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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. 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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The Ultimate Guide to Kickoff Meetings

No meeting is more important when launching a project than the project kick-off meeting. That’s why you should get it right.

In this article we’ll go through all the steps. What a project kick-off is about and how to actually run a good kickoff meeting.

What is a project kickoff meeting?

• Why having a kickoff?
• Who attends a kickoff?
• How does a kickoff typically go?
• The typical agenda
• Preparing your slides
• Project kickoff template
• Tips from senior project managers

The project kickoff meeting is a meeting where the project team is introduced to a project right before it goes into execution. The host is usually the project manager. During the kick off, he will give an overview of the project goal, schedule, project organization, expectations towards team members and other critical information.

There’s usually a labor-intensive phase leading up to the kickoff. The customer, contractor and stakeholders have to find a common project goal. A project charter will be created which outlines the purpose and scope of the project. Then the project has to be properly planned, staffed and the budget has to be approved etc.

(For a complete list of steps to set up a project,  check out the  project kickoff checklist )

Only after all this work has been completed will the project kick off be scheduled.

You can think of a kickoff like of a pre-flight briefing that pilots will do with the crew before they embark on a flight.

Why having a project kickoff?

A project can only be successful if all participants have a common understanding of the project’s purpose, timeline, organization and their responsibilities. The kickoff is the event where all this information is shared with all project team members. It also gives people the opportunity to have their questions answered.

That’s why a kickoff meeting is super important.

Pooja, a program manager from Delhi summarized the value of kickoffs very well:

The kickoff meeting process and agenda ensure everyone is engaged, understands the project goals, scope, and risks, and actively takes responsibility for their roles. There is agreement upon a well defined scope and it helps everyone involved in the project alignement to a goal.

So, a kickoff is much more than just showing a few slides. It’s about creating motivation within the team and getting everyone to take over responsibility.

Skipping the kickoff because you think it’s not necessary will get you into trouble further on. You will find yourself in discussions with people who don’t want to do what you expect them to do.

You will face resistance from team members because they feel having been run over. And within weeks your wonderful project plan will fall apart. Just like a castle built on sand.

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:

The 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

Megan o’malley, senior project manager (pmp) from ohio.

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

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

Guy Coulson, senior project manager from South Africa

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

Roy Macaraig – Project Manager Digital Transformation

Do you have any further questions.

Do you have a question?

Have a question about this article? Need some assistance with this topic (or anything else)?  Send it in and I’ll get back to you soon. 

Hi! I’m Adrian, founder of Tactical Project Manager and Ex-Project Manager with over ten years of experience in project management. Led 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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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 , You First , and co-author of Leadership Solutions . Share your comments and questions with her on Twitter at @LianeDavey .

Partner Center

How to Run a Perfect Kickoff Meeting

Updated: March 26, 2024

Published: September 19, 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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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

See the impact of fewer, shorter meetings, increased accountability, and enhanced productivity with Fellow.

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7 Tips on How To Communicate Effectively at Work

Being hired, fired, promoted—and everything in between—often hinges on how you communicate with your co-workers.

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• Self Introduction
• Start Conversation
• Self Introduction Generator
• Introduction in Other Languages

10 Examples of Self Introduction In Meeting Examples

Here are some examples of effective self introductions in meetings and the reasons why they work so well. These samples can help you create your own memorable introduction to the people you meet in business and career settings, making them much more likely to remember you and look favorably upon you in the future. Read these samples and use them as inspiration for your own self introduction in meetings.

How To Introduce Yourself In A Meeting Examples?

Self Introduction In Meeting Examples

Examples 1:

Hello, my name is [name], and I’m a [job description].

I’m here to introduce myself to you and your team. I’ve been working with [company name] for approximately [number] years and enjoy my role in the company.

In my current role, I’m responsible for [check off all of the items on your list, one by one]. As you can see from the list below, I have experience in all these areas. Still, I am eager to learn more about your company’s needs so that I can do even more for you as we move forward!

I’d love to discuss what it means to be a great leader or how our products can enhance your business model. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or would like me to provide any additional information.

Examples 2:

Hi! I’m [name].

I work as a salesperson at [company name]. I’ve been there for three years and love it. I’ve been working on improving my skills and learning new things, which is exciting. I’m good at listening to people and understanding what they’re telling me because I’m interested in knowing more about their lives so that I can help them.

I like to play sports (hockey) and read books (mostly fantasy). Still, my favorite activity is spending time with my family.

Examples 3:

Hello everyone! My name is [name]. I’m the person who will be helping you with your project today.

I have over a decade of experience working with clients like you, and I know how important it is to have a dedicated team member who can get the job done. I also have a lot of experience with Google Sheets, so when you need me to edit or make changes in your spreadsheet, I’ll be able to do it quickly and efficiently!

I look forward to working with you on this project! Please let me know if there’s anything else we should cover before we begin.

Self Introduction In Zoom Meeting

Hello, I’m [name], and I’m here to introduce myself at the Zoom meeting.

I am a Senior Software Engineer at [company name]. In my current role, I work on developing our application for [industry]. My background is in web development and software engineering.

I enjoy cooking, reading, and practicing yoga in my free time.

Hello! My name is [name], and I’m a designer at [company]. I’ve worked with the team for the past 5 years and love what I do.

I have an excellent eye for detail, and I think that’s why clients always come back to me. Whether revamping an existing website or creating something entirely new from scratch, my projects are always on time and budget—and they always look great!

I’m also good at keeping up with trends in design across different industries. The last couple of years has seen a massive increase in online ordering platforms, which has led to some exciting developments in how we’re presenting products online. And as someone who doesn’t get too involved in marketing campaigns themselves (but knows how they work), it’s been fantastic working on projects that involve designing layouts for things like brochures or packaging materials!

If you ever need any help with anything related to design or marketing, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

• 3+ Examples of Self Introduction Letter For Internship
• 7+ Samples of Self Introduction For Internship

Hi everyone! My name is [name] and I’m from [country]. I’m a member of the team working on the project you’re all here to discuss. I’ve been with this company for over 3 years now and am excited to work with you guys again.

I like to think of myself as always ready to learn new things, so if there’s anything I can do to help make this meeting a success, please let me know!

Self Introduction In Team Meetings Examples

I’m [name], and I’m here to tell you about myself.

I’m a hard worker and always try to do the best work possible. I’m motivated by a sense of accomplishment, and I love being on a team where we’re working toward a common goal.

I’ve been doing this for [number] years now, and I’ve gotten good at managing my time to be efficient and effective in my team meetings. During those meetings, I always listen carefully to what everyone else has to say and ensure everyone feels included in the decision-making process.

Hi, I’m [name]. I’m a recent graduate from the University of Houston with a BA in Psychology and the ability to speak Spanish.

I joined this team because [reason].

I think that my strengths are [strength] and that my weaknesses are [weakness].

My favorite part about working on this team is [favorite thing about working here], and my most minor favorite thing about working here is [least favorite thing about working here].

Hello everyone! My name is [name], and I’m the new member of your team. I’ve worked in [company name] for over 3 years, and I feel like a part of this team is my second home.

I am passionate about working with people and helping them reach their goals. In my previous job, I always found myself doing things that were not directly related to what we were supposed to be working on. This made me feel unfulfilled and unhappy with myself, so when I heard about this opportunity at [company name], I knew it was something that would allow me to do what I love most: helping people.

I love being around happy, friendly, and kind people, which is why I believe that working in a team environment will bring us closer together and make our work more rewarding for all involved (both personally and professionally).

If you have any questions about me or my background, please feel free to ask!

How Do You Start An Introduction For A Meeting?

1. Making good introductions at a meeting is essential because it sets the tone for the rest of the event.

2. Briefly introduce yourself.

3. Start with a joke.

4. Tell an exciting story about your life.

5. Share an embarrassing moment.

6. Talk about something no one else knows about you.

7. Make a controversial statement.

8. Ask for help.

Takeaway:   You’re ready to start great introductions in all meetings!

Self Introduction In Business Meeting Examples

Hello, my name is [name], and I’m here to represent [company name].

I’m a professional [professional title] with a passion for [industry].

For the past three years, I’ve been working in the field of [industry], where I’ve enjoyed working with people and helping them achieve their goals.

I believe that with your help, we can impact our clients’ lives by making them more successful in their careers.

Hi! I’m [name], and I’m an [job title] at [company name]. I’ve been here since [date], and I love what we do. We’re a small team, but we’re growing fast, and that’s been so exciting to watch.

I am committed to being a part of the team’s success, which is why I was excited when you reached out about this meeting. We want you to know that we are always looking for ways to improve our processes, and this meeting is just one way we can do that.

We want to talk about how we can work together even more closely—how to be more efficient and effective with our tasks and projects. If there’s anything specific you’d like me to highlight during the meeting, please feel free to let me know!

Hi, my name is [name]. I’m so pleased to meet you!

I’m a business owner [business type] in [business location]. As such, I’ve had the opportunity to work with many different types of businesses. I have a strong background in marketing and sales, which has helped me develop a keen eye for what makes businesses successful.

I’m always looking for ways to improve my business and how we work together as a team—if you have any questions or would like to talk about something specific, please don’t hesitate to reach out!

How To Introduce Myself In First Meeting?

To get the most out of our network, we must remember to introduce ourselves only when there is a mutual reason to do so.

1. Smile and Greet Everybody

2. Make Eye Contact

3. Create a Good First Impression

4. Pause Until You Get a Cue from the Audience

5. Don’t Rush Through Your Speech

Takeaway:   Introducing Yourself is always the first thing you do in any meeting. Therefore, this is probably the most essential part of the meeting for you.

The Verdict: Self Introduction In Meeting Examples

Here are some examples of good self introduction in the meeting. There are only a few seconds to capture people’s attention in a business meeting. It is essential to prepare a strong self introduction in the meeting. Your words can make a good impression on people.

Hi, I a Usmaan Ali, a content writer. I’ve always been passionate about writing and blogging. I hope you enjoy my blog posts as much as I enjoy writing it!

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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.

How to hold a Brilliant Kick off Meeting

What is a kick off meeting.

A kick off meeting is a type of planning meeting . It’s one of the first meetings you have as a project team.

In reality, you might have an internal kick off meeting for just your in-house team resources, and then another one with the client, when you are ready to share project information with them (and if you have a client).

If your project is in-house and you aren’t serving an external client, you will only need one.

The kick off meeting is a really important part of the project. It is your chance to set the tone for the work to come, to start to build a culture of success, and — most importantly — to establish common goals.

The purpose of a kick off meeting

The objectives of a kick off meeting are to:

• Set the tone for how you want the meeting to run
• Agree ground rules for ways of working
• And most importantly
• Get everyone to a common understanding of what the project is going to deliver: you want clarity on why you are doing all the work.

It’s not rocket science. The point of getting everyone together is so that everyone has a common view of what’s going to happen next and why. You are building a common vision for the project and creating clarity about the end result.

People should leave the kick off meeting knowing:

• What they are going to be working on (big picture, at least. You won’t have a list of project tasks in detail at this point)
• Why the project is important for the business, and
• What success looks like — how you will know when you’ve delivered what you said you would.

When to hold a kick off meeting

The kick off meeting is one of the first things you’ll do on a project. It’s part of project initiation and your chance to get the project going in the right direction, in the right way, from the beginning. So you should hold it as soon as possible.

Sometimes it can be difficult to get people together, but it is important your key resources are able to attend. You can book the kick off meeting as soon as the business case is approved, even if you have to schedule it out a few weeks in the future.

In my experience, as soon as a sponsor has their business case approved they want to get going. They will ring you or come to your desk to ask you when to hold a kick off meeting. You’ll be under pressure to schedule it for tomorrow!

Give people at least 48 hours notice and preferably a week. This also gives you time to meet with your project sponsor and plan how to run the meeting.

If you are including external clients in the meeting, you’ll want to make sure you’ve got the contracts signed. This is not sales work. It is the first step of committing time and resources to doing the job.

Attendees at the kick off meeting

Who should come along? The attendees at the kick off meeting should include:

• You, as the project manager (obviously). You are going to chair and facilitate the meeting
• The project sponsor. Ideally, they will do a short intro at the beginning of the meeting, explaining their vision and the end result you’re all working to. They may choose to chair it i.e. open and close the meeting and have you do the bulk of facilitation in between. It doesn’t really matter which one of you takes the lead; there are advantages either way.
• Business analyst, if you have one on the team
• Core suppliers — for example, the supplier project manager. It should be someone you’ll be working with on project delivery, so not the sales rep or your account manager if they won’t be hands on
• The product owner, if you have one
• A customer rep — this could be someone from the department or team receiving the output of the project, or a user group rep
• Any other subject matter experts or workstream leads who have a vested interest in doing some of the work or shaping some of the work.

It’s better to have too many people at the meeting than not enough, so if you are in two minds about whether to invite someone, invite them and let them decide for themselves about whether they come.

The project kick off meeting invitation

Templates to help you set expectations, get information, request updates and manage issues. Aimed at Business Analysts but easily customizable for all project roles.

Before people come to the meeting, you have to invite them.

Here is a kick off meeting email example invitation:

Hello [name]

I’m delighted to let you know that the project for [name of project or description of deliverable if they won’t recognize the name] has been approved. We’re starting to get the team together to begin working on this important initiative.

I’m inviting you to our project kick off meeting because [their manager nominated them/they are a subject matter expert/they are going to lead on something/it follows on from your discussion earlier in the week etc. Point out why they are getting this mail]. It’s an opportunity for everyone to get a full understanding of what we’re doing and why, and what the likely outcome is going to be.

I’ve attached a meeting agenda for the session, and you’ll be able to see the list of attendees in the calendar invite.

If you’ve got any questions before the meeting, give me a ring.

I look forward to seeing you there.

Best regards

[your name]

[your contact details inc phone number]

Ideally, you should not be sending this email out of the blue. People don’t like to be put forward for stuff that they’ve never heard about. Make sure line managers have actually briefed their staff about whether they have been ‘volunteered’ to work on the project.

My preference is to call people individually in advance to let them know about the project and ask for their help. Then, by the time you are sending out the invitation, it’s not a surprise. They already expect it, and are prepared for it, and will come to the meeting feeling less defensive.

Your kick off meeting agenda

The point of the meeting is to get everyone on the same page and working together, so your agenda should reflect that. You should put it together and send it out in advance, so people know what to expect when they come to the meeting.

Here is an outline kick off meeting agenda template you can use.

Welcome and intros

Project goals, project scope, project approach, project team roles, potential roadblocks.

• Next steps.

You can use those points as a checklist for the meeting. Note that it’s only a kick off meeting agenda sample — you should tailor the discussion to meet your project and team.

Let’s look at each of the points on the agenda template in more detail.

You should do this part, unless your sponsor wants to. Make sure everyone introduces themselves, even if most of you know each other. There is normally always someone new or different in the team, so take the time to introduce yourselves. It doesn’t have to be much, just your name and department will do.

Welcome everyone to the project team and explain what the rest of the meeting will cover. Discuss what you want to get out of the meeting — what you want everyone to get out of the meeting.

