Enterprise Kronos WFC projects are complex. In order for any project to be well organized and well executed, the organization needs to create a Project Charter. Although sometimes forgotten, creating a Project Charter is a standard step along the traditional project development and management process.
For a truly successful Kronos implementation project, however, the Kronos Project Charter should be more than simply the “document that formally authorizes the existence of a project”; it must also be a living document that the project team can return to throughout the implementation process to measure expectations, process and outcomes against the original purpose, goals and visions for the implementation.
The benefits of a complete, comprehensive Project Charter cannot be overstated; it is the key to developing stakeholder buy-in and identifying fuzzy business requirements, which are two major causes of project failure. Ideally, the Project Charter is the center point of the project that all stakeholders agree on and look to for project scope, objectives, approach time frame, and deliverables.
The Pieces of a Project Charter:
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A statement of project purpose, including impact.
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Project objectives that are stated clearly in a way that can be measured.
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Project description including the boundaries and relationship to other ongoing projects within the organization
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Overview of major implementation milestones including high-level deadline requirements.
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Preliminary budget
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Stakeholder list, including the authority level of project manager and sponsor.
In every piece of the Project Charter, quantifiable goals should be used. The more explicit the expectations, assumptions, and goals, the better the project team can assess progress and outcomes of all enterprise WFM projects.
The Project Charter is the Final Word
The complexity of Kronos WFC implementations causes them to be extremely fluid. When new requirements are identified, the project team should return to the statement of purpose, including its measurable objectives. Schedule creep (moving ahead of set deadlines) should be checked against major project milestones and deadlines outlined in the Project Charter routinely by project managers and project sponsors.
Frequently referring back to the Project Charter allows the project team to update the expectations, benefits and risks with new data as it is collected. Documenting this process keeps stakeholders and resources on the same page, while contributing to the development of more successful projects in the future. Successful projects learn and grow, just like successful organizations. Working with an outside consultant can save your organization valuable time and money, while ensuring that no project details are missed.
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