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38 Top Opening and Closing Remarks for Meetings

By: Grace He | Updated: March 18, 2024

You found our list of opening and closing remarks for meetings .

Opening and closing remarks for meetings are statements that introduce and wrap up workplace get-togethers. The purpose of these remarks is to set the tone of the subject matter and summarize topics covered during the meeting. Examples of opening and closing remarks for meetings include quick welcomes to attendees, announcements explaining the reason for the meeting, and conclusions that wrap up the content covered.

Utilizing opening and closing remarks is among the top public speaking tips for employees . You can use conference jokes or conference quotes as your opening or closing remarks. These icebreaker jokes are a great addition to your conference agenda .

This list includes:

• short opening remarks for a meeting
• opening remarks for a virtual meeting
• chairman opening remarks in a meeting
• opening remarks for a seminar
• sample closing remarks for a meeting
• sample closing remarks for an event
• simple closing remarks

Here we go!

Short opening remarks for a meeting

• Welcome, everyone. Thank you for taking the time to attend our meeting this morning. This meeting will address some announcements we think you will find interesting. We have a lot to cover, so we will get started without further ado.
• Good morning, folks. We appreciate you blocking out your calendar so we can discuss some important topics with you. We promise to get through this as quickly as possible so you can get back to your day.
• Hey, everyone! Great to see so many shining faces in the room, especially for the early hour! Apologies for calling this meeting on such short notice. We have some significant announcements to make, so we will get right to it.
• Hi, team. Thank you for making an effort to be here today. Some serious developments occurred over the weekend, and we wanted to inform you of the details before you heard any worrisome rumors. Here is everything we can tell you so far.
• Hello, all! Glad you could make it on such short notice. We have some exciting news to share, and we just could not wait to spill the beans! Rather than wasting any time, we can get right to the good stuff.
• Good afternoon. Thanks for making time to be here today. As you know, we hit some important milestones this week. We thought sharing the success and discussing what comes next would be helpful. Away we go!
• Greetings, everybody! Here we are at another super exciting monthly meeting, our chance to share the highs and lows we all have been through since the last time we met. Would anyone like to get things started for us?
• Well, hey there! It has been a long time since our last meeting. We have all been quite busy, as you know. We have a lot to catch up on, so how about we jump right in and get started?

Opening remarks for a virtual meeting

• Good morning to everyone on our video call today. We have participants joining today from locations all over the world. Before we get started, we would like to take a moment to share our appreciation for everyone lining up their schedules across the time zones in this way. We understand how difficult it was to coordinate this meeting so all major stakeholders could attend. We promise to make it worth your while. If anyone on the call knows of a colleague who cannot attend, please feel free to share our discussion with them when you can. You should have a meeting deck in your email to help you follow along. Feel free to open it, and we will get started.
• Cyberteam: Assemble! Cheers to our remote crew, tuning in from the various workspaces around town and throughout the country. It is truly incredible that technology allows us to get together, even if only in digital form. You may have heard about some developments across several departments. We will address those topics and field any questions or concerns you may have. We will also discuss future developments in as much detail as possible. Much of what we will cover is still in the works, so we do not have as much information for you as we would like. However, we promise to do our best to get you up to speed and keep you informed as we learn more.
• Good afternoon, team. You may have seen the email announcing our new project calendar. This timeline includes tasks spanning multiple teams, so we have a coordinated effort. We wanted to get everyone on a call to brainstorm ways to approach our rollout of various tasks. Depending on the needs, you may find your name on multiple lists, or you may not appear on any lists. Our hope is to distribute the work as fairly as possible among the team to minimize potential overload. Because you are the players involved, we want you to have a say in how we assemble the list.
• Hello, everyone. Thank you for firing up your cameras and getting online this morning. We have a few special announcements to go over as well as updates on items we left in limbo during our last meeting. We also have a special guest joining us today. This guest speaker has information about making the most of your remote work experience. I know we have discussed workplace wellness in the past, and I thought we should hear from an expert on the subject. They will hop on for the last 30 minutes, which gives us the first 30 minutes to cover everything else. I will dive right in so we can have time for Q&A before our guest appears.
• Hey, crew! We have gotten away from our meeting schedule as of late, and for a good reason. Great job on catching up on the backlog! Now that we are ahead of the curve again, I would like us to pick back up on our semi-monthly schedule to stay informed in a more unified setting. I think it is also a good idea for us to see one another’s shining faces every so often so we can remember what we all look like! More sincerely, our remote team needs face-to-face interaction, which is what these meetings are all about. I will put new items on our calendars to keep us on track through the end of the year.

Chairman opening remarks in a meeting

• I am pleased to be speaking to all of you today. As the leader of this board, it is my duty to bring us together when necessary. This task can be challenging, considering our other obligations. I would like us to take this opportunity to review developments that occurred since our last meeting and cover several lingering action items.
• Good morning, fellow board members. It is a privilege to address you all this afternoon for such a fortunate occasion. It is not often that the board has the opportunity to honor the accomplishments of its own members. Today, we will celebrate the successes of a long-standing trustee who has reached the pinnacle of personal and professional achievement. Before we start, please join me in welcoming our esteemed member with a round of applause.
• Thank you all for attending. As chairman, I would like to begin this meeting by reviewing the minutes from our last session before covering our new agenda. You all know how quickly the new corporate strategy is unfolding. We have a growing list of issues to address, so we should get started.
• I would like to extend a warm welcome to all in attendance today. As your newly appointed chairman, I think it best to begin this meeting by introducing myself and explaining my background before having each member do the same. Once introductions are complete, we will review the charter and attend to any new business.

Opening remarks for a seminar

• Welcome, everyone, and thank you for being with us today. For those who may not know, this seminar is our opportunity to share our latest developments and explain how this progress will lead us into our next phase. We have laid out a roadmap that puts us on solid footing the whole way through. We are eager to share the details and get your input on what improvements we can make. As key stakeholders in the business, your viewpoints count as much as anyone on the team. We hope you feel comfortable sharing your thoughts.
• There are few moments in which our group can assemble for a subject as important as improving our culture. We feel the need is critical enough to halt operations and bring us all together. This company remains dedicated to the well-being of every employee, but dedication means nothing without action. We have created a seminar-style meeting that presents information intended to help make the most of your experience in the workplace. This is your space, after all, and we will do all we can to create an enriching culture for all of us.
• I can think of few workplace developments less stressful than learning new software. Unfortunately, we have outgrown our old platform and have no choice but to move to a bigger and better model. After a great deal of deliberation, we have chosen a package that will make your current work much easier while also accommodating future growth. To get a head start on learning, we have put together this seminar with a representative from the software company. This speaker will provide an overview of the system and its functions before going into detail about how each feature fits in with our current system. Please feel free to ask questions and share your insight as we proceed.

Sample closing remarks for a meeting

• We have covered a lot of material in a short time. If you need more details, you can schedule one-on-one time with your supervisors, who will have additional information shortly. Please write down any questions that arise so you can get answers and feel settled about our next steps.
• I hope you enjoyed our brainstorming session. We are off to a great start and should have a great second meeting. I will add an item to the calendar to continue with our planning phase. If everyone will kindly send me their notes, then I will create a master folder we can all access. I will also email today’s meeting minutes out so we can create a living document as we go. More to come!
• As you can understand, this meeting is only a first step. We will continue business as usual until we receive further word about new developments. Once we know more about the acquisition, we will put together another meeting for updates. You may have questions and concerns before then, which you may discuss with your manager, of course. To avoid creating unnecessary anxiety, we would ask that you refrain from speculating on details we have yet to disclose. I appreciate your cooperation.
• I hope you can all agree that it is important for our team to spend quality time together outside of our usual tasks. These team building meetings are a perfect forum for showing off other sides of our personalities and connecting in fun and exciting ways. This meeting is the first of many! To ensure everyone feels a sense of ownership, I would like you all to send me your ideas for events we can include in future meetings. If you know of any games or icebreaker activities we should include, please send me a note or drop by my office to chat. The more input we have, the better variety of activities we can draw from.

Sample closing remarks for an event

• We hope you enjoyed attending our event as much as we enjoyed putting it together. As always, we are ready to assist our clients in any way possible. If you have concerns after you head out, please get in touch with your account manager or a supervisor and let us know how we can help. We truly appreciate serving you and cannot wait to see where we go together next. Thank you for coming!
• Thank you for coming to our get-together. We know breaking away from your busy day can be challenging, and we do not take it for granted. That said, it is always great to see our team come together for time away from the daily grind! We would not be able to do what we do without you. You are all integral to this organization’s success, and we are grateful to have you.
• We have come a long way since the last time we were all together. The organization has grown considerably, and we know more growth will come. We hope we have clarified what comes next for this company and how we intend to achieve our goals. The agenda may seem ambitious, but we have no doubt that the people in this room are the right people to make the effort successful. Thank you, as always, for your continued support and dedication to our cause. We hope to see you again next time.
• Before we all head out, I would like to thank everyone who showed up tonight. You really came through and made this event a smashing success! I would also like to give a shout-out to our event team, who put together everything from decorations to catering without falling behind on their daily tasks. This team is phenomenal, and the credit for such a winning event goes to them. Please join me in showing our appreciation for all they have done.

Simple closing remarks

• Thank you all for coming. Enjoy the rest of your day!
• This meeting went quicker than expected, so I will give you 30 minutes back.
• Apologies for this meeting taking longer than scheduled. I appreciate you taking the extra time needed to finish up.
• If you have any questions after the meeting, please feel free to come to my office.
• Anyone needing more information can reach out to the contacts listed on the calendar item for this meeting.
• We have much more to discuss, so I will schedule a follow-up meeting for a week from now.
• As you can see, we have some serious challenges ahead of us. But I know that our usual team spirit will help us rise to the occasion.
• This topic is highly sensitive, so we ask that you treat it with the proper discretion.
• As a thank-you for your time and attention, there are treats in the breakroom. Feel free to drop by and grab a few!
• You all put the “dream” in “dream team.” Thank you for your incredible effort and amazing output during such a demanding time!

Preparing opening and closing remarks will provide definitive starting and ending points for your meetings. You can set the tone while alerting attendees to the main topic as well as sharing a list of agenda items. These remarks also create an opportunity to open your meeting with a warm welcome and close on a note of gratitude and encouragement.

Next, read about virtual workshop ideas and virtual brainstorming ideas , and team meeting tips .

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FAQ: Opening and closing remarks for meetings

Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about opening and closing remarks for meetings.

What are opening and closing remarks for meetings?

Opening and closing remarks for meetings are introductions and conclusions that bring a sense of organization to your agenda. You can use opening remarks to announce the topic of your meeting, while closing remarks will provide a wrap-up and alert attendees to any follow-up meetings or actions needed.

Why are good opening and closing remarks important?

Good opening remarks are important because they set the tone for the meeting, set goalposts, and keep listeners engaged. Similarly, good closing statements summarize essential topics, establish goals for future sessions, and provide calls to action.

What are some good opening statements for meetings?

Some options for good opening remarks include quick reasons for the meeting and brief rundowns of topics you will cover. Choosing an opener that matches the tone of the topics you want to address is essential.

How do you create good closing remarks for meetings?

Preparing good closing remarks can be as simple as reiterating information already covered and assigning the next steps. Additionally, these remarks should leave meeting attendees with a sense of understanding and accomplishment. Examples of some good closing remarks include thank yous to workers for attending, confirmations of the following steps, and reminders of follow-up items.

Author: Grace He

People & Culture Director at teambuilding.com. Grace is the Director of People & Culture at teambuilding.com. She studied Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University, Information Science at East China Normal University and earned an MBA at Washington State University.

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People & Culture Director at teambuilding.com.

Grace is the Director of People & Culture at teambuilding.com. She studied Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University, Information Science at East China Normal University and earned an MBA at Washington State University.

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How you begin a meeting matters. Explore the dos and don’ts of meeting introductions, and learn how you can use the IEEF framework to begin each meeting the right way.

What do a flustered host, the lack of a meeting agenda , and confused employees all have in common? They all indicate that a meeting is off to a bad start. 

We’ve all attended meetings where we knew from the start that our time would be wasted. For a meeting to be productive , it must be organized, have a clear purpose, and have a prepared agenda. 

If you regularly lead team sessions or one-on-ones, or you may need to host a meeting sometime soon, it’s important to learn how to introduce yourself in meetings. Read on to explore why the beginning of a meeting is important, learn the do’s and don’ts of meeting introductions, view examples of how you can begin a meeting on the right foot, and see some creative examples of how you can begin each meeting meaningfully. 

• Why is the start of a meeting so important?

Dos and don’ts of meeting introductions

• Meeting introduction steps and examples

Ways to start a meeting

How to start a meeting using the ieei framework, start meetings off on the right foot with fellow, why is the start of a meeting so important .

The beginning of a meeting sets the tone and introduces the major themes for the entire session. On one hand, if a meeting host makes it clear at the beginning that they’re unprepared, attendees may take it as a clear sign that the meeting won’t be valuable. An organized host, on the other hand, shows employees that their attendance and efforts are valued and that the session will run smoothly. 

Meeting introductions can transform the effectiveness of your meetings

How a meeting begins can significantly influence engagement. Meeting introductions should briefly outline the meeting’s purpose and objectives, ensuring everyone is on the same page. With AI-generated meeting agendas, you get custom recommendations for impactful introductions based on meeting type, tone, and participants. Save time on preparation and get inspired with Fellow today!

If you want ideas on how to open a meeting, here are a few creative and engaging ways you can begin a meeting the right way:

• Celebrate wins
• Surprise your team with a fact or statistic
• Share a memorable quote
• Tell a personal anecdote

1 Celebrate wins

Set a positive tone for your meeting by encouraging attendees to celebrate big and small wins. For example, the host could begin by congratulating the group on the recent success of a project, acknowledging a new hire, or giving an individual praise for leading a specific task. Alternatively, the meeting host can ask that each person give a shoutout to another member of the team. In doing so, the meeting host may lead attendees to begin associating group sessions with good news and team progress instead of boredom and mundane status updates. 

2 Surprise your team with a fact or statistic

An interesting way to begin each meeting is by offering the group a surprising statistic or fun fact to get everyone’s attention. The stat can be relevant to the meeting topic or completely irrelevant, depending on what tone you want to set. For example, if you want to captivate the group and make them smile, you can offer up a random fun fact like, “Did you know that avocados are a fruit, not a vegetable?” and ask that everyone else does the same. If you want to make the group feel motivated or get them thinking about the meeting topic, you can tell the group a statistic about your industry or organization. 

3 Share a memorable quote

Everyone loves a good quote! Quotes represent everything that people want to say but don’t know how. At the beginning of your next meeting , offer up a motivational or positive quote to deliver wisdom and provide a quick morale boost through well-worded thoughts. If you’re a “to the point” kind of leader, something quick-witted like, “The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary” might work. Alternatively, if your team is facing any kind of adversity, a quote like, “Do not judge me by my success, judge me by how many times I fell and got back up again” might work well. 

4 Tell a personal anecdote

You can use the start of a meeting as an exercise in storytelling. If you want to grasp your attendees’ attention, share a real-life experience about a personal success, professional roadblock, or anticipated event. Discuss an experience that relates to the meeting topic, the group’s interests, or the team’s values. For instance, you can share a story about how a recent news event relates to your meeting topic, discuss new and exciting developments in your field, or tell a story about a recent professional success of yours. 

Consider these dos and don’ts when kickstarting a meeting. Keeping these in mind will help you get things off to a productive and meaningful start.

• Don’t take too long. Remember to be respectful of attendees’ time and keep in mind that some may have a meeting after the one you’re leading. Keep the introduction short and sweet.
• Do include attendees. Try using the word “you” to get people excited about participating and having a conversation. Doing so will also highlight what’s in the discussion for them.
• Don’t overpromise or exaggerate. Be as transparent as you can regarding the state of the project and don’t promise unrealistic results by the end of the meeting.
• Do get creative. Done well, the introduction can be a time for you to have some fun and get attendees comfortable around one another. 
• Do use Fellow for your introduction meeting agenda . 

Meeting introduction steps and examples 

Ready to kickstart the meeting with an introduction that sets the tone? Here are four steps for leading a meeting introduction, plus how to apply them to both informal and formal settings.

• Start with an introduction
• Announce the subject and duration of the meeting
• Explain the purpose
• Explain why the participants were chosen to be there

1 Start with an introduction

It’s a good idea to start a virtual or in-person meeting by greeting everyone and introducing yourself. This can be especially helpful if there are attendees who may not know you because they’re new to the organization, or if you’re stepping in for someone else as the meeting facilitator . 

• Informal: Hi everybody, I’m [your name], [your role] at [company name]. Thanks for joining the call today! I know most of you, but there are a few new faces! I’m excited to get started.
• Formal: Hello everyone, and thanks for joining. My name is [your name], and I’m the [your role] at [company name]. I appreciate everyone’s punctuality at this meeting. Let’s get started.

2 Announce the subject and duration of the meeting

Next, you’ll want to make sure everyone is aware of the subject of the meeting so they have an understanding of what’s about to be discussed. You should also mention how long the meeting will last.

• Informal: We’re all here to discuss our very exciting upcoming product launch! This meeting should last about an hour.
• Formal: Today, we’re going to talk about our new product launch. The meeting will last an hour.

3 Explain the purpose

Once the subject matter and duration have been established, touch on the purpose of the meeting . The last thing you’ll want is for attendees to be unsure why the meeting is taking place. Even though you should have had a clear purpose outlined in the agenda sent out before, it’s a good idea to remind everyone before the meeting gets started.

• Informal: When we’re done here today, we will have outlined a product launch schedule and assigned roles to everyone.
• Formal: Before this meeting concludes, a product launch schedule will have been established, in addition to everyone’s roles to make the launch a success.