Hand over to the project sponsor and get them to discuss the project’s goals, aims and objectives. They should set a clear vision for the end state and what they want to get out of the work.

Basically, they are providing the “why”.

This part of the meeting should give you clarity on the ‘how do we know when we succeed’ question.

You should all come away knowing what project success looks like (what you are going to have done/achieved/delivered/made possible) and how you will be judged on that.

Read next: The Definitive Guide to Project Success Criteria .

This section of the kick off meeting should talk about what the boundaries are for project scope. You might need some specific workshops on scope later in the project.

For now, this is a general discussion around known scope. You have that already as it was in the business case (or contract, statement of work or just through a conversation with your boss).

If there are already expectations set around the timeline, then include that in the discussion too. How long you’ve got definitely shapes how much you can do!

The project approach is the “how”.

This part of the meeting talk about how you are going to work as a team to deliver the goal. You can talk broadly, or specifically. You might need to specify the methodology or tools you are going to use to manage the work. You might need to explain Agile methods to people if they haven’t worked in Agile environments before. Outline how you, as project manager, see the approach to doing the work.

This is your show, so you should be able to define how the work gets done. However, your team also get a say. Listen to feedback on things like frequency of meeting, methods and tools, so you leave the meeting with an approach that will work for everyone.

During this part of the meeting you can also talk about ground rules and team expectations.

Talking about the approach leads nicely into talking about what people are going to be doing on the team. Hopefully you’ve been writing up things on a flip chart or you have some other notes around the agreements made on scope and approach.

Annotate these with names where you know them, and where people are prepared to take responsibility at this stage (which they might not, given that they don’t have all the detail yet).

The goal is for everyone to end up with a clear understanding of how they contribute and how others contribute to the end results.

Use the information you gather during this discussion to feed into your roles and responsibilities document . You can tell everyone that this is coming, so they’ll have a further opportunity to review their contribution and that of their colleagues.

Next, talk about what might cause the project to fail. What can they see that might be on the horizon that would throw up problems?

Brainstorm and let all the worries and challenges come out. This is all good material for your risk and issue log .

Every meeting should end with a review and next steps.

You can sum up (or your project sponsor can) what was discussed. Review any actions and decisions taken at the meeting and ensure they have owners.

Set clear next steps which might include:

• When are you going to meet again?
• What needs to be produced next and who is going to do it?
• Does everyone have what they need to be able to complete their actions, or if not, do they understand how to get what they need?

How long should a kick off meeting be?

That’s a tricky question! As long as it needs to be to get everyone done.

In their book, Project-driven Creation, Jo Bos, Ernst Harting and Marlet Hesselink recommend a day to do kick off. If you are going to get started on some serious work, that’s a good idea. But if you are just getting ready to do some work, and ensuring everyone is beginning from the same level of understanding, then I think you could manage with just 2 hours.

If your project is simple, the people know each other already, and you already have a good idea about how to do the work, then you could manage with a shorter meeting of 45 minutes or an hour.

What to do after the kick off meeting

There are a couple of things to do after a kick off meeting.

Send out the minutes

Set a good example about how you want the project to run by documenting the meeting and writing minutes.

Read next: 10 Tips for Writing Great Meeting Minutes

They don’t have to be super formal if that’s not the vibe you are going for on the team. But you should have something in writing to record actions and decisions.

This will also ensure that people who didn’t attend have the records — especially important if there are action items for them and they weren’t there.

Follow up on actions

Give people a little while to complete their actions, and then start following up. You can confirm that actions have been done at your next team meeting, although that big group who came to the kick off might not all come together again regularly.

Make sure you follow up with people who aren’t routinely attending your project meetings.

Finally, make sure you do your own actions. Book the follow up meetings. Start work on documenting roles and responsibilities, your project initiation document and plan.

You’re on the right track now, so keep the momentum going and stay on course to deliver a fantastic result!

Project manager, author, mentor

Elizabeth Harrin is a Fellow of the Association for Project Management in the UK. She holds degrees from the University of York and Roehampton University, and several project management certifications including APM PMQ. She first took her PRINCE2 Practitioner exam in 2004 and has worked extensively in project delivery for over 20 years. Elizabeth is also the founder of the Project Management Rebels community, a mentoring group for professionals. She's written several books for project managers including Managing Multiple Projects .

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Introduce yourself like a pro at your next meeting

Posted by | 16 Feb , 2016 | Non classé | 4 |

Euh, Hello. My name is Etienne. I’m 39. I’m from Lyon and I’m in my job since 3 years. Euh, I, euh am project manager and I manage the France team. I went to university in Paris and…euh…I have 2 children…. Et voilé.

That sort of introduction in a meeting would make anyone uncomfortable. And poor Etienne surely knows that he can do better. After all, in French, he doesnt’ have any problems introducing himself. So what happens when his team has a meeting in English?

Why all of a sudden does he feel the need to say where hes’ from, where he went to university (nearly 20 years ago!), and how many children? What the…?!

So, if you know that youv’e got a meeting in English soon, spare your colleagues those uncomfortable 2 minutes. Dont’ make them feel like they have to play with their pens and keep their eyes down.

Heres’ how you can make one fantastic impression in the first minutes of the meeting, with a solid introduction.

1. First name first, last name last. Logical…

Right, you just have to remember which is which. Your first name is probably something like Emilie, Charlotte, or Romain. If it helps you remember, your F irst name is what your F riends call you. Your last name might be Dubois, Leroy, or Moreau. If, however your name is something like Arthur Bernard, Thomas Simon, or Robert Michel, people will probably mix your names up anyway.

2. Your role in the company, in just a sentence or two

Yes, its’ impressive to say how many people you manage, how many projects your’e working on and how many times you save the boss every week. Save it for the coffee break. When you introduce yourself in a meeting, just one or two sentences about your role in the company is sufficient.

3. A little bit of your career history, but just a little bit.

Again, you wont’ impress anyone by talking about all the different evolutions youv’e had since you started in the company. We dont’ need to know where you went to school, either, as its’ probably so far in the past that the clothes you wore are in style again. Just say how long youv’e been in the company, in your current position, and maybe how long youv’e been on a specific project if thats’ relevant.

4. Why you too have to sit through yet another meeting

No, not because you forgot to water the department yucca. Not because you accidentally broke the copy machine. Tell the other participants why your’e at the meeting. Are you going to present some key information? To make sure that everyone understands the new regulations? To get your colleagues ‘ideas on how to repair that copy machine? Whatever the reason, let your colleagues know your role in the meeting.

Put it all together, and tah-dah! The perfect introduction to start your meeting. Just compare these two introductions: The one from the beginning of this article, and the new and improved version.

Hello, my names’ Etienne Legrand. I’m the project manager for the France team. That means I coordinate our teams in the Lyon, Paris, Bordeaux , and Nice sites. I’ve been working at Bird Office since 2005 and I’ve been project manager since 2011. Today, Il’l give you an update on the timeline and talk about the future milestones. Thanks.

Woohoo! Etienne aced his introduction. And now, its’ your turn…

Before you go, click here to watch this technique in action!

An American living in France since 2004, Christina coaches clients to better communicate in English through face-to-face and distance training programs. With her YouTube channel Speak Better, Feel Great TV, she is on a mission to boost the English level of French people everywhere. Sign up and youl’l get a free video lesson every week!

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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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Project kickoff template.

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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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Successful Audits Start with Well-Planned Opening Meetings

by Craig Cochran

Have you ever felt anxious about something that was about to happen? Imagine if the “thing” was called an audit. Your anxiety would be sky-high. The truth is that audits are always a little nerve wracking, no matter how much preparation and communication happens ahead of time. An opening meeting aims to remove this anxiety and sets the tone for a smooth, friendly audit that is focused on improving processes.

The name “opening meeting” is probably a little grandiose for what this really entails. We’re talking about a short, usually informal meeting to discuss the audit plan and basic details of the audit. For an internal audit, the opening meeting can be accomplished in little more than five minutes. The auditor briefly goes over the audit plan line by line and asks if any changes are needed. Questions about the audit are addressed and any lingering anxiety is dealt with. A friendly and informal opening meeting gets the ball rolling toward a successful audit.

The opening meeting typically takes place in an office or in a conference room for larger groups. Participants include the auditor(s) and the main auditee contact. I have led opening meetings with as few as two and as many as 200 people. The exact size of the opening meeting depends on the organization being audited and the number of people they want to invite. During your pre-audit communication, it’s helpful to tell your organization contact that you’ll be having an informal opening meeting prior to the start of the audit. You can mention that they are welcome to invite whatever personnel they’d like to attend, and that you’ll be covering some basic details related to the audit.

The lead auditor conducts the opening meeting. If there is a team taking part in the audit, there’s not much for the other auditors to do or say. After all, the whole meeting lasts only a few minutes and provides an overview of the audit. The closing meeting will have more opportunities for involvement by other auditors.

You may be wondering, why is something that only lasts a few minutes so important? The opening meeting may sound inconsequential, but it isn’t. The event may be simple and brief, but the outcomes are critical. Consider these results from the opening meeting:

• Comfort about the audit process
• Spirit of partnership in improvement
• Warm introduction to key participants (auditors and usually the managers of the areas being audited)
• Agreement on any scheduling changes that must be made
• Answering of questions
• Trust that the auditors are seeking conformity not nonconformity

If the organization has been audited multiple times before and is already comfortable with the process, the opening meeting will be less important. It never gets skipped, though. You always start with an opening meeting to give the auditing process the dignity it deserves and briefly cover what will happen once the auditing begins.

