project kickoff presentation

Guide to Project Kickoff Meeting [free presentation slides]

Editorial Team

The project life cycle involves several meetings with stakeholders and different parties. The main agendas revolve around issues related to the project, such as the project status, plans, deliverables, and possible changes.

All these meetings have their significance. However, one stands out-the kickoff meeting. In this article, we will look at what project kickoff meetings are, their purposes, when they take place, and any other information you may want to know.

What is a Project Kickoff Meeting?

The project kickoff meeting is the first meeting held by the project stakeholders when flagging a new project or unveiling a new phase. It is usually attended by high-level stakeholders such as the management, project sponsor, project manager, and a few team members.

The inclusion of the team members is to encourage the voicing of opinions. Project kickoff meetings can also occur within the project team and usually involves the project manager and the team members. When conducted between the project team, its primary essence is to allow the project managers to outline the common goals and encourage team building.

A kickoff meeting can act as a tool for motivating the team members to meet the project objectives . It prepares the team members and the client teams on expectations, communication, and project collaboration.

When Does a Project Kickoff Meeting Take Place?

The kickoff meeting takes place at different times in large and small projects. It usually occurs immediately after the initiation phase and is generally attended by all the project team members.

This is usually an opportunity for the team members to get to know each other since they will be meeting for the first time. Generally, smaller projects require only one kickoff meeting. Larger projects have a different approach.

Kickoff meetings for larger projects are normally conducted when the planning is complete and the project is on the verge of execution. Remember that most of these projects have several phases, which may call for kickoff meetings at the beginning of every stage.

Other situations also call for virtual kickoff meetings. If the project is spread across a large geographical area, it would be advisable for the team members to communicate over the internet to save time and money.

What is the Purpose of a Kickoff Meeting?

Every project kickoff meeting must have a purpose. This may differ from meeting to meeting depending on the unique needs of the given project and the project stakeholders. However, project meetings also have an overarching purpose: to set the pace for the project and lay down the framework.

The kickoff meeting plays a vital role in the project management lifecycle and the project initiation process. It gets the project off the ground and officially opens up the project work. The kickoff meeting also acts as a jumping off point for the project team and client team.

Other purposes include:

• Introducing Team Members

Most project team members will be meeting for the first time during the project kickoff meeting. It serves as an opportunity for the stakeholders and team members to interact and know about one another.

• It allows agreeing to work together efficiently.

The best way of agreeing on how to work on a project is through a joint session. Project kickoff meetings bring together project team members and other stakeholders, allowing them to decide how they will work together to realize given project objectives.

Such agreements ensure that once the project kicks off, it will move on efficiently, and any other hiccup can be solved. 

• Creating a mutual understanding

Project kickoff meetings help create a mutual understanding of what a successful project resembles, giving the project team members an idea of what to work for. Every project has its parameters of measuring success, which will be laid down during the meeting.

This meeting can also be used to create a shared understanding of the project background so that the stakeholders and team members deeply understand whatever they are working on. Knowing the project background can also act as a motivating factor.

It offers a chance to get the team, key stakeholders, and the project sponsors on the same page to efficiently execute the projects. It also serves as an opportunity for the agency tasked with delivering the project to get crucial information for the project’s success.

If there is a client involved, the project kickoff meeting can be a chance to instill confidence in the client and reassure them that they have made the best decision in choosing you and your project team. It works for different parties.

Closely related to the purpose of the project kickoff meeting are the objectives. Let’s take a look at these:

Project Kickoff Meeting Objectives

The objectives of the project kickoff meeting are dependent on the project. However, some cut across different projects. Here are some of the specific items that should be done in the project kickoff meeting:

• Agreeing on the project goals and purpose.

The project team members and stakeholders should have a sit-down and agree on the project’s goals and purposes. These should be clearly outlined to help all the parties involved understand what they are working towards.

• Setting groundwork for communication

During the meeting, the leader or project chairman should set the tone for clear communication and teamwork for the entire project duration. This will help in the efficient execution of the project objectives, allowing the team to meet the set timetable.

• Establishing roles and responsibilities

On normal occasions, the project kickoff meeting brings together the project team members for the first time. Therefore, no one should leave the conference without knowing the team’s roles and responsibilities. Everyone should know what is expected of him/ her during the onset of the project.

