In project management, a project charter, project definition, or project statement is a statement of the scope, objectives, and participants in a project. It provides a preliminary delineation of roles and responsibilities, outlines the project's key goals, identifies the main stakeholders, and defines the authority of the project manager. A project charter should: * Contain the essence of the project. * Provide a shared understanding of the project. * Act as a contract between the project sponsor, key stakeholders and the project team. The purpose of the project charter is to document: