Team Charter: Performance Assessments and Shared Responsibility
PMBOK v8 Definition
The team charter is a document that establishes the values, agreements, and operating guidelines for the team, including team values, communication guidelines, decision-making criteria and processes, conflict resolution processes, meeting guidelines, and team agreements. All project team members share responsibility for ensuring the rules documented in the team charter are followed, and the team charter can be reviewed and updated periodically to ensure continued understanding of ground rules and to orient and integrate new team members. Team performance assessments are formal or informal evaluations of the project team’s effectiveness conducted as team development efforts (training, team building, colocation) are implemented, with effective strategies expected to increase team performance and the likelihood of meeting project objectives.
Why It Matters for the Exam
The team charter and team performance assessments appear frequently in PMI exam questions about Resource Management and Team Development. Questions test your understanding that the team charter is developed by the team (not imposed by the project manager), that all members share responsibility for enforcing it, and that performance assessments measure effectiveness improvements through concrete indicators. Expect situational questions where you must identify when to update the charter or which performance indicator demonstrates successful team development.
Key Points to Remember (for the exam)
- Main Output: Team Charter (document establishing values, agreements, and operating guidelines)
- Key Content: Team values, communication guidelines, decision-making criteria and processes, conflict resolution processes, meeting guidelines, team agreements
- Critical Rule: Team charter works best when the team develops it or at least has opportunity to contribute
- Shared Responsibility: ALL project team members share responsibility for ensuring charter rules are followed
- Periodic Updates: Charter can be reviewed and updated to ensure continued understanding and to orient/integrate new members
- Performance Assessment Timing: Conducted as team development efforts (training, team building, colocation) are implemented
- Performance Indicators: Improvements in skills, improvements in competencies, reduced staff turnover rate, increased team cohesiveness
Typical PMI Exam Example
A project manager notices that new team members are unclear about communication protocols and decision-making processes. The team has been experiencing misunderstandings during meetings. What should the project manager do FIRST? → Review and update the team charter with the team to re-establish ground rules and orient new members, as the charter can be reviewed periodically to ensure continued understanding.
PMI Exam Traps
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Trap: Thinking the project manager alone creates and enforces the team charter
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Reality: The team develops it (or contributes to it), and ALL team members share responsibility for enforcement
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Trap: Confusing team charter with project charter
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Reality: Team charter establishes team values, agreements, and operating guidelines; project charter authorizes the project and assigns the project manager
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Trap: Believing team performance assessments are only formal evaluations at project end
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Reality: Assessments are formal OR informal, conducted as team development efforts are implemented throughout the project
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Trap: Assuming the team charter is a one-time document created at project start
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Reality: The charter can be reviewed and updated periodically, especially when new members join
Important PMI Connections
| Related Concept | Relationship Type | Exam Attention Point |
|---|---|---|
| Project Team Operations | Input to / Supports | Facilitating team communication, problem-solving, and consensus building includes developing the team charter and operating guidelines |
| Guidance | Complements | Guidance keeps the team headed in the right direction; the charter establishes the rules for how the team operates |
| Growth | Complements | Identifying areas where the team performs well and can improve helps everyone grow; performance assessments measure this growth |
| Responsibility Assignment Matrix | Related Tool | Training, mentoring, or coaching efforts referenced in the matrix support the team development assessed in performance evaluations |
| Status Report | Different Document | Status report provides current project status (progress, forecasts); team charter provides team operating guidelines |
Quick Review Questions
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Who is responsible for ensuring the rules documented in the team charter are followed?
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When should the team charter be reviewed and updated?
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What four indicators are used to evaluate a team’s effectiveness in performance assessments?
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Why does the team charter work best when the team develops it or contributes to its creation?
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What is the difference between a team charter and a project charter?
PMBOK v8 Reference
Section 9.4 - Develop Team (Resource Management Knowledge Area)
Section 4.1 - Develop Project Charter (Integration Management Knowledge Area)
Team Charter content and performance assessment criteria appear within the Develop Team process and supporting tools and techniques.