Related Article: Auditable Requirements At the heart of every audit are the concepts of auditable requirements and objective evidence. Indeed, one cannot function effectively as an auditor without a full understanding of these concepts as they work hand-in-hand to produce a complete picture of how the organization performs. Click Here to Read

It’s common for auditors to use a checklist to help them conduct the opening meeting. Here is a detailed explanation of each agenda item:

• Welcome: Begin the opening meeting with a warm welcome to everybody present. A big smile and a friendly voice will help establish a tone of cooperative improvement. As part of your welcome, you may also want to let everybody know that the opening meeting won’t last more than a few minutes. “Thanks for coming to our opening meeting this morning. We’re just going to cover a few details about today’s audit and let everybody get on their way.”
• Introductions: Introductions may or may not be necessary, depending on everybody’s familiarity. Make sure that nobody is a stranger. Knowing somebody is the first step toward trusting them. “My name is Craig Cochran and I’ll be leading the audit. Dennis Kelly will be auditing with me. And this is the manager of the production area, Tim Israel. We appreciate you welcoming us to your department, Tim.”
• Scope: Describe the boundaries of the audit in terms of departments, functions, and/or processes. A clearly defined audit scope helps to remove confusion. “The scope of today’s audit will be the production area, which includes the molding, machining, and finishing processes.”
• Criteria: Communicate the general requirements against which the audit will be conducted. This usually includes an outside standard of some sort (such as ISO 9001) and the organization’s own policies and procedures. There’s no need to list specific procedures, unless the audit criteria is very narrow. “We’ll be auditing against ISO 9001:2015, your documented management system, and applicable customer requirements.”
• Objective: Complete your introductory remarks by stating the objective of the audit. Possible objectives include preparing for ISO 9001 certification, addressing organizational weaknesses, and identifying opportunities for improvement. Everything that happens in an organization should have a purpose, and an audit is no exception. “The objective of today’s audit is to prepare for our ISO 9001:2015 transition audit, as well as to identify opportunities for improvement.”
• The duration of the audit. “We’ll begin the audit at 8:30 a.m. and continue until 11:00 a.m.”
• Departments and/or processes to be audited and times. “Molding will be audited from 8:30 a.m. until 9:15 a.m., machining will be audited from 9:15 a.m. until 10:00 a.m., and finishing will be audited from 10:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m.”
• Documents to be used during the audit. “We’ll be using departmental procedures, customer specifications, and the ISO 9001:2015 standard during our audit.”
• The anticipated schedule for closing meeting. “We’re planning on having a closing meeting at 11:30 a.m. today. At that time, we’ll go over all the findings and discuss next steps. Feel free to invite anyone you think would benefit from being there.”
• Sampling: The audit will be a representative sampling of evidence, not a 100 percent inspection. This should be obvious to all participants, but it is important to declare this limitation before the audit begins. “We will select a random and representative sampling of evidence during the audit, with the objective of producing a balanced picture of operations. There is no way we could possibly conduct a 100 percent inspection of everything happening here, but we believe our sample will provide an accurate snapshot of current operations.”
• Company Rules: Clearly state the auditors’ intention to following all company rules and safety precautions. “We know that ear plugs and safety glasses are required while in the production area, and have come equipped with these personal protection items. Also, we’ll make sure to stay within the painted yellow lines that indicate pedestrian walkways. As you’ve indicated, we will also stay with our company guide at all times.”
• Confidentiality: Make a general commitment to maintain confidentiality related to the evidence gathered and conclusions generated during the audit. “Everything we see during the audit and all the evidence we gather will be held in strict confidence. We will not share it with any parties outside of your organization.”
• Confirm changes: It’s not uncommon for emergencies and unforeseen events to emerge right before an audit. These can range from employee injuries, to visits from regulatory bodies, to urgent customer orders. Make sure to confirm that the audit plan is OK as published. If not, what changes need to be made? Try to accommodate any changes within reason. In rare cases, the audit may need to be rescheduled. “Do we need to make any changes to our audit plan? Let me know and we’ll talk about possible alternatives. We don’t mind changing the timing of any of our activities to suit your operations.”
• Questions: In a gathering as relaxed as the opening meeting, questions are usually addressed as they come up. Explicitly ask for questions at this point in case anyone was waiting on a cue. “Does anybody have any questions or comments? Please don’t be shy. All your thoughts are very important to us.”
• Thanks again: Conclude the opening meeting with one more thanks to all in attendance. Thank them for coming to the opening, and also for their cooperation and assistance related to the audit. Thank you is something you can’t say too much during an audit. “Thanks again for having us here today and allowing us to audit. I look forward to making this a real win-win activity, because I expect that we will learn a lot from you.”

Through a brief opening meeting, you’ve invested in the success of the audit. The plan for the audit has been discussed and agreed to, and a feeling of mutual trust has been established. Now you’re ready for a successful audit.

About the author

Craig Cochran is the North Metro Regional Manager with Georgia Tech’s Economic Development Institute. He has assisted more than 5,000 companies since 1999 in QMS implementation, problem solving, auditing, and performance improvement. Cochran is a Certified Quality Manager, Certified Quality Engineer, and Certified Quality Auditor through the American Society for Quality. He is certified as a QMS Lead Auditor through Exemplar Global.

He is the author of numerous books, including   ISO 9001:2015 in Plain English , published by  Paton Professional . His next book, Auditing in Plain English, from which this article was excerpted, will be released in late 2016.

22 Responses

The article is very useful for all auditors. Very concise and well structured approach.

Do you have an opening meeting checklist? What about ISO 13485 Checklist?

The article is very nice and its help to chair person of auditor tips .It is very good approach,it was good.

i have learn a lot..thanks for the article..