4 Explain why the participants were chosen to be there

Finally, go over why all of the meeting participants were chosen to be there. You don’t necessarily need to go person by person, especially if the meeting has a high number of attendees, but a brief comment about who is meeting will suffice.

• Informal: You’re all here because everyone in this room/on this call will play a huge part in ensuring the product launch is a success!
• Formal: Everyone in attendance today will play an integral part in launching the product on time to our customers. 

You’re not limited to the IEEI framework, as there are other ways to start a meeting that can be considered. Consider these six alternatives if you’re looking for other ways to start a meeting. 

• Make use of meeting templates
• Leverage small talk
• Use icebreakers
• Reiterate ground rules
• Outline the objectives
• Share quick status updates

1 Make use of meeting templates

Get your meetings off to the right start by leveraging Fellow’s extensive library of expert-approved meeting templates , with pre-loaded meeting introduction sections for icebreakers or introductions. Check out our Remote Team Meeting Template or Hybrid Team Meeting Template to help you set a positive tone from the get-go.

2 Leverage small talk

People often roll their eyes when conversations veer into small talk—there are only so many times you can chat about the weather or your weekend plans. But small talk doesn’t have to be boring! Leveraging it the right way can help attendees know one another better.

Consider these outside-the-box small talk questions :

• Are you reading any good books right now?
• What’s your go-to comfort food?
• Would you rather have four ten-hour work days or five eight-hour work days?

Similar to an icebreaker, small talk is a great way to share a short conversation with attendees. 

3 Roll call

If the meeting you’re introducing is with a smaller group, taking attendance out loud is probably unnecessary. It’s likely that the person taking the meeting minutes will know everyone on a first-name basis and can note who is present and who isn’t in attendance.

If you’re leading a larger meeting that’s in person, you may choose to send around an attendance sheet. If someone vital to the matter being discussed is absent, it may be necessary to apologize for their absence and provide a short explanation as to why they’re not there. 

An example of this is: You’ll probably notice that [name of CEO] isn’t here today as they were called away on business.

4 Use icebreakers

You can also lean on icebreakers to start a meeting. These team-building questions can foster trust and build psychological safety with one another. There are a ton of options you can choose from! Some of our favorites are:

• What are your hobbies outside of work?
• What is your favorite thing to cook?
• What is your favorite reality TV show?
• Where is your dream vacation?
• Where is your favorite sit-down restaurant? 

You may be surprised by the attendees’ answers!

5 Reiterate ground rules

You can also start the meeting off by reminding everyone of the meeting ground rules . These are the standards or guidelines set up ahead of time that the attendees should follow for the meeting to be as productive and successful as possible. 

Some examples of meeting ground rules are:

• State your name before you begin speaking
• Stay 100% focused during the meeting by avoiding incoming emails, direct messages, and text messages
• Never interrupt the individual who is speaking or sharing a point
• Come prepared with action items to discuss with the team
• Stay on topic to allow enough time for everything on the agenda
• Have your camera on when it’s your turn to speak during a virtual meeting

6 Outline the objectives

Another alternative is to include an outline of the meeting objectives during the introduction. It’s far too common for attendees to join a meeting feeling like they have no idea what’s about to be discussed and what they’re expected to bring to the table. Establishing clear and concise objectives before a meeting starts can help avoid this confusion.

Some examples of how you can outline the objective during the meeting introduction are:

• “Thanks for joining this meeting! Today’s objective is to create a plan of action surrounding the new recruiting strategy for open positions that we’re looking to hire for this quarter.”
• “Thank you everyone for being on time for today’s meeting. The objective today is to develop a new plan to reduce customer churn in the second half of the year.”
• “Hi everyone! Thanks for joining on time. The objective today is to plan for the upcoming holiday party and discuss the theme, menu, and yearly awards.”

7 Share quick status updates

Finally, sharing quick but informative status updates is another great way to start things off. Depending on how many people are in attendance, you can have everyone share two to three sentences about where they are on a project or initiative or, for larger meetings, have the leader of each team or department share pertinent updates on a need-to-know basis. This keeps everyone informed and accountable for what is being worked on by each team.

Too often, meeting hosts start sessions by diving straight into the first meeting agenda item. An ineffective beginning can set a negative tone for the remainder of the meeting, which is why it’s so important to start the meeting on the right foot. 

At the start of each session, the host should state the purpose of the meeting, quickly review the agenda, and ask participants if they have any questions. One way leaders can learn how to address a meeting is by incorporating the IEEI framework into each group session. 

IEEI stands for Inform, Excite, Empower, and Involve. Use this abbreviation as a reminder of what to include in the opening of your meeting remarks. 

At the beginning of the meeting, the host should inform attendees of the purpose of the meeting and the objective the group is striving to achieve. Let participants know why they’re there and what the group will have once the meeting is done to keep everyone on track. The start of the meeting should help participants understand why they’re in attendance and how their contributions during the session will help the group achieve its goals. 

If helpful, you can use an opening line like, “The purpose of this meeting is to… At the end of the meeting, I want the group to have achieved…” to set the tone. 

In the second part of your meeting introduction, let attendees know why they should care about the topic at hand. Without excitement, morale and engagement may be low. in your opening remarks and meeting greetings, strive to use the words “you” and “your” multiple times in your opening remarks to indicate what’s in it for your participants. 

Here is an example of opening remarks you can give as the host to excite the attendees:

• “Hello everyone! Thank you for joining me this morning to discuss our team’s hiring process. The purpose of the meeting is to simplify our recruiting process. When the meeting ends, this group will have three key OKRs to simplify our overall hiring process, a game plan for how to speed up our hiring moving forward, and a step-by-step process to procure new recruitment software. This is exciting because if we achieve these meeting objectives, this team will walk away with a newly simplified hiring process to make our work more efficient!”

In the third step of the IEEI framework, ensure that all attendees are clear of the power they hold while in the meeting space. Empowering your teammates and stakeholders will encourage them to speak up and offer their thoughts, ideas, and insights. While you shouldn’t be corny, offering a simple, empowering statement in your opening remarks can be beneficial. 

Here are a few meeting introduction ideas you can use to empower your meeting attendees:

• “You’re all here because your manager thought you were the best employees to work on this specific project. I’m really looking forward to hearing your thoughts on how we can move forward today and reach our goals!”
• “Our team is looking to all of you for your candid feedback and expertise on how we can ensure this new initiative is a success.”
• “Senior management is looking to this group to create recommendations that will guide the company’s mission and values into the future.”

The final step of the framework is to involve attendees in the meeting conversation early so they are eager to participate throughout. At this stage, the meeting host should ask a question tied to the meeting’s objective . The goal of this step is to create an open and collaborative environment for everyone to contribute. 

Here are a few examples of involvement questions you can ask meeting attendees:

• “If we’re going to achieve the outlined objective, there are a few key issues we should address in advance. Let’s have a conversation about these. In order to be successful today, what specifically must we address first?”
• “Now that you understand what we hope to achieve today, what other outcomes would you like to see come out of today’s session?”
• “It’s been a while since we’ve had a group session. Let’s begin by going around the table and having everyone give a quick one-minute update.”
• “What would make you say, “That was an amazing meeting!” at the end of this session?” 

If you regularly lead team meetings or 1-on-1s, learning how to start a meeting impactfully is crucial. To take your meeting introductions to the next level, leverage Fellow as your all-in-one meeting management software . Fellow offers AI-generated meeting agendas and custom recommendations to help you craft thoughtful and impactful introductions.

With our extensive library of expert-approved meeting templates , complete with designated introduction sections and icebreakers, you can set an engaging tone right from the start. You can also gather insights post-meeting with the meeting feedback feature on how the introductions and the overall meeting were perceived. This allows for continuous improvement of the meeting process. Start optimizing your meeting habits today!

The art of one-on-one meetings for business leaders and managers 36 min read

Cross-Functional Meetings: Best Practices to Get Them Right 6 min read

Staff Meeting Agenda Blueprint: Best Practices and Checklist 8 min read

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How to Run a Project Kickoff Meeting Successfully

Your ability to kickoff cross-functional team meetings is key to your success.

A Project Kick-off meeting is where you form your project team and where you set the tone of all future interactions. The purpose of the meeting is to have the group meet, set expectations, learn about the project background, and get on the same page with the client.

To ensure success, you need to include three distinct elements:

• An introduction
• A formal business discussion
• A fun team-building activity

Introduction to a project kickoff meeting:

The purpose of the introduction is to frame the kickoff meeting and get everyone on the same page. The opening has three main parts:

1. The welcome message from the leader to break the ice 2. The agenda so that people have a clear idea of the meeting 3. The team introductions so that people learn about each other

The welcome message:

It should be short, sweet, and to the point. The purpose is to break the ice and reassure people that they are in the right place and then remind them of the big WHY of the project.

Here is a good formula to use for a welcome message:

“Hi everyone, welcome to the kick-off meeting of project X! I am excited about this project because it will _________ (fill in the benefits this will get the department, company, or end-user).”

The big WHY is very important here because it will give the team a bigger purpose when doing their job. If you don’t know how to articulate the big WHY then check with management. Simon Sinek argues that great leaders always start with Why because your job as a leader is to make the team feel that they are working on something bigger than themselves.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4ZoJKF_VuA[/embedyt]

Kickoff Meeting Agenda:

One slide that will outline the bucket of information you will cover in this meeting. The agenda will set the exceptions and frame the timing and discussion points. If you don’t include an agenda people will feel that the meeting is unorganized.

Even though every project is different, some fundamentals have to be covered in the agenda. Here is a sample Kickoff Meeting Agenda from one of my clients (Modified a bit to hide sensitive information):

As you can see from the slide above, The meeting is divided into three sections: Team members introductions, Expectations, and finally the first milestone and a team-building activity. Notice that times are assigned as well for each part.

After the agenda is covered, you need to go into team introductions.

Team Introductions:

Team members share about themselves.

The team introduction portion will provide an opportunity for each team member to introduce themselves to the rest of the team. Remember: Many of the team members may be working with each other for the first time.

Provide a structure for the introductions so that each person shares, at a minimum, their background, current project load, and what they consider as their strength.

To reduce formality, you can consider adding a “fun fact” as part of the introductions.

I have a client from a big biotech company who starts the introductions by having people go around and share 6 things: Name, Role, Number of years at the company, and other projects they are currently working on.

For added fun have the team members also share a small and interesting thing about them.

Other examples of fun shares:

1) Share something unique about you.

2) Share something no one knows about you.

3) Share two truths and one lie and then the team will try to guess what is a lie. (The last one is my personal favorite because it gets everyone involved).

Formal Business Portion of a team kickoff meeting:

After introductions, you transition to the formal business portion of the meeting. This is where the team covers all key project-specific details.

This portion should account for ~ 60% of the overall meeting duration.

At a minimum, you should cover the following items:

1. Background on the project. 2. Agree on future meeting frequency, duration, and location. 3. Establish rules of engagement for meetings (e.g., arriving on time, no interrupting, etc.) 4. Agree on communication guidelines – internal and external to the team. 5. Align on the decision making and escalation processes. 6. Outline key project deliverables and target timing (if available).

Typically you will have a slide for each one, and you go through them and check for alignment with the team.

In the final piece of the business section, you cover the project charter . A project charter is one page that answers the why, what, and who of the project. The why is the reason for the project, the what is the background, the scope, and outcomes, the who covers the stakeholders. It is a one-page slide that summarizes the most important details.

Here is a template you can use:

Why or vision of the project?

What is the scope of the project?

What is the background:

What are the major outcomes?

Who are the stockholders?

The last part of the meeting is the activity:

Lastly, you should end the meeting with a team-building activity. The objective of this exercise is to allow the team to build rapport and learn more about each other in an informal setting.

Choose the activity carefully so that it provides insights into business-related skills – such as communication or problem-solving – as well as team dynamics.

For example, “Colorblind” is an activity that forces the team to communicate verbally (while blindfolded!) and solve a problem together as a team.

At the end of the activity, a debrief session allows the team to reflect on their successes as well as the area for improvement. Document and reference these learnings during future team interactions.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tto_bW2HXMQ[/embedyt]

Covering the three meeting components described above ensures a successful and memorable project kick-off meeting that will set your team on a positive trajectory.

Remember to send your team a “Thank You” note for taking the time to participate in the kick-off and include all critical insights from the meeting. As you plan your project kick-off meetings , feel free to reach out to me with any questions; I’m always happy to brainstorm approaches and provide suggestions. Good luck!

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How to Run a Perfect Kickoff Meeting

Updated: July 23, 2024

Published: August 18, 2023

Starting your project without a kickoff meeting is like hiking without a map. Sure, you might enjoy some cool trails, but you'll probably get lost without a map and a clear plan.

The same happens when launching projects without a kickoff meeting. Only with solid communication and a plan can you keep your project on track. It’s like a GPS helping you reach your destination.

Let’s learn more about it.

Table of Contents

What is a kickoff meeting?

The benefits of kickoff meetings, 4 types of kickoff meetings, how to run a successful kickoff meeting, 6 kickoff meeting best practices.

A kickoff meeting sets the stage for success by clarifying project goals, defining roles and responsibilities, and outlining the project timeline.

Altogether, this results in smooth project execution. Think of it as the official start of your project — like the opening ceremony of the Olympics.

There are two types of kickoffs — internal and external . Internal kickoffs focus on aligning the internal team, while external kickoffs bring together external stakeholders or partners involved in the project.

It's helpful to review best practices for effective meetings before we walk through the benefits of kickoffs. Here's what you should know. 

1. Improved Alignment and Communication

The beauty of kickoff meetings? They allow everyone to share their priorities, insights, and plans. This means your team can align and agree on critical elements from the get-go.

Sage Journals conducted a community-based study highlighting the importance of kickoff events for research projects.

These events involve collaborating throughout each meeting stage, building relationships by challenging each other's perspectives, and sharing expertise.

Kickoff meetings are suggested to facilitate dialogue among team members and promote equitable partnerships.

Pro tip: Open up a dialogue to tap into your team’s collective expertise, generate valuable insights, and foster a sense of shared ownership.

2. Streamlined Project Planning and Execution

Kickoffs are like the starting whistle of a game — you assign roles and recognize potential conflicts.

This helps a team save an immense amount of energy and time, allowing you to hit the ground running with a solid project management plan in place.

Heather Negley strengthens this point in her book titled The Salesforce Consultant’s Guide: Tools to Implement or Improve Your Client’s Salesforce Solution :

“The kickoff meeting is one of the most important meetings on a project.

It is the time that the team makes the all-important first impression and talks to the client about their goals for the project. The project methodology is also taught to the client.

“During discovery, the project team conducts business analysis using a variety of techniques to gain an understanding of the current and future processes. Project members write users’ stories to prepare for the build phase.”

3. Clear Milestones and Deadlines

Picture a group of highly motivated individuals coming together to turn a plan into reality.

They meticulously execute each milestone from the planning stage to the final tests, keeping an eye on the clock and communicating openly about their progress.

This level of collaboration ensures a seamless process and timely delivery of the finished product. Jean Kang , strategic program manager at Figma , says:

“Launch your program with a bang by hosting a 30-min kickoff meeting.

• Set goals, introduce team members, and establish an execution plan.
• Define sources of truth for resources, who to go to for what, and the right comms channels (Slack, Intake form, Microsite).
• Share the decision-making framework like DACI, RACI, or RAPID.”

4. Early Feedback

The top five project management tools and techniques most commonly used are the “kickoff meeting,” “progress meetings,” “progress reports,” “requirements analysis,” and “activity list,” according to João Varajão, Gabriela Fernandes, and Hélio Silva.

These methods are vital for project success as they enable teams to receive early feedback and make necessary adjustments in real time , leading to more accurate and efficient project completion.

Pro tip: Use Slido’s emoji cloud to pose simple questions and get feedback by using emojis. With this gamification, you can collect qualitative and quantitative feedback and mitigate any tense and uncomfortable feelings.

According to Neumeyer, the key to a great kickoff is positive energy. By embracing challenges and setbacks with a “can-do” attitude, you can motivate your team and lay the foundation for a successful project.

2. Define goals.

Success means different things for every company and team, so ask yourself what the definition of success is and share it with everyone. Set a measurable goal so that team members can automatically take action and make efforts to achieve it.

Ask team members how the project can be successful, discuss the targets for each metric, and determine how to measure everything.

“A big part of any successful kickoff meeting is defining goals for the entire project. You should take this time to explain why this particular project is important and how it fits into the overall goal or mission of your company.

By doing so, everyone on the team will understand why their work matters — and be more motivated to complete their tasks accordingly,” says Thad Heiges , U.S. government contracts project manager at ANDECO Institute and PMs coach.

3. Keep tabs on how everyone feels.

Sometimes, certain members may feel that the project is veering off course or may be disappointed by the lack of collaboration. Of course, no project manager wants to have disengaged or apathetic team members.

Pro tip: We recommend sharing thoughts and feelings after the meeting to make sure everyone is aligned. If you notice a team member behaves somewhat off, take them on 1:1 as soon as possible to hear and resolve the cause.

Also, consider Stephanie Middaugh’s creative way of getting feedback from teams after events or training.

Stephanie, CEO at Phoenix GTM Consulting, turned a Kahoot! quiz into a survey and found most of the sales team wanted straightforward information.

Middaugh says it’s important to adapt to the current tough times and use various methods to gather feedback.

4. Share assignments in advance.

Share all essential documents with your team before the kickoff.

Instead of sending a dull email with a pile of attachments, organize materials in one knowledge hub. Encourage team members to explore it beforehand, ask questions, and share their thoughts.

5. Support engagement.

Yes, you might be the project manager. But that doesn’t mean that only you should talk during the meetings.

Encourage your team and stakeholders to share their thoughts and ideas. They might surprise you with their brilliant contributions.

Pro tip: Consider giving different team members a chance to run different sections of a kickoff. This not only takes some pressure off you but also makes the meeting more interactive and enjoyable for everyone involved.

6. Send a follow-up email.

Strike while the iron is hot and shoot off a follow-up email within 24 hours of a meeting. Don’t wait until your conversation partner has forgotten all about your interaction.

Use a follow-up template:

Hi everyone,

What a great kickoff meeting we had! I’m lucky to be leading such a fantastic and motivated team. Let’s keep the ball rolling by recapping our discussion and highlighting our next steps.

• Recap. During the meeting, we covered [the project timeline, team roles and responsibilities, and potential roadblocks]. We also brainstormed some creative ideas for our project deliverables and discussed ways to stay on track and communicate effectively. These are: …
• Next steps. Over the next few days, I’ll be sending out detailed action items and assignments based on our discussion. We’ll be scheduling our next team meeting to review our progress and stay connected on [date].

A big thank you to everyone for contributing to our successful kickoff meeting. Our achievements are a team effort.

Finalize Your Kickoff Like a Boss

Boom! You’re now armed with the tools, templates, and frameworks to take charge of your kickoff like a boss. Let your energy and enthusiasm shine through and make everyone feel valued and inspired.

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Kick-Off Meeting: A Complete Guide for Successful Project Initiation

Kick-Off. As the first step in any project, a kick-off meeting is crucial to ensuring successful project initiation. In this article, we will explore what a kick-off meeting is, why it is important, and what you should include in your kick-off meeting agenda to ensure that your project starts off on the right foot.

What is a Kick-Off Meeting?

A kick-off meeting is an initial meeting held at the beginning of a project. It serves as an opportunity for project stakeholders, including the project team, clients, and vendors, to come together and discuss the project's objectives, scope, and expectations.

Why is a Kick-Off Meeting Important?

A kick-off meeting is essential for project success. It sets the tone for the entire project and ensures that all stakeholders are on the same page. By establishing clear communication channels, discussing expectations and project goals, and addressing any potential issues upfront, a kick-off meeting can help mitigate project risks and ensure that the project runs smoothly from start to finish.

What Should be Included in a Kick-Off Meeting Agenda?

A successful kick-off meeting should cover the following topics:

1. Introductions and Project Overview

The meeting should start with introductions and a brief overview of the project. This is an opportunity to ensure that everyone is on the same page regarding the project's scope and goals.

2. Project Timeline and Milestones

The project timeline and milestones should be discussed, and any potential roadblocks or challenges should be addressed. This is also an opportunity to establish a project schedule and ensure that all stakeholders are aware of the project's deadlines.

3. Roles and Responsibilities

Each stakeholder's role and responsibilities should be clearly defined to avoid any confusion or misunderstandings during the project. This is also an opportunity to discuss communication protocols and how stakeholders will collaborate during the project.

4. Budget and Resource Allocation

The project's budget and resource allocation should be discussed to ensure that everyone is aware of the project's financial constraints and resource availability.

5. Risk Management Plan

A risk management plan should be established to identify potential risks and establish a plan to mitigate them. This is an opportunity to discuss any potential issues that may arise during the project and establish a plan to address them.

6. Next Steps

The meeting should conclude with a discussion of the next steps, including any follow-up actions required and when the next meeting will be held.

Tips for a Successful Kick-Off Meeting

Here are some tips to ensure a successful kick-off meeting:

Schedule the meeting at least a week in advance to ensure that all stakeholders can attend.

Invite all project stakeholders, including clients, vendors, and the project team.

Send the meeting agenda in advance to ensure that all stakeholders are aware of the meeting's purpose and goals.

Encourage open communication and discussion during the meeting.

Document all meeting minutes and action items to ensure that everyone is on the same page.

A kick-off meeting is a critical first step in any project's success. By establishing clear communication channels, discussing expectations and project goals, and addressing potential issues upfront, a kick-off meeting can help mitigate project risks and ensure that the project runs smoothly from start to finish.

FAQs: Kick-off meeting

When should a kick-off meeting be held.

A kick-off meeting should be held at the beginning of a project.

Who should attend a kick-off meeting?

All project stakeholders, including clients, vendors, and the project team, should attend a kick-off meeting.

What should be included in a kick-off meeting agenda?

A kick-off meeting agenda should include introductions and project overview, project timeline and milestones, roles and responsibilities, budget and resource allocation, risk management plan, and next steps.

What are the benefits of a kick-off meeting?

A kick-off meeting establishes clear communication channels, discusses expectations and project goals, and addresses potential issues upfront, mitigating project risks and ensuring a smooth project flow.

How long should a kick-off meeting last?

A kick-off meeting should last between 1-2 hours, depending on the project's size and complexity.

Get Started with Your Kick-Off Meeting Today!

In conclusion, a kick-off meeting is a crucial step toward successful project initiation. By following the tips and guidelines discussed in this article, you can conduct a productive and effective kick-off meeting that sets the foundation for a smooth and successful project. Get started today by scheduling your kick-off meeting and setting your project up for success.

Additional Kick-Off Meeting Information

Kick-off Meeting Meaning: A kick-off meeting is a gathering of project stakeholders at the beginning of a project to establish goals, clarify roles and responsibilities, and set expectations for the project.

Kick-off Meeting Agenda: The agenda for a kick-off meeting typically includes introductions, an overview of the project, a discussion of the project goals and objectives, clarification of roles and responsibilities, a communication plan, a timeline and milestones, and any other relevant information.

Kick-off Meeting Example: An example of a kick-off meeting could be a team of software developers, designers, and project managers getting together to begin work on a new mobile app.

Kick-off Meeting Template: A kick-off meeting template is a pre-designed structure that can be used as a guide for planning and conducting a kick-off meeting. It typically includes a standard agenda, suggested discussion topics, and other helpful tips.

Kick-off Meeting Email: A kick-off meeting email is a message sent to stakeholders prior to the meeting to inform them of the date, time, and location of the meeting, as well as any necessary preparation or materials needed.

Kick-off Meeting Template Free Download: A kick-off meeting template free download is a pre-made template that can be downloaded and used for free to help plan and conduct a kick-off meeting.

Kick-off Meeting Agenda Template: A kick-off meeting agenda template is a pre-designed structure that can be used to plan and organize a kick-off meeting. It typically includes a suggested agenda and discussion topics.

Kick-off Meeting Presentation: A kick-off meeting presentation is a visual aid used to help convey information and set expectations during a kick-off meeting. It can include slides, graphics, and other multimedia elements.

Kick-off Meeting Purpose: The purpose of a kick-off meeting is to establish clear goals, roles, and expectations for a project, as well as to create a shared understanding among stakeholders.

Project Kick-off Meeting: A project kick-off meeting is a specific type of kick-off meeting that is held at the beginning of a project to establish goals and expectations for the project team.

Project Kick-off Meeting Agenda: The agenda for a project kick-off meeting typically includes introductions, an overview of the project, a discussion of the project goals and objectives, clarification of roles and responsibilities, a communication plan, timeline and milestones, and any other relevant information.

Important Output of Kick-off Meeting: One important output of a kick-off meeting is a clear understanding among stakeholders of the project goals, expectations, and timelines.

Project Kick-off Meeting PPT: A project kick-off meeting PPT is a presentation used to convey information and set expectations during a project kick-off meeting. It can include slides, graphics, and other multimedia elements.

Project Kick-off Meeting Checklist: A project kick-off meeting checklist is a tool used to ensure that all necessary elements are covered during a project kick-off meeting. It may include items such as introductions, project overview, roles and responsibilities, communication plan, and timeline and milestones.

Project Kick-off Meeting Agenda Example: An example of a project kick-off meeting agenda could be as follows:

Introductions

Overview of the project

Project goals and objectives

Clarification of roles and responsibilities

Communication plan

Timeline and milestones

Q&A and discussion

Project Kick-off Meeting Template: A project kick-off meeting template is a pre-designed structure that can be used to plan and organize a project kick-off meeting. It typically includes a suggested agenda and discussion topics.

Project Kick-off Meeting Speech Sample: A project kick-off meeting speech sample is a sample script or outlines that can be used to deliver a speech during a project kick-off meeting. It may include elements such as thanking stakeholders for attending, introducing key team members, outlining the project's goals and objectives, and discussing expectations for the project.

Generally, How Long Should the Kick-off Meeting Last: The length of a kick-off meeting can vary depending on the complexity and scope of the project, but typically ranges from 1-2 hours.

Project Kick-off Meeting Agenda Sample: An example of a project kick-off meeting agenda could be as follows:

Introductions and icebreaker activity

Overview of the project goals and objectives

Communication plan and project governance

Risk management and contingency planning

Kickoff Meeting or Kick-off Meeting: Both "kickoff" and "kick-off" are acceptable spellings for this type of meeting, but "kick-off" is more commonly used.

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Project Management

Home » Blog » The Ultimate Guide to Project Kickoffs

The Ultimate Guide to Project Kickoffs

Have you done most of the groundwork for your project? Now you’re thinking about the kickoff?

Good preparation will pay off!

No meeting has a bigger impact on a project’s success than the kickoff meeting. Getting it right can save you from many common challenges that often come up in larger projects.

In my 10 years of project management, I’ve run dozens of kickoffs, and I’ve seen firsthand how clear and honest communication from the start leads to better collaboration and fewer headaches down the road. As project leaders, that’s what we should aim for.

This article will help you run a great kickoff. I’ll guide you through the entire process—from identifying participants and creating a slide deck to conducting the kickoff meeting itself.

• What is the project kickoff?

What makes the kickoff so critical?

• Who should be attending?
• The process
• Preparing your slides (with template)
• Project kickoff template
• Tips from fellow project leaders

What is a project kickoff?

The project kickoff is a meeting where the project team is familiarized with the project specifics, including the timeline, responsibilities and logistics. 

It’s hosted by the project manager who leads through the meeting. The kickoff marks the official start of a project, concluding a usually intense preparation phase, filled with endless discussions and negotiation over resources.

The purpose of the kickoff? It’s to equip the team and stakeholders with the necessary details on the project to ensure a smooth collaboration.

Also, people need to know the timing of work so they can schedule other duties and personal off-time. Think of a kickoff as a pre-flight briefing given to crews before a flight.

You may have read about different types of kickoffs. What’s the deal here?

Sometimes pre-kickoffs are held at earlier project stages, with the main purpose of getting to meet each other face-to-face and building that initial level of trust that will lead to better collaboration down the road. There will always be an actual kickoff later when project planning has been concluded.

In other cases, kickoffs may be broken into an internal kickoff with the own team and a separate one with the client team. The reason for this is purely organizational – getting so many people together for one meeting is almost impossible.

Based on my experience, it’s always better to have one big kickoff involving all contributors and stakeholders instead of separate ones. You only have to do your “show” just once but do it really well. You also have to address people’s questions only once. With separate meetings, the challenge is ensuring consistency in communication.

For a project to be successful, it requires the dedicated and focused support of the people involved. This support doesn’t just happen on its own. We must clearly communicate our expectations — what we expect and when we expect it. If we don’t manage to do that, the project will be an endless struggle and we won’t be able to achieve the project’s target.

The kickoff is this single moment to share our plan and get everyone on the same page. It’s the meeting where we prepare the team for the upcoming challenges so that everybody knows exactly what to do. It’s a one-time opportunity, because once the project is in full motion, course corrections are much harder to make (practically almost impossible, as people are again busy with their other work). This is the informational aspect of a project kickoff.

The kickoff also serves a motivational goal.

We want the team to be fully invested in the project and foster a sense of responsibility towards our common goal, as the overall outcome mainly depends on the performance of each individual.

Keep in mind also that as project leaders, we usually don’t have formal control over our team. Unlike their supervisors, we cannot enforce action. Thus, our only possibility to drive action is through motivation (getting people excited and invested).

Who attends the project kickoff?

The following people should attend the kickoff:

• project manager
• project team
• key stakeholders
• management from both customer (sponsor) and contractor. By contractor I’m referring to the party that is hired to do the actual project work.

No need to explain why the project manager should attend. He’s the one who leads through the meeting. Then there’s the project team, which are staff members who are doing the actual project work. Key stakeholders could be representatives from areas or departments that are either strongly impacted by the project or whose expertise has major influence on the project’s success

(If you are not sure how to find out who your stakeholders are, I strongly encourage you to read my article on stakeholder analysis ).

Examples of important stakeholders could be Legal if your project touches legal issues. It could also be Purchasing in case you’re buying expensive goods as part of the project. It could also be HR if the project has major influence on employees, e.g. if time tracking is introduced.

Next, let’s explore how a kickoff is conducted in the real world.

How does a kickoff meeting typically go?

The cycle of a project kickoff including preparation and the meeting itself can span across several weeks or even months. It all depends on the size of the project.

Here’s the process for preparing and running a kick off:

• Scheduling the meeting – usually several weeks or even months in advance
• Preparing the meeting – creating the slides
• Conducting the meeting  – you are the showmaster
• After the meeting – sharing the presentation with your audience

Schedule the meeting

Large meetings with many participants are always hard to schedule. There are always scheduling conflicts because people have so much on their calendar. That’s why I always schedule the kickoff meeting way ahread of time, like months in advance. This way I can block a slot in everybody’s calendar and I can reserve a suitably sized conference room.

Sent out the meeting invite several weeks or even months before the kickoff date.

All you need to do is send out an Outlook invite with some text like:

‘Hi all, this is the invitation to our project kickoff meeting. Please block this time on your calendar. Attendance is mandatory. The agenda will follow. Regards, John (project manager)’ .

How long should the kick off be? Normally a kick off takes between 1.5 and 2 hours. This number may vary depending on the size of the project and the need for discussions at the end.

What if some folks decline your meeting invitation? Well, you have to accept that some people just don’t have time. They may either be traveling or on vacation. If people have a strong reason why they can’t join, I will schedule a separate mini-kickoff with them to go through the agenda. I want to make sure they still get the same information as the rest of the team.

Video: How to use the Outlook Scheduling Assistant

The Scheduling Assistant   helps you find a time slot that works for most people.

Prepare the meeting

Before you can prepare the kickoff, you need to have your project properly planned and documented. Specifically, you need to have an agreed project goal, a presentable project timeline and a chart showing the project organization.

If you don’t have those documents ready, finish this step first. For many of these documents you’ll find templates on the Internet. Also read my article on defining a project goal . For the timeline, download this project plan template .

Once you got the basic documents complete, it’s time to create the agenda:

Project kickoff agenda

Every kickoff has more or less the same agenda. Here’s a good template:

• Introduction – introduce yourself and the team (15 mins)
• Project goal and background  – why was the project started? (20 mins)
• Project scope – what are you going to deliver? (20 mins)
• Project organization – who is going to be involved? (10 mins)
• Timeline – explain your approach on the timeline (20 mins)
• Roles and responsibilities – what are the roles and duties of the team members? (20 mins)
• Teamwork and organizational topics – how is the team going to work together? (10 mins)
• Next steps – what are the next activities on the timeline? (10 mins)
• Q & A – answer questions of the attendees (15 mins)

Preparing the PowerPoint presentation

Next, you have to prepare the PowerPoint slides using the agenda as a basis. I can’t tell you exactly how may slides you should include for each agenda point. Be careful with not overloading people with too much information. Better keep your slides concise and simple without going too much into the details.

People mainly want to know how the project impacts their work, what they have to do, when they are going to be involved, whether they can take their summer vacation etc. On the other hand you want to convey as clearly as possible what you expect from the team. So, create your content around those topics and you will do pretty well.

Here are some tips on what to cover in each section:

1) Project goal and background

Explain why the project was initiated and what it’s supposed to deliver. You may have to dive a bit into history and give context so that people fully understand the project goal. Here are some topics worth talking about, depending on your project:

Organization and business model:  Not everybody will be familiar with the organization and its business model. So it’s interesting for people to hear where the company is coming from, where it has offices, what its customers are and how it is making money.

Project history: Explain what attempts were made in the past to tackle the issue your project is concerned with. Learning from past failures is always helpful. And it’s probably a good idea to clarify what you’re doing differently to avoid project failure  🙂

Urgency: A common objection to projects is: Why do we have to do this now? Why can’t this project wait til next year? Share the reasons why postponing is not an option and why it has to be done now when everybody is so busy.

Project goal:  Of course you need to talk about the actual goal. What does the company expect from this project? And what other objectives does the sponsor hope to achieve as a side effect: financial objectives, sales goals, cost savings and more.

2) Project scope

Next you should talk about the project’s scope.

Project scope is the sum of things a project is going to take care of. This includes project-related tasks (e.g. write a piece of software), specific deliverables (e.g. a training plan) and defined outcomes (e.g. all staff is trained).

For the purpose of a kickoff meeting, you only need to give a high-level overview of the scope. This can be one or two slides with five bullet points each. How do you know what to write about? Think of the major parts your project is delivering. In a construction project this would be setting up a building, doing the plumbing and electrical wiring and so on. This would be the scope. Similarly you list the key scope in the kickoff slides.

At the same time you should list those things that are not in scope. Maybe you set up the building but the client wants to do the flooring and tiling by himself. Or you leave out the lighting setup. So, that would be ‘ out of scope ‘, as we say in project management. The reason why you should mention what is not in scope is you don’t want people to have wrong expectations. This will only backfire later on when somebody asks you ‘ Why isn’t the lighting installed?’ and you say ‘Oh, didn’t we agree this was not in scope?’ .

3) Project organization

In this section you give people an overview of the project team. Who is involved? What departments are on board? Who’s overseeing the project from a management level? These are the kinds of question people have. In the end, people want to know who they have to contact regarding a specific issue. The organizational overview provides the answer.

This can be one slide that shows the project org chart:

Like this template? Click here to see all templates

Generally org charts are a bit more complex than this one, but you get the idea.

4) Timeline

This is the slide that people care about most. Why? First, it gives an idea about how intense the work is going to be. The more work is squeezed into the timeline, the higher the workload. Second, people are keen to see the timeline because they get an idea of how the project impacts their professional and personal schedule.

