Template

Team charter workshop template

A team writes down, together, why it exists, what it is responsible for, how it makes decisions and how it works — so new people and other teams know what to expect.

90 minutesFor A whole team, often with its manager and a facilitatorAgenda room
Change the agenda first

The agenda, with a time for each part

  1. Why we exist15 min
    • What would be missing if this team did not exist?
  2. What we own, and what we do not20 min
    • What are we responsible for, and what belongs to others?
  3. How we decide15 min
    • Who decides what, and how do we disagree?
  4. How we work20 min
    • How do we communicate, meet and hand over work?
  5. How we measure ourselves10 min
    • How will we know we are doing well?
  6. Agree and publish10 min
    • Can everyone live with this, and where do we keep it?

How the notes read afterwards

A made-up example, so you can see the shape. In a real call each line carries the words that were said and who said them.

Why. We make sure every customer gets paid correctly and on time.

Own. Payroll runs, tax filings. Not ours. Bank account setup (finance).

Decide. The lead decides on deadlines; the team decides how.

Measure. Zero late payroll runs; fewer than 1% corrections.

Running it well

Ways to change it

New teamHold it in the first month.
Two teamsEach drafts its own, then both meet to fix the gaps between them.

When to skip it. If the team already has a charter that is current and used.

Questions

What is a team charter?

A short document a team writes together describing its purpose, responsibilities, how it makes decisions, how it works and how it measures success.

What should a team charter include?

Purpose, scope (what the team owns and does not), roles, decision-making, ways of working and communication, and measures of success.

When should a team create a charter?

When a team is formed, after a big change in its people or remit, or when there is confusion about who does what.

What happens in the room

Everybody joins from the link, with no account. The agenda sits beside the call and each item fills in with what was said about it, under the name of the person who said it.

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