• Setting deadlines and deliverables

The meeting should be used to set the project timeline, deliverables, and the status update and frequency. Remember, these are things that must be decided on before the real work begins, and there is no better time to do that than during the project kickoff.

 However, it is worth noting that all these may shift during the progression of the project. Therefore, the kickoff meeting should help come up with a baseline for forward propulsion. During the meeting, parties should also discuss the detailed aspects of the project.

Some of the issues to cover include the methodology and the scope of the project. A successful meeting should set the pace and tone for the rest of the project. Therefore, leaders and organizers should ensure that it is done right since it can determine a given project’s success.

How to Conduct a Successful Project Kickoff Meeting

Now that you know the importance of the project kickoff meeting, you should always strive to get it right if you are the project manager or the organizer. The proceedings can either ensure that a given project will be successful or not.

On many occasions, large projects have both internal and external kickoff meetings. The former involves the team members and the management, with its main aim being creating an understanding of the project. The team members are prepared for meeting the client and prevented from making unnecessary inquiries.

The external kickoff meeting takes place once the internal one is done. Here, one gets to understand what is expected in a given project, clear any doubts they may be holding on to, and understand the project’s process.

These are the steps you can follow to conduct a successful kickoff meeting:

• Set the agenda

This is the first thing to consider when organizing such a meeting. The issues to be discussed should be decided on beforehand. While setting the agenda, be sure to include an introductory session. You should introduce the project, its objectives, milestones, assumptions, challenges, and have a question-answer session at the end of the presentation.

Also, ensure that you use presentations to explain your reasoning. The agenda should be sent to the attendees before the meeting is conducted for preparation and active contribution.

• Conducting the meeting

When conducting the meeting, you need to introduce yourself and ask the other attendees to do the same. Once everyone has talked, tender the agenda, explain the meeting objectives, and discuss what needs to be addressed in the meeting.

After that, you can explain the project, its objectives, a brief of the project, and every team member’s roles and responsibilities . You should also discuss the communication and reporting system to be used for the entire project duration. This can cover how to communicate with the stakeholders. Also, set the agenda to be discussed with the client and have a Q& A session.

While conducting the meeting, ensure that you explain the project charter and what it contains. Make sure that you set the expectations such as the leave procedures, work assignments, and even rotation.

Remember to discuss the critical stakeholders, their needs, and roles in the execution of the project. While on this, explain the communication and reporting system. You can specify the communication frequency and the report formats.

The final topic to cover during the meeting is the project. Explain the project to the attendees, its business needs, and why the client and the company need it. It would help if you invited the client when covering this part to make it more personal. However, make sure that the client knows in advance to prevent awkward moments.

You can also discuss any critical risks and challenges that the project may face once it is on track and how to overcome them.

• Close the meeting

A successful meeting does not end at the presentation part. The final piece, which is closing the meeting, should be done in a particular way. End the court meeting with a question-and-answer session and encourage the attendees to clear any doubt.

Also, thank the participants for coming and encourage them to reach out if they need any clarification on the project. Remember that you should prepare the meeting minutes when the meeting ends and send them to the participants and other members who could not attend the meeting.

Project Kickoff Meeting Agenda

One of the main reasons why most project kickoff meetings do not yield any success is that the organizers fail to get the agenda right. To help you come up with good agendas for your session, we have included a few notes for you:

• Introductions – The agenda should give each member time to introduce themselves and outline their role in the project. Also, remember to include a quick icebreaker to get everyone talking.
• Project Background : The agenda should include time for discussing how the project sits with the client’s high-level business strategy. This can also include any other relevant project.
• Briefing : This should be the third thing on your agenda. It should cover the project details, purpose, goals, and the problem that the project aims to address.
• Project success : This agenda deals with what makes a successful project, success measurements, key metrics, and other business parameters.
• Project management : This agenda deals with project management topics such as the plan, timelines, tasks and deliverables, methodology, risks, dependencies, reporting, and other information.
• Any other business : The AOB in the agenda deals with any different relevant topic that can be discussed. It would be best to allow the client’s team to talk about anything that they need to cover in the meeting.
• Next steps :  One of the agendas should be discussing the next steps and action items for the different teams and stakeholders.