Some people have planned a long summer vacation. And now your project jeopardizes their plans. Or maybe they have planned business trips and therefore won’t be available to full extent.

Go through the timeline from now til the end and explain the major activities and how they tie together. Also mention any special circumstances that were taken into consideration for the planning. These could be parallel projects, resource gaps, weather conditions or other external factors.

5) Roles and responsibilities

This is THE MOST IMPORTANT set of slides in your whole presentation. Let me explain why.

Here you tell people what you expect from them. What kind of work they have to do, but also how they’re supposed to work together as a team. If this point does not come across and does not fully settle in the minds of your team members, then you will face issues with delegation. People won’t be clear about where their responsibility begins and where it ends. They won’t know what team they have to work with etc. And in the end you’ll be the one sorting out the issues.

That’s why you should take as much time as needed to go through roles and responsibilities. I have a separate article about project roles and responsibilities  in case you don’t know what I’m talking about.

6) Teamwork and organizational topics

On this slide you talk about the modalities of collaboration of the project team. This includes the meeting structure, that is  how often the team is going to meet both onsite or remotely. In the same context, people may want to know whether they have to come to the office every day or if they can work from home.

Other stuff worth mentioning is where people can find and store  project documentation (e.g. in a shared drive), files they have to maintain such as an availability overview and so on. Also, if the project involves traveling, you may want to talk about upcoming business trips and travel regulations or visa requirements.

7) Next steps

The final slide in your project kickoff presentation should highlight the next steps: What are we working starting tomorrow or next week. This is good because that way you can keep the momentum that comes with launching a new project. At the start everybody is still motivated and you want to use this energy to get the first work done. Just have one slide with maybe 4 or 5 bullet points indicating what the team is working on next.

The actual meeting

It’s the big day! You may be a bit nervous before the kickoff but that’s totally normal. Make sure you check if the conference room is ready so you can start the meeting right away. Check if the A/V equipment and beamer are working fine. If you have people joining by phone, dial in a few minutes before to see if the connection is working.

Once you start the meeting, don’t jump right into the hard facts. Instead, give people a warm welcome and tell a funny story or a joke. You want people to relax and open up so that the kickoff becomes a positive and exciting experience for them.

Then, for the next 1 to 1.5 hours all you do is go through the slides. Present your information in an engaging way and always keep eye contact with your audience. You want to see if people are still with you or if you’ve lost them. Make pauses and ask ‘Are there any questions so far?’  You are presenting super important information, so you want to make sure everybody understands what you have to say.

The thing is, people are reluctant to ask questions or state their concerns in a group setting. They are afraid of looking stupid and skip their questions even though something might be unclear. Keep that in mind. What I do is say things like ‘It’s very important that you understand this, so just ask if anything is unclear. I’m happy to answer all your questions.’

Towards the end of the meeting, you start the Q & A session. This is where the team can ask whatever questions they have. It can take anywhere from 10 minutes to one hour. And it’s important to give people this opportunity, because it creates trust and you get the buy-in that’s vital for a successful project.

When there are no more questions you close the meeting. Thank everyone for attending and express your gratitude of working with such a great, high-performing team.

That’s it. Congratulations on your first kickoff!

After the kickoff

There are also a couple of things you need to take care of after the meeting. If you’ve had somebody write the minutes (which is good but not really needed for a kickoff), you need to check those before sending them out. The other, more important step is to share the meeting presentation with all attendees — and also with the people who could not attend.

I also make a comment in my email that anyone who’s got questions should contact me. As I wrote before, people generally feel uncomfortable asking questions in a group. So you can clarify their concerns or questions in a separate 1:1 meeting afterwards.

How to Make Your Kickoff a Success? Watch My Five Top Tips

Project Kickoff Template

You don’t need to create your slides from scratch. I have a simple template for you which you can download here in PPT format. It already has the agenda structure I’ve used in this article! Check out my project kickoff template .

Learn from the best! These senior project managers share their best tips on running project kickoffs

I reached out to some of my friends on LinkedIn who are project managers. And I asked for their best advice on doing kickoffs. Read here what they shared with me.

Megan O’Malley, Senior Project Manager (PMP) from Ohio

« My advice would be, after the charter is signed, review the list of functions involved in the project.  Go to each functional leader, go over the project charter and requirements and any customer dates or budget information.  Ask them who can be included on the project team.  This is one of the ways I obtain buy-in from the cross functions and it is a good opportunity to find out any pending issues / questions from stakeholders.

Prior to a kick-off, if the project has a time constraint, try to build out a timeline using analogous information from previous projects. The Project Manager will need to start building out the work breakdown structure (WBS) and activity list so using archived / analogous project information, make the WBS.  Talk to the team member individually and go over the project with them.  Go over the WBS, list of activities. Get buy-in on the task duration / get feedback. Talk about possible risks.  Typically, projects I work on have time commitments. This is why I seem to stress time so much.

By the time the kick-off meeting starts, the project is not a surprise. I find that if you surprise people, they get defensive and feel blind-sided, which is not good.

If you surprise people [with your project], they get defensive and feel blind-sided, which is not good.

For the kick-off, go over the agenda a few days in advance. Do a dry-run if necessary. Depending on the project, be prepared for “issues”. There might be stakeholders / team members who are not supportive. Keeping to the agenda, parking issues in a parking lot or the issue log will help keep the kick-off on a positive start. Being as confident as possible will help keep you on task to lead the team.

Being as confident as possible will help keep you on task to lead the team.

At the kick-off, review the project and high-level requirements. Give access to the project folder. Talk about risks that might come up. Review previous project’s lessons learned .  Go over the list of activities. You might find something was missed in the work breakdown. Make sure everything is accounted for in the project plan. »

Guy Coulson, senior project manager from South Africa

See how Guy handles his project team kickoffs:

« I have an agenda – although I keep the meeting light and informal.   I make the introductions using first names.   I explain my management style: open communicative, participative and sometimes I will micro manage depending on the criticality and consequences. For example, if there is a chance of dropping a $100 million into the sea then I want to see the rigging study.

I explain the scope and purpose of the project and the predicted time lines – but projects being dynamic and evolving – client wants a red hat, then the client wants a red hat with bells on –  this too is not cast in stone.

I have an organogram -My wheel where roles and responsibilities are set out – these are not cast in stone because I don’t want islands in my team.   I ask each member of the team to say who they are, what they do and how they see themselves in the project.

If you let people decide what or how they want something, it often brings better results than dictating how it must happen.

I explain the channels of communication, but I ask the team to say what they expect with regards to the same (if you let people decide what or how they want something it often brings better results than dictating how it must happen – within the boundaries of reality ).   I explain who the client is   and   I detail the subcontractors and who the vendors are »

Roy Macaraig – Project Manager Digital Transformation

«  1. Participant list – think of this like it was your wedding guest list! Be sure it’s complete and ensure the attendance of key participants

2. Is your project management plan ready? The kick-off is the alignment of the project management plan to the rest of the team. Let’s face it that no one will spend time to read the Word document that stipulates how you will run the project. The kickoff is the opportunity to share your plan. A well written project management plan can lead to a successful kick-off

3. Not common practice, but each phase that requires some process-understanding also deserves a kick-off. How is one to raise issues? How is a test step handed over to the next department? Kick-offs are not limited to the first general-assembly type meeting. »

Do you have any further questions?

Now you’ve read a lot about project kickoffs and how to run them successfully. Is there anything this article didn’t clarify that you want to know? Just connect with me on LinkedIn and let me know your question.

Hi! I’m Adrian, founder of Tactical Project Manager and a Project Manager with over ten years of experience. Managed large-scale IT implementations and business projects. I started Tactical Project Manager to offer you a straightforward and pragmatic approach to project management, enabling you to lead any project with confidence.

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How to Run a Compelling Kick-Off Meeting [+Free Sample Agenda]

Explore the true purpose of a kick-off meeting, ways to nail your presentation, and what special considerations to make for remote meetings. 💻

Kickoff new projects and initiatives with this customizable meeting agenda template!

In football, the initial kick-off transitions team members from preparation and warm-up into game-time action.

When it comes to getting work projects up and running, a kick-off meeting does the same thing. It brings talented team members together to collaborate on goals along a shared roadmap to success. Start off on the wrong foot, and the team—and project—can fall apart. Get it right, and everyone’s prepared to tackle any obstacles ahead.

An excellent kick-off meeting sets your team up to win. In this post, we’ll cover the purpose of a kick-off meeting, how to nail your presentation, and look at special considerations for remote meetings. We’ll also provide you with a free kick-off meeting agenda sample.

Let’s start with why kick-off meetings exist.

1. Kick-off meeting purpose

What’s the point of a kick-off meeting, anyway? As it turns out, there are quite a few purposes this type of meeting serves.

For starters, a kick-off meeting brings everyone involved in a project together to transition from the ideation phase to execution. Getting your team together is important for several reasons.

<t-check>First<t-check>, having all people and teams in the room ensures everyone is either on the same page or can ask questions to get there. That allows you to lay a strong foundation and formalize the collaborative process.

<t-check>Second<t-check>, a kick-off meeting creates space for anyone to speak up about potential blind spots or hurdles the team hasn’t considered before getting underway. You want to use this opportunity to reduce surprises down the line and leave everyone feeling well-informed and fully prepared for the road ahead.

<t-check>Finally<t-check>, a good kick-off meeting serves to get everyone excited! It should clearly explain why this project is essential. What pain points will it address? How will it improve things? It should also cover how the project will solve those problems and how success will be measured. Project teams can unite over specific issues to tackle with defined goals in their crosshairs.

2. Perfecting your kick-off meeting presentation

There are a few key things you’ll want to be sure to cover in your kick-off meeting presentation. While the specifics may vary based on the type of project you’re kicking off, these likely include:

• the reason for the project
• project goals and how success is defined
• an overview of major phases or milestones
• specific responsibilities and deliverables from each person or team
• when follow-up project meetings will happen
• how you will track the project
• what communication channels your team will use

If this is a purely internal kick-off meeting with no external contributors, you probably don’t have to spend too much time on introductions. However, if this project includes external and internal teams, it would be wise to introduce people and their roles. An icebreaker helps accomplish this early in the meeting.

When it comes to sales kick-off meetings, one major priority is bringing energy to the room. Sales kick-off meetings are meant to motivate the team for a successful year ahead. Feed this goal with helpful information on strategies that have worked well over the last year and team-building activities that boost morale .

No matter what type of project you’re kicking off, make sure to leave plenty of time for questions at the end and clearly articulate what tasks people will tackle once the meeting is over. Check out our post on how to give a presentation for more ideas.

3. How to hold a remote kick-off meeting

In the past, experts insisted that holding kick-off meetings in-person was essential. The belief was that every person involved in a project needed to be in the same room, literally, to nurture group cohesion and collaboration through shared experience.

As we all know, in-person kick-off meetings for every project are no longer realistic. Fortunately, they’re also not completely necessary. You can still have a successful project with a remote kick-off meeting that ticks all the same boxes—you may just have to get a little creative.

To plan a remote meeting , consider what truly makes this meeting important. Starting new projects is exciting, and stakeholders are usually extremely interested at this stage. The meeting should harness this energy to get everyone’s input and open lines of communication.

Check out our 20+ icebreakers for remote meetings to start things off on the right foot. Then, consider what remote meeting tools your organization already uses that could be helpful. Do you have project tracking software? Can people use the meeting chat in place of sticky notes?

Ever since the mass move to remote work in 2020, remote meeting tools are more versatile than ever before. Review all your options, and you may be surprised to find ways in which remote kick off meetings are even better.

Ready to kick off your meeting planning? One key to leading effective meetings is having a meeting agenda. Use this free agenda sample to get started:

{{kick-off-meeting="/blog-inserts-3"}}

5. How do you run a kick-off meeting?

With the right planning and approach, kick-off meetings provide an energetic start to exciting projects. They create bonds between teams through shared purpose and set everyone up for success by establishing a clear understanding of the road ahead.

Team members can start collaborating with shareable meeting agendas even before the kick-off meeting, well, kicks off! Use our customizable Project Kick-Off Meeting Agenda to easily plug in what you need for the many successful kick-off meetings that lie ahead.

It will go something like this.

How to start a kick-off meeting. You can start a kick-off meeting by discussing what you want to accomplish at the meeting at a high level and what will be needed in order to make this happen.

Moving on to the project scope , it's time to be as specific as possible in your discussion so that it is clear what needs to be done by whom, when, and how. This will also give everyone an idea of the timeline for the project so they know when they should be ready with their parts and when they need assistance from other team members. This sets expectations about the project's scope, schedule, and the roles and responsibilities of everyone involved in the project.

Next, take a look at success criteria . This is the criteria by which you will be able to determine whether or not the project has been successful and how much you have progressed towards completion.

One way to do this is by defining some goals, any easy way to set expectations that all stakeholders and work together toward achieving.

The last part of the kick-off meeting is often to evaluate risks . This is important because it will help you to be prepared for any unforeseen circumstances that may come up in the future and give you time to consider how you will deal with them.

You can deal with by using risk management techniques, such as planning or performing tests prior to beginning work or deciding whether or not you should proceed at all if there are too many risks involved.

Be sure to include all of the risks in high-risk areas as well so you will be prepared for the worst.

This is a lot to cover in your first meeting with the team, so you'll need to keep the discussions on point . Aim to end with time to spare because you'll need to include plenty of time for asking questions and getting clarification on any issues that arise.

When you are finished, you can sum up and key decisions and next steps, and briefly go over who owns any action items. This will help you to ensure that everyone is on the same page before you end.

6. Who attends the kick-off of a project?

The people who attend the kick-off of a project are those who are ultimately responsible for the success of the project. They are the ones who should be involved in creating a schedule, managing tasks, and monitoring progress. Anyone responsible for these activities should be invited.

7. How long should a kick-off meeting be?

A project kick-off meeting is a meeting that prepares an organization for the upcoming tasks or projects. This doesn’t have to be a huge event, and it will likely last for less than one hour. Some experts believe that companies should have these meetings 30 minutes or less.

This time is enough to go over tasks and goals, cover questions, and review any materials that need to be covered. Although this is a helpful guideline for most organizations, you may need more time based on your goals for the meeting.

8. How do you kick off a meeting?

On a related note, it's time to conduct your next meeting—kick-off meeting or not—but how do you start? There are plenty of ways to kick off this meeting, and it all depends on what you would like to achieve.

To boost morale and encourage cooperation , spend some time talking about the successes of the team working together.

To get a sense for how each member is feeling , ask them to individually discuss their best work from last year.

To show appreciation and respect for your employees' expertise or input , ask them to share some things they've been learning lately.

To gather information , it is a good idea to start off with the objective or problem at hand. Then, ask for help in finding out more information and let the other team members answer questions.

To keep the meeting focused and to stay on track , start with a brief review of your goals for the meeting. Then move quickly into your agenda.

Don't let unproductive meetings slow you down

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How to write a superb kick-off meeting agenda

Kick off your meetings with a bang — with range’s help.

Project review, status updates, and retrospectives are some of the most common types of meetings.

But perhaps the most important is your project kick-off meeting.

This meeting is designed to help everyone hit the ground running on a new project.

When you’re planning for this kind of meeting, make sure that you follow a solid kick-off meeting template so that it goes off without a hitch.

We’ll show you how.

Step-by-step guide for creating a kick-off meeting agenda

Follow the steps below for an agenda that gets your next project off to a great start.

1. Write a welcoming introduction

If you want to kick the project off just right, then you need to kick the meeting off on the right foot, too. Even though the temptation is to always save time, spend a few minutes at the beginning of the meeting on introductions and icebreakers. This helps facilitate teamwork and build stronger bonds between the project team and the stakeholders.

2. Create a high-level overview of the project background

Once the introductions are out of the way, it’s time to get into the project’s history.

When you’re putting together the project background , be sure to discuss any research behind it or any other factors that led to the project getting the go-ahead to move forward. Explain why the project is needed.

This doesn’t need to be an in-depth analysis of why the project is necessary, or a long retelling of the full backstory.

Keep it high level, and if possible, limit the discussion to two things: the “whys” and the “hows.”

• The “whys” are the pain points, research, or historical context that makes this project a necessity.
• The “hows” include how this project’s completed deliverables will address challenges or pain points.

3. Create a project mission statement

Your project mission statement is the next essential part of the project kick-off meeting. This portion of the agenda should be brief. Your mission statement only needs to be a few sentences that define what the company does and who you’re doing it for.

And, since this is a project mission statement rather than a company-wide mission statement, it should also define the purpose behind the project or the greater project objectives.

The idea behind a project mission statement is to serve as something of a rallying point.

When things get tough, your team members can always come back to look at the mission statement outlined in the kick-off meeting for motivation to push through.

4. Identify and clarify the scope of work

This portion of the meeting is crucial to preventing scope creep — and it needs to happen during this first meeting. Project scope creep happens when last-minute changes to the project result in changing deliverables that require you and your team to spend more of your budget or do more work than initially anticipated.

Prevent this from happening by ensuring that you define not only the things within the scope of the project, but also the things outside the scope. This helps you set expectations — both among your team members and among project stakeholders.

Keep in mind that most projects will evolve naturally as they progress.

Even so, those evolutions should stay within the project’s initial scope so that you don’t run into roadblocks or other issues.

5. Build a project roadmap

Just like you want an itinerary for your vacation plus a map to follow so you don’t get lost, your project needs a roadmap or project plan to help you and your team see it through without getting lost.

It’s relatively simple to create a project roadmap. Start by defining the deliverables for the project, then create milestones to mark bigger accomplishments along the way.

Once you have a set of milestones, plug them into a timeline.

The timeline helps everyone at the meeting understand what needs to happen and when it needs to happen — but remember that your project roadmap is a living document.

