of its workflow: "Just this step, or the whole Scrum workflow?" End your turn and wait; on the whole workflow, hand off the same way; on just this step, continue here.

**Recall.** Before you ask the user anything, look for what this repository already holds about `<project>`: if a tool is available whose description says it searches or maps this repository (a memory or repo-map server such as `repo_map` or `entities`), query it for `<project>` and this phase's subject and read what it returns, keeping only results from this repository; in every case also list `.singularskills/*/<project>/` and read the **Decisions** and **Open questions** of any artifact there, and the lines of `.singularskills/log.jsonl` whose `project` is `<project>`. After your section's italic line, add a `### Recalled` subsection of at most ten lines naming what you found and where (path or tool), or the single line `Nothing recalled: no earlier artifacts, log lines or memory results for <project>.` Ask the user only what this did not answer. The trail's shape is described in `references/memory/trail.md`, bundled with this skill.

Before you start work, append this line to `.singularskills/log.jsonl` (create the folder and file if missing): `{"ts":"<ISO timestamp>","skill":"project-management-project-charter","workflow":"project-management","phase":0,"project":"<project>","event":"started","artifact":"00-initiate.md","note":""}`.

None — this is a Phase 0 (Initiate) skill and can run first.

## Process

1. **Read shared context:**
   - Read `references/project-charter-template.md` for charter structure
   - Read `references/scrum-guide.md` for Scrum alignment
   - Read `.singularskills/project-management/<project>/00-initiate.md` if it exists (to avoid overwriting other sections)

2. **Define project purpose and vision:**
   - Articulate the problem being solved and why it matters now
   - Write a clear, concise vision statement (1-2 sentences)
   - Identify the target users or beneficiaries
   - State the expected business value or impact

3. **Set measurable objectives:**
   - Define 3-5 SMART objectives (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound)
   - For each objective: metric, baseline, target, target date
   - Distinguish between primary objectives (must-achieve) and stretch goals
   - Ensure objectives ladder up to the vision

4. **Define scope — in and out:**
   - **In scope:** features, deliverables, and capabilities included
   - **Out of scope:** explicitly excluded items to prevent scope creep
   - **Deferred:** items intentionally pushed to future phases
   - Document the rationale for each scope decision

5. **Identify constraints and assumptions:**
   - **Constraints:** budget, timeline, technology, regulatory, staffing
   - **Assumptions:** market conditions, dependencies, resource availability
   - **Dependencies:** external teams, third-party services, approvals needed
   - Flag high-risk assumptions that need early validation

6. **Outline high-level timeline and milestones:**
   - Define major milestones with target dates
   - Identify the critical path and key decision points
   - Map milestones to sprint boundaries where possible
   - Include go/no-go checkpoints

7. **Initial risk identification:**
   - Brainstorm top 5-10 risks using categories: technical, schedule, resource, external
   - For each risk: likelihood (high/medium/low), impact (high/medium/low), mitigation strategy
   - Identify risk owners where possible
   - Flag risks that could be project-ending

8. **Write the artifact** — append to `.singularskills/project-management/<project>/00-initiate.md` under a `## Project Charter` section. Create the file with a `# Initiate — <project>` heading if it does not exist; if a `## Project Charter` section already exists, replace only that section. The section contains:
   - **Vision** — problem statement, vision, target users
   - **Objectives** — SMART objectives table with metrics and targets
   - **Scope** — in-scope, out-of-scope, deferred items
   - **Constraints & Assumptions** — categorized list with risk flags
   - **Milestones** — timeline with key dates and checkpoints
   - **Initial Risks** — risk register with likelihood, impact, mitigation

## Output

Project charter appended to `.singularskills/project-management/<project>/00-initiate.md`. Present a summary highlighting:
- Project purpose and vision statement
- Top 3 objectives with target metrics
- Key scope decisions (what's in vs. out)

**Record the run.** After you have written your section, append this line to `.singularskills/log.jsonl` (the `started` line of Prerequisites, with `"event":"finished"`): `{"ts":"<ISO timestamp>","skill":"project-management-project-charter","workflow":"project-management","phase":0,"project":"<project>","event":"finished","artifact":"00-initiate.md","note":""}`.

This artifact is shared by every skill of phase 0 (Initiate). The frontmatter is written once, by whoever creates the file: if you create it, open it with the block below (`skill` is the phase title, `started` the time of that first write; `gate` is `none`, as this phase has no gate); if it already exists, leave the block alone except to update `finished`.

```yaml
---
skill: Initiate
workflow: project-management
phase: 0
project: <project>
started: <ISO timestamp>
finished: <ISO timestamp>
agent: <the agent you run in, or "unknown">
gate: none
---
```

Open your `## Project Charter` section with one italic line, `*<skill name> · <ISO timestamp> · gate: none*` (your skill name is `project-management-project-charter`).

End your section with `### Decisions` and `### Open questions` (one level under your `## Project Charter` heading, so the section stays one block), in this shape:

```markdown
### Decisions
- <what was chosen> — <why> — <what was rejected>

### Open questions
- <what the next phase or a reviewer must settle>
```