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(This article is part one of a two-part series outlining key questions a leader should ask during a project kickoff meeting to head off costly confusion and risk during the life of the project.)
Project kickoff meetings can be powerful tools for project success…or failure. Done well, these meetings bring together a range of impacted stakeholders to get everyone on the same page, clarify key project expectations, assumptions and misconceptions and even begin building key relationships that can enable stronger team collaboration. Done poorly—or not done at all—projects often struggle, hitting road bump after road bump of confusion which can easily translate into costly time delays or other problems.
Contrary to what some may think, conducting an effective project kickoff meeting rarely happens by osmosis and instead, requires intention, skill and planning. As a project management thought leader and instructor for nearly two decades, I’ve compiled a list of ten key questions (in no particular order) that leaders should address during their kickoff meetings. While the listing is certainly not exhaustive, it covers a range of issues often left undiscussed or misunderstood when not explicitly asked/addressed during a project kickoff meeting.
1. What are the project objectives?
A famous proverb reminds us, “If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there.” Certainly, teams without clear objectives end up taking many different roads. Even if there’s a published objective statement, it’s worth taking the time to check in with team members to ensure that everyone has the same understanding. An activity that I recommend to clients is asking each core team member to document their understanding of the project objective(s) on an index card, and then collect those cards and review the statements aloud. You’ll often be surprised how much variation there might be within the responses.
2. Who is our project sponsor?
The project sponsor is typically a senior executive with funding authority over the project. Sponsors are called on to provide a range of resources and critical project support particularly when problems or conflicts arise. Too often project teams don’t engage project sponsors until there is a dire situation, so be sure the sponsor has been clearly identified and engage them early to enlist their support as a vocal champion and advocate.
3. Who are our stakeholders?
It can be tempting to focus only on the immediate project team, but it’s important to think broadly about all impacted stakeholders in the earliest planning stages. Surprise requirements can be costly so take the time to particularly think through which stakeholders are most impacted by/interested in the project, and don’t make the mistake of focusing only on your specific team or company. Don’t forget potential stakeholders outside of your own organization (e.g. regulatory agencies, partners, clients, suppliers, etc.) who may surface with issues, concerns or requirements down the road.
4. What are the team member roles and responsibilities?
Include a roles/responsibilities discussion on the kickoff meeting agenda to prevent role overlap and role underlap during the project. Take the time to not just define who does what but also to clarify any areas of potential confusion. It’s also helpful to clarify anticipated time requirements. If certain members are working on the project “part time,” what does that really mean (5 hours/week, 20 hours a week, project meeting attendance only, whenever they have extra time, etc.)?
5. What is in scope and out of scope for this project?
One of the most significant mistakes a leader can make at the beginning of a project is not specifically outlining what is out of scope for the project. Too many leaders end up “combing spaghetti” because team members get distracted by tasks that are out of scope. Prevent that by having an explicit discussion/documentation of what is out of scope for the project overall or key tasks/deliverables. While the “in scope” discussion may be more obvious, the “out of scope” discussion can provide more insight as those out of scope items often outline the project or task boundaries.
The project kickoff meeting is a valuable opportunity to establish a strong foundation for the project and minimize risk down the road so be very deliberate and intentional with your kickoff meeting planning. Don’t fall into the trap of robotically or passively reviewing high level project information. Instead, dig in and ask carefully curated questions designed to surface potential problems or areas of confusion. Take the time at the beginning of the project to ask and answer these questions so you don’t pay the price later.
Stay tuned for part II which will continue the listing of questions (6-10) to ask during a project kickoff meeting.