As mentioned above, projects can evolve, and your timeline may need to change when they do.

6. Define project roles and team member responsibilities

This part of your agenda is especially important when working with remote teams or team members you may not have worked with before. Defining roles and responsibilities makes everyone’s job clear — and that increases the project's chances of success.

To define roles and responsibilities, ask the following questions:

• Are you working with external partners? If so, what is their role?
• Who is the project’s main point of contact?
• Is there an executive leader or sponsor you must report to?
• Is there an approver, or someone in the group who is in charge of approving deliverables?

Answering these questions will let everyone know who is responsible for what. It’ll also help you to set clear expectations for project goals that need to be met — and the people who will be meeting them — along the path to project completion.

It’s also important to define each of your team members' roles and responsibilities. On the surface, that might seem like a waste of time if you and your team are old pros with an established methodology.

Maybe you've already done many projects together and know who does what. But, this clarifies everything for stakeholders and other external parties who may not be familiar with how your team works.

7. Make tracking & reporting information available to stakeholders

Here’s a shocking fact: At large companies, people spend about 63% of their time on “ work about work. ”

Work about work are all those tasks you do that help you do tasks related to the project. Like reporting, scheduling, tracking time, and so on.

It’s a huge productivity killer in the office.

And you can minimize all that work about work by making sure that tracking and reporting information is organized and easily accessible to everyone who needs it.

Be sure that your key stakeholders can access it, too. This is a valuable bit of transparency that will help you improve communication and workflow so that you can ensure a successful project. Keep them in the loop on the project timeline, too, so that they know when to expect deliverables.

8. Allow time for questions and feedback

Once you’ve finished the kick-off meeting presentation and any other discussion, be sure to set aside some time for questions and feedback. This gives everyone a chance to get any information they may need that might have been missing from the meeting, for one thing.

It also gives you a chance to refine the project roadmap, the time frame, or any other details. Be open to ideas — your fellow team members can be a great source when it comes to figuring out ways to improve processes.

9. Provide actionable next steps

The final portion of your meeting agenda should be to provide a list of actionable next steps. The project has officially launched now, so where should everyone begin? Make sure to keep detailed meeting notes on this so that you can send them out in a follow-up email later on. This is also a good time to use project management software or your tool of choice to assign and track tasks.

With that, you can conclude the meeting.

The next steps will be in place so your team can get started.

Why are kick-off meeting agendas important, anyway?

Your project kick-off meeting agenda is what will guide the flow of conversation during the project kick-off meeting.

While some meetings cover the broad strokes, this one should be fairly thorough since it gets your new project off to a great start.

It starts with a date, time, attendees, and it should also list the project’s name, kick-off date, and project manager.

From there, the kick-off meeting agenda should cover everything that everyone will need to know about the project:

• Project's purpose
• Project timeline
• Deliverables
• Overview of the scope
• Roles and responsibilities

It should also include a space to discuss the next steps to actually kick off the project, plus some time for questions and answers.

That’s what a kick-off meeting agenda looks like — but why is it so important?

• It helps you avoid time wasters that can make a meeting drag on.
• Once you have an agenda, stick with it — and if the conversation starts to steer away from it, then it’s time to put the conversation back on the right track. Remember — these meetings are crucial for getting a project off to a great start.
• An agenda helps you stay on topic , focus on action items , and stay within the timeframe, which sets the pace for the rest of the project.
• Creates meeting accountability. Meeting accountability means everyone in the room is responsible for the meeting and its outcomes. It means the meeting is driven by every attendee — each with an equal role in actively participating and stepping up to take on tasks that help the group get work done.

Use the Range project kick-off meeting template today!

Looking for meeting tools that you can use to improve teamwork and run more efficient meetings? Range is exactly what you need.

Through the Range, you'll have access to a variety of meeting agenda templates to quickly, easily create meetings that stay on task.

With Range, you can:

• Collaborate better with more effective meetings
• Easily facilitate balanced discussions that make every meeting worthwhile
• Keep everyone included and on track with much less effort.
• Build agendas, record actions, and share notes automatically
• Create a recurring agenda for all the topics your team discusses every week from metrics to project updates.
• Empower discussion by building a collaborative agenda & spinning to select others to speak
• Easily document notes from each topic to keep everyone in the loop.
• Share notes via Slack & email

⭐️ Organize your next kick-off meeting in Range.

⚡️ start for free., try range for free.

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• 10 steps to supercharge your project k ...

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.

Related resources

7 steps to crafting a winning event proposal (with template)

How Asana drives impactful product launches in 3 steps

How to streamline compliance management software with Asana

New site openings: How to reduce costs and delays

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The Right Way to Start a Meeting

• Liane Davey

Make a good first impression.

We all know there’s a price to pay for a making bad first impression: A limp handshake conveys low confidence; a wrinkled suit makes you seem lazy; oversharing comes across as emotional instability. But do you ever think about the first impression your meetings make? Frequently restarting meetings for stragglers sends the message that participants have more control than you do. Issues opened for discussion with no clear purpose get hijacked by participants with a clearer agenda than yours. Monologues validate everyone’s fears that your meeting is going to be about as valuable (and as scintillating) as watching an hour of C-SPAN.

• LD Liane Davey is a team effectiveness advisor and professional speaker . She is the author of The Good Fight and You First , and the coauthor of Leadership Solutions . LianeDavey

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6 Top Items To Include In A Project Kickoff Meeting Presentation

I’m Ben Aston, a digital project manager and founder of thedpm.com. I've been in the industry for more than 20 years working in the UK at London’s top digital agencies including Dare, Wunderman, Lowe and DDB. I’ve delivered everything from film to CMS', games to advertising and eCRM to eCommerce sites. I’ve been fortunate enough to work across a wide range of great clients; automotive brands including Land Rover, Volkswagen and Honda; Utility brands including BT, British Gas and Exxon, FMCG brands such as Unilever, and consumer electronics brands including Sony. I'm a Certified Scrum Master, PRINCE2 Practitioner and productivity nut!

Your project kickoff meeting isn't complete without a slide deck to keep your client and team engaged. Here's what to include and how to match it to your meeting agenda.

Say you’re all set for your project kickoff meeting. You’ve prepared an agenda, set out a meeting invite, prepped your team with an internal kickoff, and met with the client in advance.

Now you’re standing in front of the project sponsor and your project team, ready to present, but without any visuals for the client to follow along with. Creating a slick, highly polished project kickoff presentation will help you avoid this scenario.

What To Include In Your Project Kickoff Meeting Presentation

First and foremost, make sure your project kickoff meeting PowerPoint presentation (or Google Slides) aligns with your agenda. You don’t want to confuse attendees during the kickoff meeting with slides that don’t correlate with the agenda items.

Here’s a sample outline that your project kickoff meeting presentation can follow, which aligns with our agenda . Make sure your slides contain bullet point versions of what you’ll be talking about. No one wants to read full paragraphs that match exactly what’s being spoken out loud.

Introductions

This goes beyond just introducing your team’s names and roles. Don’t forget:

• Happy, smiley faces, and an org chart
• A bit about your agency: what you do, and how you do it (make sure it’s all highly relevant; no one wants an agency history lesson)

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Project Background

You definitely want the client’s input on this section. Remember to ask the client for their content so you can add it into your presentation deck prior to the meeting. Trying to switch between presentations or laptops during the meeting eats up time and impacts the flow of the meeting.

Project Briefing

Again, you’ll want the client’s input here. Once the client has covered this section in detail, add any other notes or information you found during the new project discovery process that will be relevant to your project team members and key stakeholders. Make sure the following is covered:

• Purpose of the project
• Understanding of the project
• Project goals
• The business problem the project is intended to solve
• Project scope

Ideally, you would have briefly discussed this with the client in the pre-kickoff meeting, so you have an initial shared understanding of what a successful project looks like. Include those notes here in the presentation.

If not, you can include some KPIs , success measurements, or other indicators of project success that you tend to use for that specific project type or industry. Leave this open for discussion with the client, so that their input is valued as well.

Project Management

Here, cover the standard project management items mentioned in the agenda:

• Project plan
• Project timelines and milestones ( Gantt charts are great visuals here!)
• Methodology
• Specific tasks and deliverables (a quick overview of your RACI chart is usually a good idea)
• Risks and dependencies
• Communication plan , communication channels, and teamwork plan
• Change management plan
• Project status reports and tracking project progress

Feel free to use a new slide for each topic, and keep the slides short and sweet.

Any Other Business

This part is a little more open-ended—let the client dictate what else needs to be covered. You can also open it up to your project team if time permits (although it might be worth screening their questions prior to the meeting!)

Cover what needs to be done next on the project team’s end and the client’s end. Clearly list action items, timelines, and when you as the project manager will follow-up. Being clear about tasks and firm on timelines will help you get buy-in from the project team and the client.

Project Kickoff Meeting Agenda Template

Download our project kickoff meeting agenda template and get a head start on your next project kickoff . We've also included a sample so you can see exactly how to fill it out. This is super useful for both creating your own agenda and your own project kickoff meeting presentation.

This template is available through DPM membership , along with a variety of other project kickoff templates.

What’s Next?

You’re ready to conduct your project kickoff meeting! Remember, this is a key part of the project initiation process — the kickoff's purpose is to make sure you and your team are crystal clear on what the client wants and to set expectations with the client.

It’s also a good idea to have a final, 10 minute check-in with the project team just before the client kickoff meeting (separate from your internal project kickoff ), to make sure everyone is on the same page. 

For more on project kickoffs and other project initiation activities, subscribe to The Digital Project Manager newsletter .

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Kick-Off Meeting: A Guide on Conducting Project Kickoff Meeting

Fahad Usmani, PMP

October 11, 2022

A project kick-off meeting is one of the most important meetings for a project. You will have many meetings during the project life cycle with your stakeholders. Other meetings may involve you and your team members or include management and the client discussing the project status, issues, and plans. 

These meetings have significance; however, the kickoff meeting is unique because it sets the overall tone, creates team momentum, and establishes the big-picture project goal. 

The PMI introduced the kick-off meeting in the 6th edition of the PMBOK Guide as a tool and technique of the “Develop Project Management Plan” process.

Project Kick-off Meeting

Project kick-off is the first meeting for all the project stakeholders when starting a project or a new phase. 

This meeting can include high-level stakeholders, such as the project sponsor , management, the project manager, and team members. However, within the project team, the kick-off meeting involves the project manager and team members. This meeting allows the project manager to define common goals and build a consensus. 

A kick-off meeting is a valuable tool to motivate team members to achieve the project objectives .

The Purpose of a Kick-off Meeting

A project team comprises new members, so a familiarization session is essential for team unity and future project success. This session allows team members to get to know each other, build trust, and promote mutual understanding. 

In the session, you will discuss project objectives, assumptions, constraints , deliverables , challenges, methodologies, procedures, plans, working environment, each stakeholder’s roles, etc. 

A successful project kick-off meeting should set the tone for the project. It ensures that stakeholders are on the same page and have a common understanding of the project objectives, which helps them reach an agreement on how to work as a team. 

Furthermore, a kick-off meeting helps clients build a relationship with the project team and understand how the project will proceed.

Why Should You Have a Project Kick-off Meeting?

The kickoff meeting has the following benefits:

• It helps team members get to know each other.
• It shows the project manager’s authority and leadership skills.
• It helps team members understand the project objectives.
• It allows stakeholders to understand the project’s milestones, risks, assumptions, and constraints.
• It assists the project manager in gaining support from stakeholders.
• It provides attendees with an opportunity to clarify doubts.
• It gets stakeholders on the same page.

Let’s consider these benefits from the team’s perspective:

All your team members are new and unfamiliar with the work culture, project objectives, and roles in the organization’s goal.

This meeting is an opportunity for you to bond with all team members, introduce them to the ground rules and work culture, and make them aware of the project objectives.

Now, let’s look at the benefits from the client’s perspective:

Here you can set your client expectations, inform them about the reporting system, and change request procedures. You can create a bond between your team and the client.

The kick-off meeting creates a mutual culture among the team, establishes a common goal with the client, determines how everyone will work together, etc.

When Does the Kick-off Meeting Take Place?

The kick-off meeting takes place immediately after the initiation phase and includes all team members for small projects. 

Smaller projects only require one kick-off meeting. 

In larger projects, you will conduct the kick-off meeting when the planning is completed, and execution is about to start. If the project is multiphase, you can have a kick-off meeting at the beginning of each phase. 

If the project is spread across a large geographical area, you will have a virtual kick-off meeting so team members can communicate via the internet.

Internal vs External Kick-off Meeting

A kick-off meeting can be of two types:

• Internal kick-off meeting
• External kick-off meeting

Internal Kick-off Meeting

An internal kick-off meeting is a meeting with the project manager and the project team members. You hold this meeting to get to know your team members and let them know each other.

Here you define the ground rules and explain the work culture and project objectives.

You hold an internal kick-off meeting before the external kick-off meeting.

External Kick-off Meeting

The external kick-off meeting is held between the project management team and the client. 

Here, you introduce your key team members to the client, listen to their expectations, and inform them about the reporting procedure. 

Whether it is an internal or external kick-off meeting, the basic purpose is the same. Here, you provide the vision, set the project’s tone and style, and establish a common goal.

Planning the Project Kick-off Meeting

The first impression is the last, and the kick-off meeting is your first impression with your stakeholders. Therefore, you plan the kick-off meeting, ensuring it goes well and serves the purpose.

Although the kick-off meeting may be high-energy and fun, it is not informal. Prepare a formal agenda in advance, prepare the presentation, and let the team members know about it with enough time to prepare.

Prepare the list of questions, suggestions, and clarifications in advance so you can ask them in the meeting. 

Additionally, you should intentionally structure the meeting for maximum effectiveness.

Start with an introduction and then provide the project’s background information. You should explain the purpose of the project and why you are doing the project. You can provide a brief on the project scope , action plan, key project milestones, assumptions, constraints, key deliverables, and project output.

How Do You Conduct a Successful Kick-off Meeting?

To conduct a successful kickoff meeting, follow these three foundational steps:

Set the Agenda

Conduct the meeting, close the meeting.

You should decide beforehand on the topics to be discussed in the meeting. 

You will include an introductory session, introduce the project and its objectives, project milestones , assumptions, constraints, and a question-answer (Q&A) session at the end. 

Use detailed and engaging presentations to explain your reasoning. 

Send out this agenda before conducting the meeting so attendees can prepare and actively contribute. 

Introduce yourself and ask others to do the same. Afterward, you will tender the agenda and explain the topics to be discussed in the meeting. 

Explain the project, its objectives, a short brief on the project scope, and the roles and responsibilities of the team members. 

Discuss the communication and reporting system: for example, how to communicate information with the stakeholders. 

Explain the project charter and its contents. Remind the stakeholders that this is the initial stage, and you will require their help in developing a detailed project management plan . 

Set the expectations. For example, explain work assignments, rotation, leave procedures, etc. 

Discuss the critical stakeholders and their needs and roles. Explain the communication and reporting system. For example, specify the report formats and communication frequency. 

Finally, explain the project, its business needs, and why it is vital for the client and the company. Lead this part with the client, remembering that they probably don’t have project management experience and look to you for guidance. You should inform the client in advance so that they can prepare for the meeting. 

This is also a good time to discuss any significant risks or constraints the project may face and how you will overcome them.

In the end, hold a Q&A session and encourage participants to clarify doubts. This is an important opportunity to get more information and clarity about the project. 

Finally, thank the participants and ask them to contact you if they need clarification. 

After the meeting ends, you will prepare the meeting minutes and send them to the attendees and those who did not come to the meeting.

Remember the four key goals of the kick-off meeting:

• Introduces Stakeholders to Each Other: A kick-off meeting is the first meeting between project team members or team members with the client. This is a good opportunity for project managers to let all stakeholders know each other.
• Encourages Collaboration: When team members know each other and understand the skills of co-workers, they will collaborate better, and the working environment will thrive.
• Promotes Better Understanding of the Project Goal: The kick-off meeting is an opportunity for project managers to help team members understand the project goal and the organization’s vision. It helps team members align their goals with the organization’s goals.
• Provides Opportunity to Show Your Skills: Since this is your first meeting with your stakeholders, you can show your stakeholders your communication and leadership skills and how you will lead them to a successful project ending.

A kick-off meeting is a significant part of successful project completion. As this is the first meeting with the project team or the project team with the client, this is the opportunity to establish the common goal and the project’s purpose.

The kick-off meeting helps you execute and complete the project with minimal obstruction. This is a moment where you can demonstrate your abilities and build the stakeholders’ confidence in your project. This is where you set the stakeholders’ expectations for the project. 

This topic is important from a PMP exam point of view.

Have you ever led a kick-off meeting or taken part in one? I would love to hear about your experiences in the comments section.

I am Mohammad Fahad Usmani, B.E. PMP, PMI-RMP. I have been blogging on project management topics since 2011. To date, thousands of professionals have passed the PMP exam using my resources.

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Project Kickoff Meeting: How to Write a Kickoff Meeting Agenda

Project managers put a lot of time and effort into researching the viability of their project. But all that work is pointless if they don’t communicate the purpose of the project to their team and clients. That’s why a kickoff meeting is so important.

A kickoff meeting puts everyone on the same page. The team and client know the mission statement, the vision statement and the project plan . It’s all part of the meeting agenda and makes sure the project team starts on the right foot.

What Is a Project Kickoff Meeting?

The project kickoff meeting communicates the project goals and objectives to ensure the project team and client are clear on what they should be doing in the project.

This activity is part of the project initiation phase. A kickoff meeting is usually led by the project manager. Often, there is an internal kickoff meeting with just the project team, with a later, external kickoff meeting that includes the project client, project sponsor or stakeholder.

In the meeting, the project manager explains the project scope, background information and project timeline to the team. A kickoff meeting should set the right tone for the project as it moves into the execution, monitoring and controlling phases. A well-run kickoff meeting could lead to a successful project completion.