The points to be discussed in the meeting should be clear enough and communicated before to save time and ensure project efficiency. The agenda should also be broken down to enhance easier understanding. Attendees should not ask for clarifications of the agenda.

Project Kickoff Meetings Best Practices

Here are some of the practices that will ensure that your project kickoff meeting is successful:

• Sticking to your agenda

An agenda is the most critical tool to keeping any meeting on track. It is more of a creative brief for creative projects. Therefore, to lead a successful discussion, ensure that you develop an agenda and stick to it.

The meeting serves as an opportunity to bring everyone together and on the same page about the project. It can be quite tempting to deviate and focus on trivial issues, which may eat into the meeting time, throwing everything off track.

Therefore, ensure that you stay high-level and ignore the trivial issues. The participants or project manager should stick to the meeting’s main goals, which are the what, why, how, and who. The ‘why’ is usually essential as it offers background information allowing everyone to understand why the project matters to the company at large.

• Define roles and responsibilities

One should explain how all the attendees fit into the project and what is expected from them to help everyone understand whatever they are working on. To ace, this, start by introducing everyone in the project and explain their contribution.

You can also tie the responsibilities to the project deliverables. Defining roles and responsibilities lets teams know who to approach whenever there is a problem, saving time for the project’s efficient execution.

• Ensure that you offer time for questions

The project kickoff meeting should be geared towards enhancing the understanding of the project. Attendees should, therefore, be allowed to seek clarifications on different aspects. The ultimate goal is to get everyone on the same page.

Therefore, project managers should take this time to clear any confusion or answer issues that need clarifications. However, the Q & A session must come at the end. Also, remember to encourage people not to ask questions that can be quickly addressed outside the group meeting to save time.

The questions asked should offer clarity for everyone in attendance. These can range from project goals, processes, and timelines.

• End the meeting with action items

The best way to have a productive meeting is to end it with clear action items. Everyone should leave the room with a clear idea of the next steps. Always strive to complete your session by pointing out given action items for every team and person in the project.

All the participants should come out of the meeting knowing exactly what to do and how to go about the next steps.

• Make a follow-up

Always make sure that you follow up with an email. It is understandable to expect people to take notes during the meeting, but the truth is, not everyone will. Therefore, as the project manager or organizer, you should ensure that you follow up with an email summarizing the proceedings and the necessary action items.

However, this does not mean that you should include all the nitty-gritty. Just cover the main things you feel the participants should have at the back of their minds. Making a follow-up will also give the participants a guide to refer to whenever the need arises.

A project kickoff is not a waste of time. It can ensure project success if done right. It offers a chance for parties to align their expectations and goals and lay down the framework for the project. Ensure that you implement the tips discussed in our article for a successful project kickoff meeting.  

Click  here  to download Project Kick-Off Meeting Presentation Slides Template.

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10 Project Kickoff Templates for Meetings in Docs & PPT

Praburam Srinivasan

Growth Marketing Manager

April 3, 2024

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There are times in life and business when making a decision without a second thought is the best course of action. Still, when it comes to projects, starting with a strong foundation often leads to better outcomes. Project kickoff meetings with other project-related discussions offer significant advantages to your team as they establish the framework for the project timeline and goals.

Stay with us as we examine the crucial elements of the top 10 project kickoff templates and show you how to use their potential. These templates will come in handy for laying the bedrock for success throughout different project phases. 🚀

What is a Project Kickoff Template?

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A project kickoff template provides project managers and their teams a structured framework that fosters alignment and clarity during and after a project launch. By incorporating several important elements, this tool plays a pivotal role in supporting seamless processes, including:

• Defining expectations : It establishes a clear understanding of project goals , scope, and success criteria from the get-go, preventing misunderstandings and misalignments down the road
• Outlining crucial steps : Within the template, a well-structured roadmap delineates the sequential steps and phases of the project. It offers a strategic perspective, ensuring that tasks are organized logically and in alignment with the project’s overarching vision
• Identifying task owners : The template simplifies the assignment of specific tasks to respective team members, ensuring that ownership is clearly established