EXCELLENT,BUSY WITH MY HSE DIPLOMA.VERY HELPFUL.

Thanks for this article , I learned a lot .

Yes, the article is absolutely nice and clear and is exactly what should be happening.

Thank you very much, the article is very helpful

The article is very nice .It is very good >

Great article Mr. Cochran!

It helps a lot. Great article Sir.

very informative!!

Appreciate the effort.

Practical article, thanks

Thanks for your excellent article

The article is very insightful. Thank you .

Very educative

This is a very good article. I really like how the author provided actual examples as to what should be said. Well done author.

this article very very useful for us. thank you.

Useful tips for audit.

IT IS A VERY PRACTICLE ARTICLE IN LINE WITH AUDITING. ACTUALLY THE OUTHER DID A VERRY NICE JOB. HOW CAN I MANAGE TO GET THESE ARTICLES IN FUTURE TO EXPAND MY AUDIT KNOWLEGE AND EXPARTISIM REGARDS, EMMANUEL

Simple but detailed guide to open a meeting for the purpose of conducting an audit.

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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 off 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. It’s important that everyone knows 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.

There’s a lot of information shared during the kickoff meeting, including what project management software the team will be using. ProjectManager is a cloud-based project management tool that has unlimited file storage to keep documents in a centralized hub that’s 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!

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 prior to 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

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 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!

4. 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 make a determination on what steps will be necessary to respond to these issues when they arise.

You prioritize risk 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.

5. 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 relation to 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.

6. 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.

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 in order 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 it’s crucial for new teams to 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.

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.

Next Steps After Your Project Kickoff Meeting

Speaking of those next steps, they 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 a cloud-based work 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 Ahead on Interactive Gantt Charts

Managers have the features they need to plan ahead with 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 own 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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How to Save Projects, One Kickoff Meeting Agenda at a Time

Lucid Content

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Have you ever been in the middle of a project and paused in total frustration and confusion about the vision and scope of a project? Although you may be digging your way through old email threads and scribbled on Post-it notes for some clarity and direction, you may or may not find it. But the next time around, you can save the day—and future projects—with a project kickoff meeting and agenda.

What is a project kickoff meeting?

A kickoff meeting is the first meeting between the project team and the project stakeholder, who can either be internal or external. The meeting is an opportunity to get the right people in the right room at the right time to sync up and discuss everything that will guide the project to success.

Why host a kickoff meeting?

The purpose of a kickoff meeting is to lay the foundation for a successful project—it’s an opportunity to ensure the stakeholder and the project team are on the same page with the scope, goals, budget, timeline, and everything in between. It’s basically the in-person 411 of projects.

The concept may seem simple, and you may be tempted to just send an email, but resist the urge! Although we live in a digital world, some things are better off done in person, supported with technology. A kickoff meeting is an opportunity to spark an initial conversation and build a clear roadmap together, with no confusion or mismanaged expectations. With the proper preparation, you can eliminate surprises or gaps in the project management process, preventing headaches and setbacks later on.

How to prepare for your project kickoff meeting

A well-executed project kickoff meeting helps teams stay organized, on task, and on track for success. Whether your project meeting is for internal or external stakeholders, here are four tips to consider to get the most out of your meeting.

Set aside a chunk of time that allows everyone involved to thoroughly review all project details. An hour-long meeting is a suitable length, but the allocated time may depend on the organization and project complexity.

Invite the right people

The goal is to gather everyone who is going to play a role in the project at the same time, in the same room. If you have remote staff, make sure your meeting is accessible online, by Skype, Zoom, or another video conferencing software.

Set an agenda

Devise a strategic kickoff meeting agenda complete with the essential project priorities. Your agenda will guide the conversation and ultimately the project as a whole, so it is acceptable to dedicate even a few minutes to a topic or a simple series of questions.

Assign a notetaker

A notetaker seems obvious, doesn’t it? Or, maybe you think you don’t need one.

But the biggest lie you’ll ever tell yourself? I don’t need to write that down.

Top priorities for any kickoff meeting agenda

You will likely host many project meetings throughout your career, if you haven’t already. To optimize coordinated efforts, consider a kickoff meeting template—essentially, a flexible agenda that includes the primary topics you cover with your stakeholders prior to each new project. A templated agenda will prevent the need to recreate the wheel each time you dive into a new project, improve shared understanding, and add methodical consistency to your process across different projects.

Here is an example of a flexible agenda:

Introductions, project background.

• Project purpose

Collaboration

A thoughtfully-crafted agenda should leave your team and stakeholder in the know and confident about everything from a shared understanding of the vision to the nitty-gritty details, like who signs off on deliverables.

A closer look at the agenda

Plan for a few icebreaker minutes and establish rapport early on. While the kickoff meeting is technically designed for project alignment, time spent strengthening the working relationship between team and stakeholder can prove to be beneficial—and potentially critical—during the challenging moments of any project.

A project background should be a high-level overview, summarized in two parts: historical context and insight into current pain points, both of which inherently drive projects to fruition. Whether your stakeholder is internal or external, background information is necessary to set the scene and reinforce the project’s why, for even the most senior of employees to the newbie.

