Which of the following is required to validate a project?

A problem statement describes the issue the project is intended to solve but by itself does not validate that the project is the right investment or is strategically justified for the organization.

A signed project charter formally authorizes the project and grants the project manager authority, but it represents approval of the project rather than validation of its strategic value.

Key project deliverables define the outputs the project will produce but do not confirm the project's justification or alignment with broader organizational needs.

Strategic alignment is the primary criterion used to validate a project because it confirms that the project supports the organization's mission, objectives, and priorities. Without this alignment, the project cannot be justified regardless of its scope, deliverables, or approval status. Organizations use strategic alignment as the foundational filter to determine whether a proposed project is worth pursuing.