A good project kickoff template should encapsulate essential information, establish clear expectations, and foster effective communication among team members. Here are key features to look for:

• Clear objectives and scope : Outlining the project’s objectives and parameters allows team members to share a common understanding
• Roles and responsibilities : Determining clear roles and responsibilities before the project begins ensures accountability and eliminates confusion regarding who is in charge of each task
• Project timeline : Including significant checkpoints and due dates offers a visual map that helps the team monitor project development and adhere to the schedule
• Communication plan : Setting steady communication channels for prompt updates, involving all stakeholders promotes smooth information flow and collaboration
• Risk assessment and mitigation : Identifying potential risks and mitigation strategies prepares the team for challenges and enables proactive problem-solving

10 Project Kickoff Templates to Use in 2024

You are prepared to begin a new project, and now is the time to meet with your team to discuss how to carry it out effectively. All participants should leave the project kickoff meeting with a clear understanding of the project’s scope and the deliverables required for its successful completion. So, you need a project kickoff template to ensure the initial session is productive.

With so many options on the market, how do you choose the right one? Check out our recommendations for the best templates to launch your project successfully! 🔝

Any project’s success depends on the success of the kickoff meeting. It provides a framework for setting expectations, discussing roles, assigning tasks, and understanding project schedules. The importance of these meetings highlights the need for effective tools to prepare for the session. ClickUp’s Project Kickoff Template does exactly that by speeding up the planning process. 

This template helps you organize and manage important project meetings . It includes custom statuses, fields, and views for better tracking. With features like comment reactions, nested subtasks, and multiple assignees, you’ll have more flexibility and control over how you manage your project meetings.

With the help of this template, you can:

• Precisely convey project objectives 
• Define attainable goals and timelines
• Maintain methodical planning and alignment throughout the project’s lifecycle ♻️

By using this template, you can easily assign roles and responsibilities to team members and clearly state the project’s objectives and goals to foster a shared vision. You can then carefully document important decisions and action items , keeping a methodically organized and forward-moving project direction. This comprehensive integration of crucial elements opens a clear path to success, enhancing the efficacy of your project management initiatives.

Crafting an adept project implementation plan helps define the project scope, establish precise timelines, outline deliverables, and more. ClickUp’s Project Implementation Plan Template makes it easier to monitor a project’s development with Custom Statuses , Custom Fields , Custom Views , and Project Management . 

Using this template, you can seamlessly devise a comprehensive scheme that spans from project initiation to its culmination. Visualizing essential tasks, deadlines, and interdependencies becomes effortless within this singular, organized hub. The transparency enables real-time monitoring of progress and resource adaptation for a seamless execution process. ⏳

In order to guarantee the project’s timely completion, this template assists in supervising essential elements like resource allocation, budget planning, and timeline coordination. Consider these six steps to create a strong project implementation plan with this ClickUp template :

• Collaborate on creating a shared Doc in ClickUp to ensure the team’s understanding of project goals
• Use the Gantt Chart feature to visually outline the project’s timeline and track progress
• Assign tasks using ClickUp to ensure team members understand their responsibilities
• Leverage ClickUp’s custom fields to input and oversee budget details and expenditures
• Strategize against potential risks and devise preparatory measures using Board View
• Facilitate progress check-ins and stay within the timeline by configuring recurring tasks in ClickUp

It can be difficult to navigate the complexities of project planning, and the solution lies in a seamlessly adaptable template that streamlines the process, fostering efficiency and transparency. ClickUp’s Example Project Plan Template combines all essential planning elements in a single platform . 

You can create detailed plans with intuitive visual aids that improve overall comprehension, effectively arrange tasks, encourage smooth communication across multifaceted teams, and track progress against predetermined objectives, ensuring the project gets completed on schedule.

With this template, creating a clear timetable becomes a breeze. You can map out tasks and important milestones with ease, ensuring your project stays on track. The template also helps you identify task relationships so you can plan more effectively and avoid disruptions . Once you share this detailed plan with your team, it brings everyone on the same page, promoting agreement and better understanding among team members. 👥

Whether a small project or a big venture, ClickUp’s High-Level Project Plan Template makes planning and managing any enterprise easier, regardless of its scope or complexity.

