In the Develop Project Charter process within Project Integration Management, which of the following is a primary output that formally authorizes the project and gives the project manager authority to apply organizational resources?

Introduction / Context:
Develop Project Charter is one of the first processes in Project Integration Management and occurs in the Initiating Process Group. Its main purpose is to formally authorize the project and to document high level requirements, objectives and constraints. A key exam concept is recognizing the main output of this process and understanding its role in giving the project manager authority to use organizational resources. This question asks you to identify that primary output.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The process under discussion is Develop Project Charter.
• The process takes place early in the project life cycle during initiation.
• The process results in a document that authorizes the project and the project manager.
• You must distinguish this document from other plans and artifacts produced later.

Concept / Approach:
The project charter is the main output of the Develop Project Charter process. It formally recognizes the existence of the project, states the business need and high level requirements and assigns the project manager. Without a signed charter, the project manager has limited authority to commit resources. The work breakdown structure and project management plan are produced later during planning, and organizational process assets are existing organizational documents, templates and historical information, not an output unique to this process. Therefore, you should select the option that explicitly names the project charter.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that the purpose of Develop Project Charter is to create a document that authorizes the project.Step 2: Look at option A, Project charter. By definition, this is the document that formalizes project authorization and gives the project manager authority.Step 3: Examine option B, Work breakdown structure. The WBS is created during the Create WBS process in Scope Management and is a planning artifact, not an initiating output.Step 4: Examine option C, Project management plan. This is a comprehensive planning document produced later in the Develop Project Management Plan process.Step 5: Examine option D, Organizational process assets. These are inputs to many processes and are updated throughout the project, but they are not the primary output that authorizes the project.Step 6: Conclude that option A, Project charter, is the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
Consult a PMBOK style table for Develop Project Charter. You will see that typical outputs include the project charter and updates to organizational process assets. However, when exam questions speak about the document that authorizes the project and grants authority, they always refer to the project charter. The project management plan and WBS appear later in the process sequence, confirming that they cannot be the main output of this initiating process.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
The Work breakdown structure is a detailed decomposition of project scope and is not created until scope planning. The Project management plan is an integrated document that guides execution and control; it depends on the charter and other early outputs. Organizational process assets are existing guidelines, templates and historical data and may be updated but are not unique to this process. None of these options fulfill the specific role of formal project authorization.

Common Pitfalls:
Some learners confuse the project charter with the project management plan, assuming they are similar because both summarise aspects of the project. However, the charter is high level and is created first, while the plan is detailed and developed after the charter is approved. Another pitfall is thinking that authority automatically comes with being named project manager; in structured organizations, that authority is documented explicitly in the charter. Remembering this link will help you answer many charter related exam questions.

Final Answer:
The primary output that authorizes the project and gives the project manager authority is the Project charter.