Kick-off meeting
Motivating Project Start with the Kick-off Meeting
The kick-off meeting usually marks the official start of a project or is scheduled before the start of a new, important project phase. If you are an agile team, it can also mark the start of a new sprint. The event gives the project team an opportunity to get to know each other personally (for the first time). Especially for project staff of dispersed teams, this is an important benefit of a kick-off meeting as it is unlikely that they will all meet in person during the project.
At least all members of the project team take part in a kick-off event. In addition, clients and other relevant stakeholders can be involved. Note that the project plan should have already been drawn up and the kick-off meeting is held at the start of the actual execution of the project.
The advantage of kick-off meetings: Apart from providing a structured start into the project execution, kick-off meetings establish a positive atmosphere before the start of the project. The meeting is also a good opportunity to get the project team to agree on common goals. In this way, the event lays the foundation for a successful project implementation.
Important components of kick-off meetings:
- Welcome and introductory by the project manager
- Introductory round
- Presentation of project objectives
- Explanation of project benefits
- Presentation of the project plan
- Communication rules for the project
- Feedback round: doubts, concerns, suggestions
Read more about how to plan a kick-off meeting