It lets you:

• Create a big-picture view of your project
• Organize tasks and deadlines for each project phase
• Set clear goals for your team at every stage 🎯

Using this template entails fantastic perks: 

• You’ll get a clear view of your project’s progress
• It helps you plan ahead with a straightforward timeline
• Everyone works better together because the responsibilities and assignments are visible to all team members
• You can set achievable goals that keep your team motivated and on track
• Keeping track of project progress and indicating task statuses like Deployed , In Progress , and To Do 
• You can use five custom characteristics, including Copy Stage , Approver , Project Team , Completion , and Design Stage, to preserve important project information and see progress
• Five distinct views in various ClickUp configurations, such as the Deliverables List , Copywriter Board , Graphic Designer Board , Timeline , and Getting Started Guide , make all the information accessible and arranged

Project templates are invaluable for saving time and resources during planning . They provide a structured foundation, ensuring all vital steps are incorporated into the plan and fostering clear communication among team members and stakeholders. 

This approach empowers teams to focus on the core project intricacies. ClickUp Planning a Project Template is your ally in streamlining project management . It guides you through each project stage, enabling you to grasp the project core, tailor plans to your needs, organize tasks effectively, and align team members for seamless execution.

Let’s see how you can make the most of this template:

• Use the Project Schedule View to plan when tasks should be done
• Assign tasks in the Team Members View and track progress
• Visualize the progress with the Status Board View
• Stay organized using the Task List View for tracking
• Access the Getting Started Guide View for help
• Sort tasks into statuses ( Complete, Stuck, To Do, In Progress ) for monitoring
• Keep stakeholders updated by changing statuses as tasks move forward
• Monitor and analyze tasks for maximum productivity 🔍

Meetings hold the potential to boost collaboration and productivity, yet without a clear plan, they can become a waste of time. ClickUp’s Meeting Agenda Template steps in as your meeting ally, ensuring that every gathering is purposeful and efficient. This template helps you:

• Outline meeting topics, objectives, and goals
• Break down tasks and action items for clarity
• Assign responsibilities to team members

The beauty of it lies in its versatility. It’s suitable for any type of meeting or event.

ClickUp’s Meeting Agenda Template ensures that every discussion topic is given proper attention, leaving no subject overlooked. It provides participants with a thorough overview of the meeting’s key points , assisting in effective preparation. The meeting also gets a sense of structure and order, which significantly increases its overall effectiveness.

Most importantly, an agenda template promotes active participation from all attendees , leading to more interesting and fruitful discussions. ✨

The main objective of project, resource, and operations managers is to ensure that projects follow schedules and produce successful results. No matter how carefully a project is planned, timely completion with positive results can be challenging.

ClickUp’s Project Deliverables Template defines project phases and milestones comprehensively to offer a clear picture of each team member’s role and set attainable deadlines. Each deliverable, whether a task, product, or service, gets its timeline, associated responsibilities, and anticipated outcomes. The template extends its value to encompass budget allocation , essential milestones, and a contingency strategy should challenges arise.

Having these components at your disposal empowers you to ensure accountability in your team, enabling meeting deadlines and achieving successful outcomes.

The Project Deliverables Template elevates project management by aligning expectations, managing resources, and steering projects in the right direction . 🏆

When it comes to efficient project management, having a well-crafted Statement of Work (SOW) is a game-changer. The SOW outlines project goals, timelines, and deliverables, creating a shared understanding between your company and clients or contractors. 

ClickUp’s Statement of Work Template helps you effortlessly create a comprehensive SOW , define project specifics with precision, and keep all stakeholders aligned throughout the project journey.

The project’s scope and each participant’s role are clearly laid out, setting realistic expectations. It also determines a clear timeline regarding the completion, which helps with planning. By making responsibilities clear from the beginning, you can avoid misunderstandings among team members. Most importantly, it helps lower the chances of things going off track or not getting done right, which makes the whole project more likely to succeed.

You can take advantage of this template by:

• Creating tasks and assigning them to team members
• Using Goals to gauge and monitor progress toward objectives
• Employing the Gantt Chart to craft deliverable timelines, ensuring punctual completion
• Leveraging Milestones for tracking progress and setting payment deadlines 🚩

With ClickUp’s Statement of Work Template, you can ensure projects are completed on time, within budget, and with the desired outcomes.