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Project Kickoff Template

Use this free Project Kickoff Template for Word to manage your projects better.

What Is the Purpose of a Kickoff Meeting?

A kickoff meeting is primarily used to get the project team on the same page. In this project meeting, project managers explain common goals to keep in mind as the team executes their tasks. It sets up project success.

The kickoff meeting also lets the project manager introduce the project team. Everyone must know who they’re working with and what their roles and responsibilities are. This avoids conflicts later in the project that can delay work and threaten the project timeline.

The team can ask the project manager questions until they have a clear understanding of what’s expected from them before the project starts . Because this meeting occurs in person, and not over email or shared documents, you reduce the chance of miscommunication. This helps to avoid scope creep down the line.

A lot of information was shared during the kickoff meeting, including what project management software the team would be using. ProjectManager is an online project management tool with unlimited file storage to keep documents in a centralized hub that is easily accessible by the team. They can use multiple project views to attach relevant documents to their tasks to keep them on track. Try ProjectManager today for free!

Who Should Attend the Kickoff Meeting?

A project kickoff meeting typically includes key stakeholders . Some of those are the project manager, team members, the client or customers, department heads or decision makers, business managers, shareholders and regulators.

Kickoff Meeting Agenda Example

A kickoff meeting is different depending on the type of project. Some are more structured and formal, where the project manager does a lot of preparation before having the kickoff meeting. Smaller projects may have a kickoff meeting without a demo or a deck.

One thing is common, regardless of what sort of kickoff meeting it is; the agenda. More often than not, the kickoff agenda features the following items, all of which are crucial to a well-done kickoff meeting.

1. Project Background, Goals and Objectives

Part of the project proposal, the project background is a history of the project and how it came to be. It shows the research that led to greenlighting, and why the project is necessary.

This includes the why, where and how of your project implementation. You’ve detailed the current situation, what the problem is and how the project solves it. This is all backed by reliable data. The project background is used in a project proposal to get approval from stakeholders. It also helps put the project in context during the project kickoff.

2. Project Scope Overview

The project scope overview is a detailed description of the project work your team must complete to have a successful project. The terms of this work are defined by the project timeline and the project budget .

By understanding the objectives and requirements necessary to complete the project, project managers can more accurately forecast cost and time. By explaining the project scope to the project team, they have a better idea of the constraints on the tasks they’ll be assigned to execute.

3. Project Budget Overview

The project kickoff meeting gives everyone involved the opportunity to understand the project budget. They will be told of the project’s budget, goals, timeline and strategies. This also provides an opportunity to discuss any potential issues or challenges that might show up during the execution of the project. This can increase the likelihood of a project coming in under budget and on time.

4. Project Timeline Overview

The project’s deliverables are laid out on a chronological timeline, which acts as a roadmap for the project. This is the backbone of any project schedule and should include milestones, tasks, any dependencies and due dates at a minimum.

The project timeline overview is critical for the team, as they’ll be tasked with meeting those deadlines and making those deliverables. Therefore, this information must be clearly communicated. There should be no confusion from anyone on the project team about what must be done.

Make a project timeline in minutes with ProjectManager’s Gantt charts. Get started for free today!

5. Risk Management Overview

When making the project plan, a project manager will have to develop a risk management plan as well. This is the process of analyzing risks that could occur during the project. Then, you determine what steps will be necessary to respond to these issues when they arise.

You prioritize risks based on how they impact the project. That’s how you develop a risk mitigation strategy, which includes who will be responsible for which risk if it occurs. The project team must be aware of who has ownership of risks and catch these issues quickly.

6. Change Management Overview

Change management will provide a structure for dealing with changes that happen throughout the project. These can be internal or external changes. Going over change management in a project kickoff meeting shows the planning and preparation, communication, stakeholder engagement, training and development as well as monitoring and evaluation for this process. It provides an understanding of the framework so change can be managed effectively.

7. Project Communication Plan

The project communication plan outlines how a project team will communicate important information with stakeholders throughout the project. The project manager creates it and will present it during the project kickoff meeting to ensure that all understand it.

8. Roles and Responsibilities

The project manager is responsible for defining the roles and responsibilities of the project team . That is, the team member’s position on the team, the tasks they’re assigned and the duties of their particular role in the larger team and the project.

This is basically a job description. It must be disseminated to the project team during the kickoff meeting. It gives an overview of the job, a list of responsibilities and what that person is authorized to do. Also included is who they report to, so there is a clear chain of command.

9. Project Management Methods and Tools

There are many ways to manage a project. That includes a more traditional methodology such as waterfall, an iterative agile approach or a hybrid that seamlessly connects different work management styles . You also must choose a project management tool that fits the methodology used.

The project team must know how the project is being managed and what their part will be, including the project management software tool they’ll be using. In some cases, this will require a period of training for the team to get them to understand the methodology and how to use the project tools. All of this will be discussed at the kickoff meeting.

10. Project Success Criteria

Project success criteria are the standards or principles that define what needs to be accomplished in measurable terms to satisfy clients, stakeholders and end users. In the project kickoff meeting, the project success criteria will be explained so everyone is on the same page, which leads to a better working relationship and the likelihood of a successful project.

This project kickoff template helps you define the key topics that you’ll need to go over with your project management team before the project starts such as the project background, scope, timeline and roles and responsibilities.

How to Run a Project Kickoff Meeting

That’s a lot of information to pass on to the project team. How can you make sure that everyone walks out of the kickoff meeting with that knowledge intact? Here are a few pointers to make sure you run a project kickoff meeting successfully:

• Prepare: You thoroughly researched and documented the project during the initiation phase to sell it to your stakeholders, now you have to do the same to the project team. That includes making sure everyone attends, having someone taking notes to share later and having an agenda to make sure you don’t forget anything critical.
• Introduce Yourself and the Team: This is the first time the entire project team has been assembled, so take some time to have everyone introduce themselves. It’s not a bad idea to schedule a bit of time for some icebreaker questions to facilitate the necessary intimacy for better teamwork.
• Define the Project: Make sure the team is clear on what the purpose of the project is and how the project mission statement relates to the larger company’s goals and objectives. To make sure everyone understands, take time to answer any questions the team might have.
• Hand Out the Project Plan: The project plan should be a handout in the kickoff meeting, including the budget timeline, but now you can go over it in detail and make sure everyone understands the topline information, such as the project timeline, key milestones and deliverables.
• Define Project Scope: Make sure the team knows the project scope and key project information. This helps avoid scope creep by managing the team’s expectations.
• Share Roles and Responsibilities: If the team has a history together, this step might not be as important, but new teams must understand their relationships with one another.
• Explain Central Source of Truth: Have a central source of truth for the team to know the status of the project. That is, the team needs a shared place with real-time data so everyone is always clear on the project’s status and their place in it.
• Ask Questions, Next Steps and To-Do Lists: Before wrapping up, open the floor to any questions to make sure everyone is clear on what has been shared at the kickoff meeting. Take some time to explain what will happen next, including any post-kickoff meeting to-do lists for the team. Our free action items template can help.

What Other Project Management Templates Help with a Project Kickoff Meeting?

Several free project management templates can be used to facilitate the project kickoff meeting. Our site has over 100 free project management templates for Excel and Word that help with every phase of managing a project. Here are some that help with a project kickoff meeting.

Meeting Minutes Template

Use this free meeting minutes template for Word to record the pertinent notes during a project kickoff meeting. By capturing the highlights from the project kickoff meeting, which can then be shared among the meeting attendees, the information disseminated there is captured and can be referred to throughout the project.

Team Charter Template

A team charter documents the high-level information on the project, so using this free team charter template for Word is an essential document for conducting a project kickoff meeting. It’s a clear way to deliver the pertinent information for the project.

Project Scope Template

This project scope template for Word is a detailed document that includes the project activities, resources, timelines and deliverables. It also identifies stakeholders, processes, assumptions and constraints of the project. It’s an essential document for a project kickoff meeting as it covers most of the ground that should be reviewed in that meeting.

Challenges of a Kickoff Meeting

A project kickoff meeting is important, but it’s not easy. One challenge in successfully having a project kickoff meeting includes not having clear objectives. The purpose and goals of the meeting must be clearly defined. Poor communication will defeat the purpose of the meeting as well. The project manager must be a good communicator.

The project manager must also adequately prepare for the meeting. It’s the first time everyone has gathered to learn about the project. The project manager should also encourage a balanced participation from attendees. Finally, don’t neglect to talk about project risk, which everyone should be prepared to identify and respond quickly to.

Project Kickoff Meeting Video

Watch this video to learn what should be included in a project kickoff meeting. Jennifer Bridges, PMP, shares the top 10 items that will make a project kickoff meeting successful. This video will help project managers be fully prepared to deliver the project kickoff meeting and start the project off on the right foot.

Next Steps After Your Project Kickoff Meeting

Those next steps are an important springboard following the kickoff meeting to send the team into action. This is when the execution phase of the project begins. It’s a milestone that has probably been noted in the project plan.

While there will be frequent meetings throughout the project, the kickoff meeting is unique in that it involves the entire project team. It’s unlikely that everyone will be assembled at the same time and place again. This is why having the right project management software is so important.

As noted above, a central source of truth is key to keeping everyone on the project team connected. It should update in real time and provide transparency into the process. This means that everyone knows what everyone else is doing and how they fit into that picture. It’s the best way to avoid bottlenecks, block other team members and keep the project on track.

How ProjectManager Can Help After Your Kickoff Meeting

ProjectManager is online project management software that plans, monitors and reports in real time to keep hybrid teams working together better to meet the project purpose. ProjectManager is designed with multiple project views that allow teams to work how they want, regardless of their level of expertise, location or methodology.

Plan on Interactive Gantt Charts

Managers have the features they need to plan the project mission on interactive Gantt charts that organize tasks, link dependencies and add milestones. But they can also filter for the critical path and set a baseline to track project variance in real time. The project plan can then be shared with teams and stakeholders so everyone always knows what they’re doing and how it fits into the big picture.

Manage Work on Kanban Boards

Team members can use the task list, calendar or kanban board project views to manage their work and stay productive. Kanban boards visualize workflow for the agile team that needs to manage their backlog and plan sprints. Meanwhile, managers get visibility into their team’s process and can reallocate resources as needed to prevent bottlenecks and costly delays.

Track Performance in Real-Time

Progress and performance are always on-screen with live dashboards. There’s no time-consuming configuration needed. Data is collected and the numbers are crunched automatically. Then, they’re displayed on easy-to-read graphs and charts showing costs, time and other project metrics.

Everything you need to follow in a kickoff meeting to project success is in ProjectManager. From one-click reports that can be filtered and shared to email and in-app notifications to keep everyone always updated, resource management features and more, ProjectManager is the only hybrid work management tool you’ll ever need.

ProjectManager is award-winning project management software that organizes work to keep you productive from kickoff meetings to project closure. Join the tens of thousands of teams that are already using our software at organizations as diverse as NASA, Siemens and Nestle. Try ProjectManager today for free!

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Five of the Best Speech Opening Lines

Great opening lines to a speech get us curious and can set the direction for a powerful talk.   In those first few seconds you have the chance to gain your audience’s attention, earn their trust, and persuade them you are someone worth listening to.   The best introductions to speeches are a mile away from the standard welcomes and thank yous that set the snoozometer to max. Get it right, and those initial words can captivate the crowd from the off, creating a connection with every individual in the room.   But how do you go about opening your speech with something different and memorable? A great place to start is looking at examples of introductions to successful speeches to see what you can learn from them.   To show you what we mean, we’ve picked some of our favourite opening lines from TED talks, home to some of the best conference speeches in the world. From funny stories to hard-hitting introductions, TED talks show the art of the possible when it comes to getting your speech off to a kick-ass start.   Have a go at guessing the speaker, or the focus of the rest of their talk (hint…we give you the answers later on).  

Do you want to improve your public speaking? Why not view our  Public Speaking Courses !

Guess the Speech: Five of the best speech opening lines

Speech A:  Good morning. How are you? It’s been great, hasn’t it? I’ve been blown away by the whole thing. In fact, I’m leaving.

Speech B:  For a long time, there was me, and my body. Me was composed of stories, of cravings, of strivings, of desires of the future. Me was trying not to be an outcome of my violent past, but the separation that had already occurred between me and my body was a pretty significant outcome. Me was always trying to become something, somebody. Me only existed in the trying. My body was often in the way.

Speech C:  Sadly, in the next 18 minutes when I do our chat, four Americans that are alive will be dead from the food that they eat.

Speech D:  Okay, now I don’t want to alarm anybody in this room, but it’s just come to my attention that the person to your right is a liar. (Laughter) Also, the person to your left is a liar. Also the person sitting in your very seats is a liar. We’re all liars. What I’m going to do today is I’m going to show you what the research says about why we’re all liars, how you can become a liespotter and why you might want to go the extra mile and go from liespotting to truth seeking, and ultimately to trust building.

Speech E:  Imagine a big explosion as you climb through 3,000 ft. Imagine a plane full of smoke. Imagine an engine going clack, clack, clack, clack, clack, clack, clack. It sounds scary. Well I had a unique seat that day. I was sitting in 1D.

Answers: Who delivered these great opening lines?

These examples pack a punch for very different reasons. There’s absolutely no chance of the audience zoning out when the speaker goes straight in with such a powerful start.   So, who gave these speeches, and why are the introductions so good? Time for the big reveal….

A:  Sir Ken Robinson says schools kill creativity

Deceptively simple, the opening lines for this speech set the tone for what has become the most viewed TED talk of all (currently nearly 57 million views). Far from being just ‘throat clearing’, Sir Ken’s funny introduction cleverly paves the way for a talk that will gently but profoundly show us a new way of looking at education. It’s as if we are at a dinner party, being hosted by Sir Ken – he makes us feel comfortable, interested and open all at once. We are not being lectured to (which is always a possibility when education is the subject matter of choice), we want to learn and hear more. Very skilful indeed.

Ginger tip: funny introductions

Using humour in your introduction can be a great way to get your speech off to a flying start – but only if you do it in a way that feels natural. This example shows how you can make people laugh without telling a joke. It’s about finding your own funny and feeling totally comfortable with what you’re saying. If it feels a bit forced to you, it definitely will to your audience. You don’t have to make people roll around on the floor laughing, but light-hearted and amusing anecdotes can add energy and engagement to your talk – which is especially needed if you’re in the dreaded after-lunch slot . Remember, when you open your speech with something funny, you are setting the tone for the rest of your talk – so you’ll need to pepper humour throughout.

Extra Ginger nuggets

How to write a funny speech Funny inspiring speakers talks 

B: Eve Ensler: Suddenly, my body

As you’d expect from a the writer of the Vagina Monologues, the start of this speech opening was profound, stark in its honesty and inviting. We empathize and want to know more. Unfortunately this speech suffered from a common affliction that writers face; in getting focused on the precise words of the speech (in this instance, Eve Ensler read her speech), we can get disconnected from the full power of the material. Whilst the words were powerful, we would have enjoyed the rest of this speech more if Eve had given herself permission to find the right words in the moment, rather than needing to be perfectly scripted.

Ginger tip: going unscripted

You want it to be perfect. You’re worried about forgetting something vital. You’re scared of doing it wrong. These are common and perfectly understandable reasons why people opt to script their speech and read it word for word. But rather than delivering a foot-perfect performance, you’re more likely to lose the vital connection with the audience. Not to mention risking plunging yourself into the dreaded ‘I’m sorry I’ve lost my place’ scenario. More than anything, people want you to be human and to speak from the heart. It takes confidence to ditch your notes, but with some simple techniques, you can prepare and remember your speech in a way that allows you to deliver a clear, compelling and authentic talk.

How to start a speech with power and confidence How to remember a speech without notes

C: Jamie Oliver’s TED Wish: Teach every child about food

This is one of our favourite ever TED talks, and it doesn’t pull its punches from the very first line. Jamie Oliver manages to balance preparation (statistics, stories, well-developed ideas) with heart in his TED talk. This speech opening line both makes our jaws drop to the ground in shock at such a statistic and opens our hearts to the human side of the story. Powerful stuff.

Ginger tip: punchy facts

Opening your speech with a hard-hitting fact can quickly add credibility to your talk and demonstrate the scale of an issue. It’s best to keep statistics simple and make them as relevant to the audience as possible, so it feels memorable rather than dry. Resist the urge to stuff the rest of the speech with stats. Try to stick to a few powerful facts and bring them to life with real examples.

Extra Ginger nuggets:

The key to presenting data…is not to present data How to make a powerful point with your speech

D: Pamela Meyer: How to spot a liar

We love talks that balance humour and connect us to the subject matter in hand – and Pamela Meyer does this perfectly in her TED talk opening line. By bringing a challenge straight to us, in our very seats, Pamela engages us and makes sure the talk is about ‘me’ the audience member. We’re laughing and ready to listen. Great job.

Ginger tip: setting up a problem

Setting up a problem at the start of your speech immediately creates a reason for listening and a direction for your talk. And if you involve the audience in the problem, it’s even more powerful. It doesn’t have to be something completely new, in fact telling us what we already know and explaining why that’s a problem can be a really engaging way to start. Depending on the subject matter, you can frame the problem in different ways – from serious to humorous. And it gives a natural structure to the rest of your talk as you explore how to solve the issue.  

The best way to engage your audience Five methods to master audience interaction

E: Ric Elias: 3 things I learned while my plane crashed

Wow, what an opening! Who wouldn’t want to know more? Ric Elias showed here how powerful it is to jump straight into a story, with no fussing around with thank yous and throat clearing. Unfortunately after the winning start, the rest of the talk lacked some of the gusto and drama of its opening lines. What can we learn from this? Start with power, but make sure you structure your talk to include a journey that will continue to keep us involved all the way through.

