#PROJECT KICKOFF MEETING HOW TO#

Discuss the roles & responsibilities involved – Consider the RACI Index (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed), which defines the participation of the various roles in completing tasks for projects.The project charter serves as a reference of authority for the future of the project.

Analyse the project charter – Discuss the scope, objectives, and participants of the project.

Provide context on how the project came to fruition.

Background of the project – Explain why you feel this project is worthy of company time.

Ice breaking games – If your team are unfamiliar with each other or have never worked together before, it might be advised to introduce an icebreaker game to develop a team mentality.

Because we are really nice, here is a template you can adapt to your meeting. To save time, we recommend printing agendas that you can distribute at the beginning of the meeting.

Discuss the agenda – Take a moment to discuss the desired order of business for your Kick Off meeting.

Welcome message – Thank everybody for coming and provide short introductions to improve familiarity among the team.

Generate enthusiasm and inspire confidence in your client/customer – Ensure that your client/customer leaves the meeting feeling invigorated by the level of commitment and enthusiasm from your team.

Plan accordingly and establish means of utilising each individual’s best skills.

Size up each other’s strengths and weaknesses – Know where your team is at their best and worst.

Minimise potential surprises – Anticipate any issues or unexpected delays that may occur, acknowledge them and set a contingency plan in the case of each.

Set expectations – Illustrate to your team the realistic measures of success to be anticipated along the way.

Establish the approach of all future meetings.

Set the tone for the rest of the project – Start as you mean to go on.

#PROJECT KICKOFF MEETING HOW TO#

Agree on how to work together effectively – Your team should establish effective means of collaboration to remove any potential barriers to success.Create a common understanding of roles – Your team should have a mutual understanding of each other’s responsibilities within the project.Establish what needs to be done – After the Kick Off meeting, everyone present should have a complete understanding of what needs to be accomplished in order to achieve success.Provide a target or goal in the early stages of the project. Understand what success looks like – The overall goal of the project should be set during the Kick Off meeting.Understand the background of a project – You should provide context as to why this project is relevant and why it’s worth undertaking.It’s important to listen to what they say and what they don’t say. Formally meet with your client/customer – This is your team’s best opportunity to understand the client’s objectives, way of thinking & expectations.From this point onwards, your team’s main objective should be the project. A Kick Off meeting signifies the official start of a project. If there is a customer/client involved in the project, this is your opportunity to introduce them to your team and vice versa. It ensures everybody starts with the same level of information and understanding of the project, something that a Team Meeting doesn’t quite grasp. Some of your team may not have previously worked together, so a Kick Off meeting is an opportunity to get everyone acquainted before work commences.

Kick Off meetings are a critical point in the potential success of any project, not to mention that they set the tone for all future project meetings.

Every collaborative project should begin with a Kick Off meeting.

Project kickoff meeting