The comprehensive PowerPoint Project Kickoff Meeting Agenda Template by SlideTeam is a robust collection of 23 slides designed to facilitate the initiation of new projects . The deck encompasses vital elements such as project description and scope, core team details, project management team composition, rapid communication plan (RACI), project management cycle, work breakdown structure, project cost estimate, Gantt chart , communication plan, and tracking plan, among others.

This template empowers users to effortlessly build a presentation that covers all aspects of launching a new project. Its versatile nature allows easy customization of every element, ensuring presentations can be customized quickly to specific project requirements.

The template expands its usefulness to project agenda presentations , making it easier to communicate the project core, methodology, and organizational structure. It helps in outlining milestones, the project’s history, its business requirements, and its importance to stakeholders and the company. 💼

Essentially, this template acts as a complete toolkit for project managers and teams , enabling them to clearly communicate project details, involve stakeholders, and prepare for productive meetings. 

If you want to streamline your corporate planning efforts, the PowerPoint Corporate Project Kickoff Template by SlideTeam can help you with it. This presentation template comes with two pre-designed slides that seamlessly integrate into any presentation format, allowing you to make the most of your valuable time. The pre-made slides are a simple way to organize the agenda for your project kickoff meeting.

With this template, you can effortlessly polish your presentation, engage your audience, and ensure a successful corporate planning kickoff. This presentation covers all key components of a project kickoff meeting agenda designed for corporate planning.

It seamlessly opens in PowerPoint , offering you the flexibility to tailor it to your exact requirements. Easily eliminate any unnecessary text and replace it with your desired content. Modify colors and adjust layouts in a few clicks. 🙌

Your Project Kickoff Toolkit for Seamless Starts

Planning complex projects requires thorough preparation and close collaboration with your team members and clients. These templates provide the complete toolkit for team leaders organizing a project launch or kickoff meeting. By leveraging these tools, you can set clear objectives, boost effective teamwork, and reach positive results, regardless of your project’s scope and demands. 💫

Questions? Comments? Visit our Help Center for support.

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10 steps to supercharge your project kickoff meeting

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. That’s because every project team member and stakeholder brings different knowledge, expectations, and priorities to a project. 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. Luckily, there’s a better way: project kickoff meetings.

What is a project kickoff meeting?

A 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. 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. 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. 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.

What is the purpose of a kickoff meeting? Do I really need one?

In a word: yes. Kickoff meetings are an invaluable way to communicate key project information to your team and give them an opportunity to ask questions live. 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. 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.

That doesn’t mean you need to host identical kickoff meetings for every project. 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. 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.

Types of kickoff meetings

Not every kickoff meeting looks the same. 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.

Internal project kickoff meeting

This is the project kickoff in its simplest form. 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. Like any kickoff meeting, prepare materials in advance, but don’t worry about polishing your meeting.

Example projects:

Product marketing launch

Web production

Usability testing plan

Required materials:

A project plan  that outlines key details of your project, including success metrics, project schedule, stakeholders, etc.

SMART project objectives that capture what you will achieve by the end of your project.

A defined project scope  to set clear boundaries on what work is and isn’t part of this project.

A visual project timeline with any relevant project milestones to identify when key work will be completed.

In addition to sharing these materials during the project kickoff, plan to store project information in a central work management platform. That way, every team member has easy access to key project documents.

Executive sponsor project kickoff meeting

If your project or program has executive sponsors, you’ll likely want to host a higher-level kickoff meeting to get all executive leaders on the same page. In this type of kickoff meeting, plan to focus heavily on the project’s purpose and goals, as well as how the project will impact company objectives.

During this kickoff meeting, you shouldn’t spend too much time on individual milestones or details about the project. You’ll likely still want to hold an internal project kickoff meeting for your project team.

Product roadmap

Marketing campaign (without an agency)

Software or systems deployment

A clearly-articulated project purpose, which connects the business impact of this project to company goals.

If applicable, the business case  you created for this initiative.

Succinct project objectives to show stakeholders what you will achieve by the end of your project.

