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Cheatsheet — Project Charter

Source: Project Charter Template

Mandatory Sections

Section Core question Common pitfall
Problem statement What concrete problem are we solving? Too broad or too technical
AI objective What exactly does the AI system do? Confusing output with outcome
Success criteria How will we know it worked? (measurable) Missing baseline
Scope What is and isn't in scope? Scope creep from vague boundaries
Risks Top 3 risks + mitigation Only technical risks named
Stakeholders Who is responsible, who is involved? Guardian missing
Budget & Timeline Phase budget + milestones No allowance for iterations

Minimum Quality Criteria

  • Success criteria are measurable (number + timeframe)
  • Baseline is established (current performance)
  • Guardian is appointed and has signed off
  • Risk classification (High / Limited / Minimal) is determined
  • Business Case is approved or in preparation
  • Charter is signed by sponsor

Red Flags

Stop if...

  • No measurable success criteria have been formulated
  • The problem statement begins with a technology choice ("We're going to use ChatGPT for...")
  • No owner/Guardian has been designated
  • Budget or timeline is entirely absent

Quick Reference Risk Classification

Risk Characteristics
High Decisions affecting people, medical, legal, safety
Limited Customer contact, automated content, recommendations
Minimal Internal use, non-decisive, human final judgement always

Source: EU AI Act classification