That way, every team member has easy access to key project documents. In addition to sharing these materials during the project kickoff, plan to store project information in a central work management platform. SMART project objectives that capture what you will achieve by the end of your project.Ī defined project scope to set clear boundaries on what work is and isn’t part of this project.Ī visual project timeline with any relevant project milestones to identify when key work will be completed.

Example projects:Ī project plan that outlines key details of your project, including success metrics, project schedule, stakeholders, etc. Like any kickoff meeting, prepare materials in advance, but don’t worry about polishing your meeting. The goal for an internal project kickoff meeting is to get the project team aligned and on the same page, and to provide an opportunity for them to ask questions before the project has started. This is the project kickoff in its simplest form. In general, every type of project kickoff meeting should include most of the same ingredients-but knowing the various types of project kickoffs can help you decide how formal or informal the kickoff meeting needs to be.

Not every kickoff meeting looks the same. Other projects, like those that involve fewer stakeholders or are more straightforward, could have a less formal kickoff meeting without a deck or a presentation. Some projects, like customer-facing work or complex initiatives, will benefit from a formalized kickoff with significant prep-like a robust presentation or even a demo, depending on the project type. That doesn’t mean you need to host identical kickoff meetings for every project. Without a kickoff meeting, team members and stakeholders could have misaligned project expectations, which leads to scope creep and, in the worst-case scenario, project failure. Unlike sharing these details in a project plan or over email, hosting a project kickoff reduces the odds of miscommunication and ensures everyone is starting the project from the same place.

Kickoff meetings are an invaluable way to communicate key project information to your team and give them an opportunity to ask questions live. Create a kickoff meeting template What is the purpose of a kickoff meeting? Do I really need one? At the end of a kickoff meeting, the entire team should have a shared understanding about what you’re working on, why, and how the work will be accomplished. When you host a kickoff meeting, you’ll outline your project purpose, goals, plan, and more-while also making time for team members to ask questions and clarify any next steps. Plan to host your project kickoff meeting after you've gotten your project charter approved and created your project plan, but before you've actually started working on the project. What is a project kickoff meeting?Ī project kickoff meeting is a chance to meet with team members and stakeholders before the project starts to align on key details and get buy-in on critical milestones. That way, wherever your project plan takes you, everyone is right there with you. During a kickoff, you’ll outline the project’s purpose, dive into details, and discuss next steps. Kickoff meetings are an effective way to get the project team on the same page-before the work begins. Luckily, there’s a better way: project kickoff meetings. If you don’t provide a chance for them to get on the same page before the work begins, the rest of the project will be an uphill battle no matter how much you try to course correct. That’s because every project team member and stakeholder brings different knowledge, expectations, and priorities to a project. You’ve put a lot of effort into getting your project off the ground-yet so often, it can feel like a project is off track before it even begins.

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