A   project plan  that outlines key details of your project, including success metrics, project schedule, stakeholders, etc.

A project roadmap , which should serve as a high-level timeline of important project blocks.

An executive summary  with all of this key project information. Plan to present the high-level version of the executive summary, then share the document with stakeholders so they can read more details after the kickoff.

A formal presentation or deck.

External or client-facing project kickoff meeting

If you’re working on a client-facing project, you’ll need to host a kickoff meeting between your project team and key stakeholders on the client side to align on project goals and deliverables. This should be the most polished version of your project kickoff meeting.

This type of project kickoff is your chance to set expectations and develop a shared understanding of the project goals. During this kickoff meeting, plan to spend some time introducing the project team, aligning on how frequently you and your client will be communicating, and clarifying what effective collaboration looks like. Make sure you and the client understand when they should be looped in to review your work or how you should communicate project progress.

Marketing campaign (with an agency)

Event planning

A   project brief  or creative brief , depending on the type of work.

A clearly-defined project scope  to set clear boundaries on what work is and isn’t part of this project.

A project roadmap , which should serve as a high-level timeline of important project blocks and include any relevant

  project milestones .

A list of project stakeholders  with their respective roles.

Where your team will communicate (e.g. Slack, email, Asana), as well as how you’ll share project status reports .

Agile project kickoff meetings

Most  Agile teams  run their projects in sprints, which are two- or four-week cycles of work. You don’t need a project kickoff for every sprint—in fact, doing so would slow your team down. But you should plan a project kickoff meeting at least once a year to ensure everyone on the team is aligned. Additionally, if your team starts a new project or if you onboard a new team member, you should host a project kickoff meeting to get everyone up to speed.

The Agile project kickoff meeting is a chance to make sure your team have everything they need during a sprint, so you can use your  sprint planning  and  sprint retrospective  meetings to focus on continuous improvement.

Success criteria, including what “done” means for your team.

Formalized team roles, especially if your team runs Scrum .

A list of which team ceremonies you host and when they take place.

A clear communication plan of where and how your team should communicate (e.g. Slack, email, Asana).

Your team’s daily standup meeting  agenda.

10 steps for a successful project kickoff meeting

As the project manager of a key initiative, it’s your responsibility to plan and present during the project kickoff. Similarly, if you’re running a  larger program  and planning a kickoff for that body of work, you’ll likely be the person driving the meeting—though you can count on the individual project leads to present their information.

If you’ve never planned a kickoff meeting—don’t worry! Here are 10 steps to hosting a successful kickoff meeting.

1. Prepare for the meeting

The first step to hosting a project kickoff meeting is to decide who needs to be there and how long the meeting should be. The level and detail of preparation will depend on how formal the kickoff meeting needs to be—are you inviting executive stakeholders or external partners? Or is this an informal kickoff with your core project team? As you prepare for the meeting:

Finalize the invite list. By now you should know what type of project kickoff meeting you’re hosting, which should inform who attends the meeting. Before you send that meeting invite, make sure to go over the attendee list one more time to ensure you’ve included all relevant project stakeholders .

Schedule a time (and duration). Make sure to save time for questions.

Assign a note taker. Make sure someone other than you is taking notes in case there are stakeholders who can’t make the meeting. If you’re meeting virtually, consider recording the meeting as well, so team members who are unable to attend can catch up later.

Create a meeting agenda. By sending out a meeting agenda ahead of time, you can ensure everyone is prepared for the project kickoff. Your meeting agenda is also a great chance to share any materials, like the project plan and timeline, that you’d like attendees to review before the meeting.

Example project kickoff meeting agenda

2. Make introductions

If this is the first meeting with the project team, there’s a chance some people on the team haven’t worked together before. Start the meeting with some introductions or  icebreaker questions  to help everyone get to know each other.

3. Start with the project’s purpose

The most important thing to align on during the project kickoff meeting is what you are working towards, and why this work matters. According to a  recent study , only 26% of employees have a very clear understanding of how their individual work relates to company goals. Without this clarity, team members don’t know what work to prioritize or  how to manage shifting priorities .