Ginger tip: start with a story

Stories are one of the most effective ways to inspire others. We’re hard wired to connect with stories and your experience of the world is one of the most valuable speaking tools that you possess. Telling a story is a popular way to open a speech because it can quickly build that all-important human connection with your audience. If you have a message that’s personal, or if you’re trying to influence your audience to make a change, a story is a great place to start.

Why is it so important to tell your story? 3 storytelling secrets for public speaking

Creating the best introduction for your speech

We hope these examples of great opening lines demonstrate that you don’t have to conform to the ‘safe’ introductions we’re all used to hearing at corporate conferences. In fact, at Ginger, we dare our speakers to rip up the ‘rulebook’, to be courageous, and to take a different approach to setting the scene. You can find even more tips in our free guide,  The 10 best ways to start your talk .   We’d love to hear your thoughts on these and other examples of great opening lines – so please share your ideas in the comments below.

Beyond introductions

Of course, it’s all very well creating a captivating introduction, but you don’t want the rest of your talk to fall off a cliff edge after you’ve built it up so spectacularly. Maintaining the audience’s attention for the rest of your speech is just as important.   We’ve developed the  TED-style Talk Guidebook  to help you through the process of writing a brilliant speech. Whether you’re crafting a short talk or a keynote, it will help you create a speech that’s as good as a TED talk – so you can wow your audience from the first word to the final thank you.   If you’d like to get hands-on support with becoming a better public speaker, then take a look at our  training courses.  There’s something for every level, from nervous beginners to becoming a leading speaker on the world stage. We’d love to welcome you along.

UK based? Here’s some courses that you might enjoy: 

• Presentation Skills and Essentials
• Leadership and Communications
• TED Talk Presentations

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How to run a proper project kickoff meeting (with sample agenda)

Initiative kickoff is a critical event in product development.

Do it well, and you’ll kickstart the whole process and increase the odds of succeeding. Do it poorly and, at the very best, you are off to a slow start.

There are many types of kickoffs. They are:

• Internal meeting of the product team
• Technical meeting of the development team
• Alignment meeting with an external product owner
• Formal meeting with the client
• Initial workshop with subject matter experts

For the sake of this article, I’ll assume the most common type of a kickoff — one done with a product manager or a stakeholder/sponsor that’s external to the team.

Why should you do an initiative kickoff?

I am a skeptic when it comes to meetings. Most product managers attend or organize too many of them when many of them are unnecessary.

But, initiative kickoff is not among them. The benefits of the meeting easily outweigh its costs.

A typical kickoff has three objectives:

Kickoff as an icebreaker

Kickoff as an alignment meeting, kickoff as a starting point.

If the whole team already knows each other and works together then that is great, but most teams don’t.

Different initiatives require different skills and expertise. Even if the majority of the team stays constant, a new stakeholder and a new subject matter expert are enough to change the team dynamics.

A kickoff meeting gives a formal opportunity for people to get to know each other, (re)define their work and communication style, and see how the new team setup performs together.

Kickoff is a great opportunity to get everyone on the same page.

You probably shared some documentation, business objectives, and proposed roadmap before the meeting. But, let’s be honest; most of the team either doesn’t read that or just skims through it briefly.

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Even if they dig deeper into initiative details, they often have doubts, fill gaps with their assumptions, and might develop a perspective different from yours.

The kickoff meeting allows everyone to share their perspective, ask questions, and clarify all loose ends. Stakeholders can provide additional context and narrative, and everyone can clarify their doubts.

Everyone should be on the same page and clearly understand the “why” behind the initiative. Kickoff helps to do just that.

Starting is always the hardest. The backlog is empty, the scope isn’t refined, and the immediate next steps aren’t clear.

Kickoff helps to break through that.

One of the goals of the kickoff is to leave with a clearly defined list of next steps, which should lead to further next steps. It works as a spark that starts the fire.

Kickoff preparation

Kickoff is often a meeting when people who don’t fully know each other come together to discuss an initiative they don’t fully understand.

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To make sure it doesn’t turn into a disorganized, wasteful meeting, make sure to prepare. A 30-minute recap before the meeting is not enough.

There are a few areas you should focus on the most:

Go through all known documentation and resources

List questions, doubts, and assumptions, meet key people before the meeting.

The whole team should try to get as much context as possible. It will allow them to ask better questions, participate in discussions, and understand various topics better. Without that, all you can do is a PPT explainer presentation, and that’s not a kickoff.

While going through all resources, you’ll probably have some doubts and questions. That is good; list them out, but don’t stop there. Spend some intentional time fishing for any gaps in your understanding or concept. The more you clarify on kickoff, the better.

Meet with the key stakeholders, your tech lead, and whoever takes a lead role in the initiative before the kickoff. Clarify the objectives of the meeting, and try to sort out any doubts they have. If you already have questions and doubts, share them with them. It’ll help them come better prepared for the meeting.

The better prepared you are, the more you’ll get out of the meeting.

Kickoff meeting agenda

During the kickoff, you should make sure you:

Have an icebreaker

Align understanding, define constraints, discuss risks, plan baseline processes and communication, plan the next steps.

How much time to spend on each and whether the kickoff should last an hour or two days depends heavily on a specific context.

The more you prepare, the better you’ll know how much time to reserve for every section.

Make sure everyone in the room understands who is who. For new teams, I would even consider sticky notes with their roles or adding them as a nickname (e.g., “Bart – PM”). It helps put new knowledge in a better context.

When someone proposes an idea, flags a risk, or disagrees with someone, it’s easier to understand where they’re coming from or their way of thinking if you know what their role in this initiative is.

Also, accommodate some time for casual warm-up activities, such as Impromptu Networking . It’ll help people transition from other contexts, energize them, and help them get to know each other.

To have a fruitful discussion, you have to get everyone on the same page. Stay on a high level, though. It’s better to leave more detailed questions and discussions for later once everyone has the same final picture in mind.

The questions you should seek to answer include:

• What exactly do you want to achieve? What’s the end vision?
• Why do you want to achieve that?
• For whom do you do that? Which user persona/client?
• What are the criteria for success? How will you measure it?
• How was the idea born? In what context do you operate?

Now that you know the what, why, and how behind the initiative, let’s discuss the limitations. There are always some.

There are usually three types of limitations:

In an ideal scenario, a team should be able to define the initiative’s scope as they see fit to meet the expected outcome, but that is not always the case.

There might be a contract in place that makes some part of the scope fixed, or the security/privacy requirements might make some things not negotiable.

While having 100 percent of the scope fixed is an anti pattern leading to a feature factory, there’s rarely full flexibility too. Make sure you are all on the same page about what’s within the team’s capacity to define and what is non-negotiable.

Also, understand what would happen if you don’t deliver some part of the scope. It’ll help you manage risks better. Sometimes, not delivering a “must have” feature means a major client will join the service later. Sometimes, it makes the whole product not compliant with the law and renders it unusable. There’s a big difference in severity between these two.

How much time do you have to achieve the initial goal?

Try to understand when the initiative should be completed and, most importantly, why?

What would happen if you went over the timeline?

“Deadline” means an entirely different thing when talking about:

• Some dream dates set by the C-suite
• Time-limited market opportunity
• Regulatory or contract-related obligation

How flexible are you when it comes to resources?

Can you add new people if needed? Or outsource some part of the work?

Also, discuss the long-term maintenance costs. I know it’s hard to predict, but you need some baseline assumptions. The team will prioritize different solutions when they have to keep cloud costs below $500/month as opposed to when scalability is the top priority.

Now that you understand the big picture and constraints, it’s time to discuss risks. Some of them you probably spotted during the prep work, and some came from previous sections.

There are different ways to do risk prediction exercises. You could try a post-mortem, for example. Meaning that you imagine the initiative was a total failure and tried to list all the ways that contributed to that. It’s also a pretty fun exercise.

The goal is not to map all possible risks . Risk management is a continuous process. The objective is to identify the biggest ones that can break the whole initiative and should be monitored and tackled from day one.

A kickoff is an opportunity to set some cooperation basics. Some questions to answer here include:

• What framework do you plan to use to deliver the initiative?
• When do you want to meet for planning, refinements, and reviews?
• What communication channels do you plan to use?
• How do you intend to manage plans, roadmap , and budget?

Once again, the goal here is not to discover a perfect way of working. It takes months for a team to find out a system that works best for them.

The goal is to have enough basics in place to start.

You know your kickoff was great if people not only understand the initiative but also what they should do next.

It doesn’t have to be a very detailed or long-term plan. Next steps can be to, for example:

• Update the initiative documentation
• Prepare for the refinement tomorrow
• Use the refinement outcome to make the first sprint planning the next day is good enough

Keep in mind, it doesn’t have to be one meeting. It could be a series of smaller meetings.

You could align people in one meeting, then let them prepare to discuss risks and constraints in a second meeting, and then give them time to propose an action plan you’ll confirm on the third one.

If done well, a kickoff helps everyone be on the same page, understand the problem better, and kickstart their work in a good atmosphere.

It’s such a critical meeting that it deserves a lot of preparation from everyone. The effectiveness of the meeting depends on the quality of the preparation.

The goal of the kickoff is to break the ice, align everyone, discuss constraints, risks, processes, and expectations, and leave with clear next steps.

Don’t fret too much, though. Although some people treat kickoff as a super-formal, serious ceremony, it works best when held in a casual and friendly atmosphere. Think of it as just a bunch of colleagues chatting about a shared topic.

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Speech Kicking Off Project Meeting

When a large project is about to start, particularly one that involves people who don’t normally work together, it's a good idea to get them together in one place to make sure that everyone knows what's expected of them. The opening speech of a meeting like this, a project kick-off meeting, can motivate or destroy morale so it's vital to get it right.

The culture of the company you are working for will have a big influence on the way you run a kick-off meeting and the tone and nature of your opening speech. There will be assurance about the project but also some bald warnings about the demands that will be placed on everyone. Project kick-off meetings are rarely arranged for unimportant projects with relaxed lead times.

Introduction to a Project Kick-Off Opening Speech

• Start by stating the purpose of the project that you are embarking on
• Stress that the project has full backing within the company (if it doesn't you shouldn’t be holding a project kick-off meeting!)
• Recognise that you know that they have all left other responsibilities behind
• Outline the basics of the kick-off meeting, a brief timetable

Example: This project is vital for the future of the company as it (insert relevant benefits). We know that everyone here also has responsibilities back in their day jobs, rest assured that if you have conflicts with demands that compromise your efforts on this project then bring them to us and we will take care of them.

Getting Everyone on the Project Pulling Together

• Explain the commercial reasons for the project
• Detail the goals and put them in order of importance
• Let people know that you expect cooperation and a positive attitude
• If necessary, warn people explicitly to leave old grudges behind, to make a new start

Examples: We aren't going to succeed on this project unless we support each other and focus on what we need to achieve, nothing else. Many of you won't have worked with anyone in this room before, some of you will have; as far as we are concerned this is a chance to show everyone how a project can be run properly, with cooperation across the board.

Finish With a Challenge

The kick-off meeting as a whole will deliver better results if everyone attending is committed.

• Outline the demands that will be made
• Offer a 'no strings' chance to back out
• Make it clear that staying means committing to the project

Example: Make no mistake this will not be an easy project, it will require commitment from all of us. If you are concerned that you cannot give that, then this is the time to leave. Anyone can leave, there's no problem with that. But those who stay will be expected to be with the project for the full duration.

Note that the language of this last point may need to be modified heavily to match the culture of the company.

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Nailing your project kick-off

Your ultimate guide to starting a project on the right foot

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What is a project kick-off? A project kick-off meeting is the first meeting with the project team and the client of the project where applicable. This meeting is the time to establish common goals and the purpose of the project. Starting a project without a kick-off meeting is like setting off on a trip without any concrete plan. You’re likely to see some cool things along the way, but you’ll probably end your vacation with some weary travelers and a fairly sparse photo album. A good project kick-off meeting sets the course for a successful and smooth project collaboration.

Why should you have a project kickoff?

As the first meeting between the project team members and possibly the client or sponsor, the project kick-off is the best time to set expectations and foster strong team morale. Usually, the kick-off takes place after the statement of work or project poster has been finalized and all parties are ready to go. 

Your kick-off is an opportunity to orient the team to the work at hand, decide how everyone will work together, and establish common project goals and check-ins. Think about discussing things like how you’ll communicate, how often you’ll meet , what the timeline is, and what could slow the project down (and how to avoid that).

Planning your project kick-off meeting

By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail, they say. There’s nothing worse than showing up to a meeting with someone who hasn’t taken the time to prepare for it. Make sure you avoid losing face by planning your project kick-off meeting well.

A project kick-off meeting shouldn’t be an “information broadcast.” If you need to share background information in advance, do it on a shared document like a Confluence page . Project kick-off meetings should actively involve the team and anyone else who’s a stakeholder or whose work will be affected by the project.

Set up a meeting agenda to keep the meeting streamlined and efficient, try making a list of questions you want to ask your team. (Even better, send those questions to them ahead of the meeting so they’ll have time to think about their answers.) Prepare some answers based on questions you think your team might have.

Structuring the meeting

How you structure your meeting agenda depends on the project, but key elements should include the 5 W’s, or who , what , where , when , why and how : 

Introductions

• What’s the background of the project
• Why are you doing it 
• What is the project scope 
• What’s the action plan 
• Who’s doing what 
• How are you going to work together
• What does success look like 

Make sure you also cover what the agenda for the kick-off meeting with your team will look like and if there are any questions or anything that hasn’t been discussed.

What’s the difference between a project kick-off meeting with your team and with customers or clients?

It could be that the project you’re about to kick-off is internal, such as a new document management system rollout or the build of a new design feature . Or you’re about to start an external project for a client or customer. In both cases, the initial kick-off meeting has the same basic function; it’s a meeting to set the tone, style, and vision for the project as a whole, and to establish common goals, tasks, and timelines with your project team.

For client work, your project kick-off meeting will include introducing the team working on the project, talking the client through the project stages, and agreeing on how to effectively work together to successfully deliver the project. It’s a chance for your team to get a stronger contextual grounding in the project, to show their understanding and enthusiasm for the project, and set the stage for a positive working relationship with your client. 

What’s involved in a kick-off meeting?

So you’ve done your preplanning and you’re ready to start your kick-ass project kick-off meeting with your team. You’re so organized! Every project is different, but we recommend to trying to cover off these topics in your meeting:

Get the ball rolling. Don’t assume everyone knows each other, so let everyone introduce themselves, their role in the project, and what they’ll be delivering. Bonus points if you can think of a fun and quick icebreaker.

Statement of work, project scope, timeline, and deliverables

Out of everything you’re discussing during the project kick-off meeting, this is one of the most important parts. It solidifies what’s involved in the project and whether or not everyone is on the same page. 

The statement of work you submitted to the client describes the work you’ll deliver and by what deadline. 

The project scope includes a detailed description of project deliverables and the work needed to accomplish them. 

The project timeline is an overview of what is expected to be delivered and when. This can be as detailed as needed for your project. 

Deliverables are the actual items you will send to your customer or client, and they’re usually noted on the timeline.

Tracking progress/milestones and communicating them

During your kick-off meeting, establish a baseline for how you plan to share progress with your stakeholders or client. You can use a status report to show how the project is tracking on budget, tasks, milestones, and timeline. The status report should be available to all stakeholders and anyone whose work might be affected by the project, to make sure everyone is aware of the progress (or delays). For client projects, it’s important that your client agrees with the level of detail they will receive in the status reports to ensure easier invoicing and payments.

Tools and methods

Put together a set of collaboration tools you’ll be using during the project and decide with your team how you’ll be using them to communicate. How will you be sharing your status reports and other files? Aligning on these things early on will help to keep the project’s communication streamlined. It’s also helpful a to make sure your team or client can access whatever tools you decide to use to keep informed about the project. Some project tools you may use include:

• A work management system to track items in progress. Examples include Jira, Basecamp, or Asana.
• A shared document system to make sure everyone (including your client) has access to important project documents and information. Examples include Microsoft docs, Google docs, or you can use a document management system that has built-in hierarchy and organization tools like Confluence.
• A communication tool like email or Slack so that the teams can stay in touch about any questions or needs that emerge. 

For client work, there may be other tools you’ll need access to before you can started. Think design assets like logos, fonts, or style guides, templates, databases, logins (to CMS, social, analytics, etc), access to your client’s intranet, and the correct details for invoicing.

Risk and issue management

Communicate with your team (and with the client) how you want to identify and respond to issues together. Even with the best planning, sometimes unexpected things pop up on a project. Good project risk management for both internal and external client projects means that you and your team will be continuously identifying, analyzing, prioritizing, and mitigating risks that could get in the way of delivering a project on time and on budget. This can include team members keeping a close eye on their billable hours and keeping on top of upcoming software updates or changes to technical tools used during the project.

It’s also a good idea to ask in your client kick-off meeting what their attitude is toward change, for instance when it comes to wiggle room in the budget.

Document your project kick-off

If you’re keen to get cracking on your own project kick-off, but you’re not quite sure where to start, a project kikcoff template in Confluence can guide you in the right direction. Give our free project plan template a try to help you to define, manage, and track your next project, and keep stakeholders in the know.

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Conducting a successful project kickoff meeting: steps and examples

Usually, a good project kickoff meeting starts with a well-planned agenda. It’s vital to point out that this agenda should clearly state the project’s goals, scope, and the roles of the team members. No doubt this will help effective teamwork. Also, the kickoff presentation is crucial. 

Remember, every meeting agenda should include a status report. It’s just astonishing how this keeps the project team updated on the progress of the project plan! If these steps are followed, undoubtedly the kickoff can create a positive start for the project execution phase.

Understanding the importance of a kickoff meeting

The kickoff meeting is crucial for any project. It’s noteworthy to mention that this sets the direction for all the actions to be taken. 