If you’re not careful, communicating background information can become overwhelming, hard to keep track of, and can take up a lot of time. To make this section quick, easy, and clear, you can use a visual timeline , paired with a few brief sentences at each stage of the project’s history using a Lucidchart template.

Project mission statement

The project purpose is more than a report, product feature, or some painful, cringe-worthy data that needs addressing. Rather, the purpose is simultaneously the big picture and the long game.

Consider ideating a project mission statement: one that is short, articulate, and inspiring. If your stakeholder already has a mission statement, reiterate the concept in the project kickoff meeting. After all, the mission statement is an idea your team can—and should—return to for motivation when the going gets tough.

For example, imagine you’re behind but have a hard deadline. Your team may need to pull longer hours to get a project pushed out—it might seem overwhelming and perhaps even impossible. But, if you have an inspiring purpose to support the project, use it to motivate your team to persevere; oftentimes, short-term toil is the cost for long-lasting impact.

If you want projects completed on time and on budget, then rally for scope consensus. The project scope is where all parties agree upon a statement of the work with specified features and/or functions. Your scope should outline a short description and key features or functions, inclusions/exclusions, and any assumptions and constraints, such as a strict budget or timeline.

Say your company is developing a mobile app. Your simple scope statement might be to develop, test, and deploy an app that is accessible on Android and iOS. From there, the scope becomes more detailed as you define the timeline. Is it flexible? Or, is it a hard deadline, with non-negotiable test and go-live dates? Then, you would ask your stakeholder about which features are needed to launch versus what would be nice to have or could be added later to increase value. Lastly, decide what success looks like and how it will be measured. Is it simply getting the app published? Is it a particular number of downloads or registrations?

While projects naturally evolve, if you manage expectations and potential risks or bottlenecks early on, you can more easily manage scope creep and anticipate roadblocks. Strive for balance between the wants and needs of the stakeholder with what is realistic with given time, complexity, and budgetary factors.

Build a roadmap to completion in the planning stage. You don’t necessarily need a technical methodology, like Six Sigma or Lean. Simply decide how the project will be done, from defining deliverables and resources to milestones and handoffs. Your plan will derive from the scope of the project. So, the mobile app scope would then be broken down into deliverables, such as a wireframe, code, bug and issue documentation, etc.

Use a project timeline and living document where you record updates and notes as the project grows more detailed in later phases. You can use a Lucidchart project timeline or Gantt chart to help track where you’re at in the process and conduct your sprint planning together as multiple editors add cards to your board in real time. Whether you’re in design or testing phases, a tailored timeline specific to your project, with controlled editor access, can help you easily share and communicate progress with stakeholders to keep them up to date.

Although you may typically understand who does what within your own team, discuss and visualize project roles and assignments with your stakeholder. If you establish clarity prior to the execution stage, you can spend more time working and less time bogged down with questions of assignment and ownership, especially within your own team.

You can visualize and track dependencies, handoffs, and more with cross-functional flowcharts; use swimlanes to clarify responsibilities across different teams or groups, from your design and software engineering teams to quality assurance and UX.

Decide how your team will work together to efficiently meet deadlines and milestones. Identify a central location to host project processes, document versions, notes, and feedback, complete with the ability to easily share updates and information as quickly as possible.

You can stay organized using cloud-based diagrams with Lucidchart, with cross-functional sharing, real-time collaboration, and painless version tracking while securely sharing with customizable diagram permissions. If you’re ready to share your work, you can use Lucidchart’s powerful and seamless integrations with Google Drive, Jira, Confluence, Slack, AWS, and more.

It seems obvious, but leave time for questions. Who knows when you’ll all be together in the same room again—encourage your team and the stakeholder to clarify any misunderstandings or address any items that may have slipped through your kickoff meeting agenda line items. Leave nothing up to guesses or assumptions.

Each person should leave with an understanding of what comes next and what is needed to get started. This might include providing access to a particular platform or sharing documents and resources. Refine as much as possible now to save time later.

From start to end, Lucidchart can provide project managers with a visual map to monitor goals and expectations while guiding teams through each stage of a project. Utilize visual processes and our intuitive diagramming platform to keep teams and stakeholders invested, in the know, and on track to achieve and exceed project expectations.

Lucidchart is a one-stop shop; you can link and build all your documentation in one place, with real-time updates and instant access to documents so you can get the most out of your kickoff meeting and project planning stages, while putting great ideas into practice.

About Lucidchart

Lucidchart, a cloud-based intelligent diagramming application, is a core component of Lucid Software's Visual Collaboration Suite. This intuitive, cloud-based solution empowers teams to collaborate in real-time to build flowcharts, mockups, UML diagrams, customer journey maps, and more. Lucidchart propels teams forward to build the future faster. Lucid is proud to serve top businesses around the world, including customers such as Google, GE, and NBC Universal, and 99% of the Fortune 500. Lucid partners with industry leaders, including Google, Atlassian, and Microsoft. Since its founding, Lucid has received numerous awards for its products, business, and workplace culture. For more information, visit lucidchart.com.

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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.

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How to track utilization rate and drive team profitability

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What is stakeholder analysis and why is it important?

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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