When you share your project purpose, take some time to explain how the project connects to broader business and organizational goals. Answer the questions “Why are we working on this?” and “What are we working towards?” Later in the meeting, you’ll have a chance to dive into project details and specific workflows, but sharing the project’s purpose at the onset of the meeting is the best way to get everyone on the same page.

Project purpose example

The purpose of this project is to increase brand awareness in NAMER and EMEA through a digital brand campaign in Q3.

4. Share the project plan

Ideally, you’ve already shared the project plan in the meeting agenda so team members had the chance to read it over before the meeting. During the project kickoff meeting, you don’t need to go over every little detail of the project plan—instead, focus on key information like the project timeline, important milestones, or key deliverables.

Example project plan

5. Outline the project scope

One of the most important things to discuss as a group is what’s in scope—and equally as important, what’s out of scope. Make sure everyone has the same expectations going in, so there aren’t any last-minute surprises or changing deliverables as the project goes on. Clarifying the project scope early and often is the best way to prevent  scope creep , which can delay or even derail your project.

Project scope example

Project Objective:  Launch display and video ads in Q3 to increase brand awareness in NAMER and EMEA.

Brand design team (six people), 15 hours per week for four weeks

$50,000 media spend budget

Deliverables:

Landing page design

Display ads (two variations for A/B testing), sized according to display spec sheet

Video spots (6 and 30 second spots), sized according to video spec sheet

Creative requirements:  Display

Shows logo and CTA throughout animation

Both static and HTML5 banners are needed

Features branding within first 5 seconds

Includes voiceover

Landing page

Ads and landing page should create a consistent visual experience

Out of scope:

Translating brand campaign assets

6. Establish project roles and responsibilities

You might not have to do this for a straightforward internal project, but if your project team has never worked together before or if you’re working with an external partner, make sure everyone is aligned on roles and responsibilities. Who is the main point of contact for the project? Does this project have a sponsor or executive leader? Is there an approver—or a group of approvers?

Different stakeholders need to be looped in at different stages of the project. If your project team isn’t clear on roles and responsibilities during the kickoff meeting, consider creating and sharing a  RACI chart  as an action item.

Example project roles

Responsible: Daniela Vargas

Accountable: Kabir Mandan

Consulted: Kat Mooney, Ray Brooks

Informed: Avery Lomax

7. Share where you’ll track project data and real-time updates

The average knowledge worker spends  60% of their time  on work about work like chasing information and searching for documents. All of this work about work means your team has less time to focus on their high-impact work.

To reduce work about work and empower your team to be effective, make sure you have a central source of truth for all key project work. When all of your project information is in one easy-to-find place, your team can quickly locate project documents, get real-time project updates, check on relevant project milestones, and stay updated on  project deliverables .

8. Make time for questions

After the kickoff, your project team may have questions about something you presented, like the scope of the project or certain task expectations. Make sure to leave plenty of time at the end of the kickoff meeting to answer any questions. Remember: the goal of the project kickoff is for everyone to leave the meeting on the same page and ready to get started.

9. Outline next steps

The last part of your project kickoff meeting should answer the question, “What comes next?” At this point, you should clarify where this work is being documented, and go over any action items that were captured in this meeting. It might also help to quickly outline what your team will be doing first.

Moving forward, clarify where and how you’ll share project status updates. Having too many meetings was one of the  top three barriers to productivity in 2021 . Instead of scheduling in-person or virtual status meetings, consider sharing  project status reports  virtually through a work management system. That way, team members can continue to efficiently align and connect over any new changes.

10. Post-meeting to-dos

Congratulations—the meeting is over! After you wrap up, ask the note taker to share any meeting notes in your shared project. If you met virtually, make sure to share the meeting recording and/or transcript as well. Finally, if there were any action items from the meeting, make sure those are captured and assigned to the relevant team member.

After the kickoff meeting... what's next?

Once you’ve held your project kickoff meeting, you’re ready to get started on your project work. The best way to maintain alignment and clarity after your project kickoff is to maintain a central source of truth and collaboration—like a  work management tool . By sharing all of your work, status updates, and messages in one place, you can not only get team members on the same page—you can keep them there.

Learn more about how  Asana  can help you organize work so your team knows what to do, why it matters, and how to get it done.

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