Detailed talks during this meeting help in creating an effective project roadmap and plan, which includes the project timeline. In addition, the kickoff presentation helps to explain the kickoff agenda.

Defining a kickoff meeting

Generally, the first meeting of a project is called a project kickoff meeting. This meeting helps the team work together. It does this by:

• Making clear what each person’s role is
• Getting everyone on the same page about the project’s plan
• Setting expectations for what each person will do 

The meeting usually has a presentation to start the project. The staggering thing is this presentation highlights the project’s timeline and gives an early status report. 

Why kickoff meetings are crucial for project success

Kickoff meetings set the following things- 

• Project’s scope
• Make the project’s goals clear
• Set firm timelines for the project

What’s interesting is these meetings create a systematic project plan! This plan gives a clear path for the whole project team to follow. At the same time, these meetings are also significant for assigning roles to the team and strengthening the process of working together.

There is no denying that kickoff meetings are the foundation for good project planning.

Key elements of a successful kickoff meeting

A good kickoff meeting depends on a well-planned agenda. It’s just fascinating how this agenda guides the discussion and makes sure all necessary points are discussed. It should give an overview of the project and explain the project plan. 

It’s necessary to talk about who does what in the team. This makes sure everyone knows their responsibilities and encourages them to work together. Plus, a project roadmap can help by showing the project goals and the key steps to reach them.

Clear objectives and goals

During the kickoff presentation, the project team will show the project roadmap. This is based on the project scope that has been decided. It’s obvious that the team will clearly state the project’s objectives and goals so that everyone involved knows what they are. 

These goals include finishing the project tasks within the agreed timeline. The astonishing thing is the team will achieve this by working together efficiently and knowing their roles! 

Comprehensive project plan

It’s no secret that for good teamwork on a project, the team must state the project goals clearly. They need to set the project’s boundaries and explain what the project will deliver. It’s well known that a detailed project plan includes several things. What’s interesting is that it starts with a presentation at the beginning of the project to show the project’s path. The team needs to keep updating the meeting agendas to make sure everyone knows what’s going on. 

One thing is for certain: all of these things are vital for planning a project. 

Defined roles and responsibilities

It comes as no surprise that who does what in a project team is very important. It aids in the following things:

• To plan the project well
• Work together well
• Make the project successful

Usually, these roles are given out at the start of the project. This is when the team talks about the project’s path, goals, boundaries, as well as what it will deliver.

Open communication channels

Few would argue the importance of clear communication for project success. It’s vital to be aware that everyone on the team should actively participate in the project. Meetings can be organized regularly which should have a clear agenda to discuss the project’s scope, what needs to be delivered, etc

Traditionally, after each meeting, a report on the project’s status should be shared with all team members. It’s a general perception that the ways to communicate should be formally presented in the project’s kickoff presentation. 

Planning for a kickoff meeting

It’s interesting that the first step in planning a project is to have a kickoff meeting to align the team! Plus, this meeting is the basis of project collaboration, making sure everyone is on the same page.

Preparing for this meeting should involve creating a detailed project kickoff agenda. This agenda should outline team roles, along with having a section for a kickoff presentation.

Identifying the right participants

The significance of finding the right people for a project is enormous. 

People are chosen based on what they know and how they fit into the project. It’s obvious that they can do different things in the project like the following:

• Helping with the project plan
• Being part of the project kickoff presentation 

It’s crucial to realize that when choosing people for the project, the project timeline is important. It can affect who is available and who can commit to the project. Also crucial to be conscious that choosing the right people needs careful planning too. 

Setting the agenda

The project team should be ready with what they will contribute to the project kickoff agenda. The astonishing thing is this agenda should explain the project objectives and a plan for working together on the project! Furthermore, it should focus on explaining the project scope and timeline.

It’s crucial to understand the project kickoff agenda clearly. The good news is that it sets the direction of the project, as well as makes it easier to report on how the project is doing. 

Preparing the necessary materials

Before starting a new project, the team needs to prepare important documents. The staggering thing about these documents is they will help everyone work together in a structured way. 

Furthermore, the team needs to create a clear timeline for the project. The obvious thing is this involves assigning roles to team members and setting key deadlines. 

Besides these, the team should prepare a detailed agenda for the first meeting or project kickoff. 

Conducting the kickoff meeting

It’s a widely agreed upon fact that holding the kickoff meeting is a crucial part of planning the project. The best thing about a well-organized kickoff agenda is it sets the mood for the whole project. 

The meeting starts with a kickoff presentation. It’s crucial to be aware that the meeting sets out when regular status reports will be given ensuring the project is monitored. It’s indisputable that the kickoff meeting guides the team to work together effectively.

Starting with a strong introduction

To manage a project well, it’s no surprise that you need a united team. You need to collaborate on the project on time too. Regularly, you should set a clear meeting agenda. The stunning thing is that a good project plan guides your project roadmap.

It’s a commonly held view that a good project kickoff presentation does two things:

• Informs your team
• Inspires them at the start of the project planning process 

Presenting the project plan

The project plan is part of the project kickoff presentation. It’s noteworthy to mention that it details the project roadmap and team roles. It defines the project scope along with outlining project objectives. 

Typically working together on the project is a key part of our strategy. We share the meeting agenda before meetings for openness and best input. 

The project kickoff agenda aims to include everyone in the team effectively in the plan.

Discussing roles and responsibilities

It comes as no surprise that each person in a project team has specific roles. These roles are important for planning and carrying out the project. The roles comprise the following things:

• Making a project plan
• What is the project about? 
• Setting goals
• Creating a roadmap for the project 

It’s astounding to know that the roles also include deciding what the project will deliver, along with managing when things will happen in the project. Another critical role is regularly making status reports. The obvious thing about these roles is it guarantees that everyone on the team knows what they should be doing for the project.

Encouraging participation and feedback

It’s a widely held belief that the team can work together better on the project if everyone is encouraged to participate and give feedback. For that purpose, during the project kickoff presentation, it should be made clear what the goals are and what everyone’s roles are. What the project is about should also be clearly communicated. 

To add on, the roadmap for the project, along with meeting agendas should be shared with the team regularly. The staggering thing about doing this is they give team members the chance to give feedback and suggestions. 

Utilizing project management tools for kickoff meetings

Undoubtedly, project management tools are very useful. They are used during kickoff meetings. During these meetings, it’s astounding how the project team comes together to start working on the project! 

Note that a clear project kickoff agenda is crucial too. At the same time, the project plan and timeline can be set up. A standard for the status report can also be defined.

Bonsai: Comprehensive project management tools

Bonsai provides a wide range of project management tools that are highly effective for conducting kickoff meetings. A project kickoff meeting is the initial gathering of the project team and stakeholders, setting the stage for the project's success. Bonsai's tools help ensure that these meetings are well-organized and productive.

Key Elements of a Successful Kickoff Meeting with Bonsai:

• Clear Agenda: Bonsai allows you to create a detailed agenda that outlines the project's goals, scope, and team roles. This ensures that all participants are aligned and understand their responsibilities from the outset.
• Project Roadmap: Using Bonsai, you can develop a project roadmap that visually represents the timeline, milestones, and key deliverables. This helps in setting clear expectations and provides a reference point for the entire team.
• Role Assignment: Bonsai's task management features enable you to assign specific roles and tasks to team members during the kickoff meeting. This clarity helps in avoiding confusion and ensures accountability.
• Real-Time Collaboration: Bonsai supports real-time collaboration, allowing team members to share updates, documents, and feedback instantly. This fosters open communication and helps in addressing any issues promptly.

Microsoft Project: Streamlining project planning

One of the best things about Microsoft Project is it helps in defining the project scope and project deliverables clearly. It aids in creating a detailed project timeline. 

The stunning thing about this tool is it promotes project collaboration. Microsoft Project makes it easier to organize the project kickoff agenda and define team roles.

Slack: Enhancing communication

There is no denying that Slack is a useful tool for working on projects together. The cool thing about this tool is it lets the team talk to each other without any problems. They can talk about what they want to achieve with the project and decide who does what. 

It’s just fascinating to find out that project managers can use Slack to quickly share updates about the project! 

Trello: organizing tasks and responsibilities

Trello makes working together on a project as easy as pie. The reason for this is everyone can see and update what the project is about, and what has been achieved so far.

The stunning thing about Trello is it helps set clear goals for the project, create a detailed plan for the project, etc. 

Post-Kickoff meeting actions

After the project kickoff meeting ends, the team needs to look at the meeting agenda again. Obviously, they need to confirm the project scope that was outlined. It’s important to know what the key project deliverables are. 

The project kickoff presentation should be shared with all stakeholders. It comes as no secret that it will assist in keeping things transparent. Finally, the project plan should move smoothly into the project roadmap. 

Documenting the meeting

In the recent project team meeting, the main focus was on working together on the project and following the meeting agenda. 

The team talked about the project scope. This included what the project deliverables were and when they should be completed. Then, they looked at the project plan in detail helping to make the project objectives clearer.

Following up with participants

It's worth noting that the project team needs to keep working together after the meeting. They can do this by looking at the meeting agenda again and giving updates on project deliverables. To add on, they should give each other status reports on different parts of the project timeline. 

After the project kickoff presentation, undoubtedly it’s crucial to check in with all team members. They need to make sure they understand their roles in the team. It’s helpful to have a well-organized project kickoff agenda and project agenda to help manage follow-ups.

Monitoring project progress

How important regular meetings are to give status reports for keeping track of project progress! These meetings give the project team a chance to talk about the project plan and agree on the project timeline . 

It’s crucial to realize that utilizing project collaboration tools can help keeping the project roadmap up to date. This allows for effective project planning and clear communication among team members.

In the end, the project kickoff presentation and project kickoff agenda guide the project. As a positive outcome, they make sure everyone understands the goals. The best thing is this helps keep the project on track for its entire lifespan. 

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How to start off strong with a project kickoff meeting agenda

Georgina Guthrie

October 05, 2022

As project managers , it’s your responsibility to get the job done. And nothing says “I mean business” like a project kickoff meeting agenda.

A kickoff meeting is a crucial first step in getting a new project off on the right foot. It should cover all the important goals, tasks, deliverables, and deadlines and set roles and responsibilities within the team. The project kickoff meeting agenda is your blueprint for making this happen.

Whether you’re setting off on a journey or prepping for an exam, there’s nothing more important than being prepared. Sure, you might get a few things right along the way, but without proper prep, the chances of wasting time are so much higher. So, let’s see how a kickoff meeting agenda can help your project succeed.

What is a project kickoff meeting?

A project kickoff meeting is a gathering of all the key people involved in a project. This includes the project manager, project sponsor , client, and any other stakeholders .

The purpose of the meeting is to ensure everyone understands the objectives of the project and knows what their role will be. It’s also an opportunity for the project manager to gain a better understanding of the client’s expectations and consider any potential risks that might crop up.

Yet, a project kickoff meeting isn’t just a chance for the project manager to give a long speech about the project. It’s an opportunity for everyone involved to ask questions, give input, and get clarity on anything they’re unsure about. The meeting also covers things like project milestones , task assignments, how and when to communicate, and so on. Basically, every element that forms the scaffolding of your project should be set out in your project kickoff meeting.

What is a project kickoff meeting agenda, and why do you need one?

The agenda for a project kickoff meeting should achieve the following objectives:

• Introduce the project team and clarify roles and responsibilities
• Establish a shared understanding of the project’s goal and objectives
• Get buy-in from all stakeholders on the project plan
• Address any concerns or risks that might impact the project
• Confirm everyone is on the same page and ready to move forward

What’s the difference between a project kickoff meeting with your team vs. one with clients?

The main difference between a team and client kickoff meeting is the level of detail that’s covered.

When kicking off a project with your team, the agenda will be more focused on the nuts and bolts of how the project will run. This might include assigning tasks, setting deadlines, and ironing out any logistical issues.

When kicking off a project with clients, the agenda will focus more on aligning the project goals and objectives. This might include confirming the project scope, discussing the client’s expectations, and agreeing on metrics. Think of the former as a zoomed-in focus and the latter as a big-picture view.

How to create a project kickoff meeting agenda

A project kickoff meeting agenda allows you to keep track of what you need to do, who should attend the meeting, and what you need to discuss. This is especially important if you’re dealing with a large, complex project with many stakeholders.

With these objectives in mind, let’s take a look at what you should include in this handy document.

• Introductions, project name, and overview
• Review of the project goals and objectives
• Timelines and milestones
• Project risks
• Assignment of roles and responsibilities
• Tools and methods
• Q&A session

Let’s dive into what each of these means.

1. Introductions

The first item on the agenda should be introductions. This is a chance for everyone in the room to say who they are and what their role is in the project. If you have any new team members, use this opportunity to introduce them and give a brief overview of their skills and experience.

Top tip: team check-in questions can help break the ice and get people in a collaborative mindset.

2. Review of the project goals and objectives

The next item on the agenda is a review of the project goals and objectives. This is your chance to ensure everyone agrees on what you’re trying to achieve.

Remember the 5 Ws and H: who, what, where, when, why, and how.

• Who will be involved? Consider everyone, from team members to stakeholders to customers. Don’t forget to detail who’s doing what.
• What’s the background of the project? What’s the scope? What does success look like?
• Where and how will you communicate and record your work?
• When are your milestones and deliverables expected?
• Why are you doing it? This one’s really important. Try and sum it up in a sentence or two.
• How will you achieve your goals, including how you’ll work together?

If there are any changes to the project goals or objectives since the last meeting, this is also an opportunity to update everyone on those changes.

Helpful documents

• Statement of work: this document outlines the scope of work for the project and spells out the overarching goal.
• Project charter: this document gives a technical overview of the project, including its goals, objectives, timeline, and budget.
• Project deliverables: this is a list of everything that needs to be delivered as part of the project.
• Presentation of the project plan: this is your chance to show everyone how you’re planning on achieving the project goals. But don’t just make it a list of instructions; use it as an opportunity to get everyone’s input and feedback.

3. Timelines and milestones

Milestones are like the metronome to your project, with each one driving your team forward. Everyone needs to know what the milestones are, when they’re due, and how you’ll track, record, and communicate them. If delays happen, you’ll need to record and manage them. And when it comes to invoicing, having clear dates and deadlines is a good way to make sure every bit of work is agreed upon and documented.

The best way to communicate a timeline is visually using a Gantt chart and/or project timeline template (ideally, a cloud-based one everyone can access and edit from one place). You can also use this opportunity to highlight any risks or potential issues that might impact the project timeline.

4. Project risks and issues

No project is without risks, so this is your chance to identify them and get everyone’s input on how to mitigate them. Risks might include supplier problems, changes in scope , budget overruns, or delays in the project timeline. By outlining them in a risk register, you can make sure everyone is aware.

Good risk assessments involve everyone — from managers and team members to internal and external stakeholders. The more angles you can consider, the more prepared you’ll be should things go sideways.

• Check out our guide to creating a risk register for more tips .

5. Assignment of roles and responsibilities

The next item on the agenda is to finalize roles and responsibilities. Now is the time to clarify who’s responsible for what and make sure everyone understands their role in the project.

6. Tools and methods

Good tools don’t guarantee success, but they can make the job a whole lot easier for everyone involved. Here are some key things to have in your toolkit:

• Project management software: this will be your bread and butter for the entirety of the project. It’s worth taking some time in the beginning to set it up properly and ensure everyone knows how to use it.
• Communication tools: these might include email, video conferencing, or project management software with built-in communication features.
• Business chat apps: a communication channel that allows both synchronous and asynchronous chat is invaluable. Just make sure everyone is using the same one!
• File-sharing tools: you’ll need a way to share project files with everyone on the team. This could be as simple as using Google Docs or setting up a folder in Dropbox. However, you can opt for more sophisticated project management software that includes file-sharing features.

Your project kickoff meeting agenda should list all the tools and project management methodologies your team will use. For better collaboration, provide a run-through to make sure everyone has access to the tools and knows how to use them — especially for remote teams.

7. Q&A session

The next item on the agenda is a Q&A session, allowing everyone in the room to ask any questions they have about the project before it begins.

8. Next steps

The final item on the agenda is discussing your next steps. This is your chance to recap tasks, deadlines, and deliverables and make sure everyone’s ready to roll!

Project kickoff meetings: best practice

• Prepare: take some time beforehand to clarify the agenda and confirm you have all the necessary information.
• Invite the right people: only invite those who need to be there. Too many cooks spoil the broth! But if you leave key people out, you’ll lose their expertise, and they’ll feel undervalued, too.
• Stick to the agenda: it can be tempting to go off-topic, but try to stick to the items on the agenda. This will keep the meeting productive and ensure everyone knows what to do when it’s over. Managing your agenda also keeps things short. After all, no one likes a meeting that drags on forever .
• Follow up: afterwards, send out meeting minutes detailing the next steps. This will help everyone hit the ground running.
• Do proper introductions: everyone should introduce themselves, even if you’re all in different locations. This will help everyone put a name to a face (or at least a voice) and make collaboration easier.
• Explain the single source of truth: it’s important that everyone knows where the single source of truth is for the project. This might be the project management software, the project plan, or something else entirely. Whatever it is, make sure everyone knows where to find it and how to use it.
• End on a positive note: try to end the meeting on a positive note, even if there are some challenges ahead. This will help to boost morale and motivate your team to do their best work.
• Ask questions: yes, you might be the project manager and the person who’s responsible for guiding people, but that doesn’t mean you have to know everything. If you’re unsure about something, ask a question. It’s better to get clarification now than to make a mistake later on.
• Use collaboration tools: make use of a wide range of collaboration tools to help your team work together. From online Gannt charts and Kanban boards to diagramming tools and beyond, there’s a lot out there. So, don’t hold back on outfitting your team with tools that make their jobs easier and your project run smoother.

By following these best practices, you can ensure your project kickoff meeting is productive, informative, and motivating. And that’s exactly what you need to get your project off to a great start!

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