Digital projects come in all different shapes and sizes and it can be difficult to dictate a 'one size fits all' project management process. However, there are some aspects that always need to happen on every project, no matter how big, one of these being the internal kick off meeting.
The kick off meeting could take the form of an informal briefing for a small project but, if you are talking to a team of 3 or more, then something more structured is very useful to ensure that you have covered everything.
Here’s my recommendation for project managers of the top 10 things I have found make an effective kick off meeting:
1. Preparation
If you have called the kick off meeting then it’s your responsibility to provide an agenda for the team.
Try to distribute it ahead of time so everyone can get their thinking caps on. You don’t have to spend hours on this, but at least have it written up on a board ready at the start of the meeting.
2. Understand the problem
To be able to give a decent brief to your team, you must fully understand what is being asked of you by the client. At this point you should question the rationale for undertaking the project – is it actually worthwhile and viable?
Often clients cut straight to the end result they believe should be delivered. A good starting point is to get them to provide details of the problem they face. You can then distil this down and work with them and your team to provide the best solution.
3. Get the right people there
It seems obvious, but I’ve seen it many times: there's no point starting a project with only half the people who are going to be involved there. I get them all in the room together. If you are involving freelancers, this shouldn't be conducted over conference call; body language and face to face chemistry can't be underestimated when it comes to building relationships for a project.
Within the meeting it's important to identify the role of each team member, with a clear escalation route. You should have a good idea of these roles already, but you want everyone to feel involved and buy into it. You may want to take a chicken and pig approach, but make sure all the relevant people are there to hear the discussion and agree the actions.
4. ‘Time box’ the meeting
Set yourself a time limit for the meeting and stick to it: 60-90 mins should be enough for a decent size project. One good way to stick to your limit is to book in another meeting for straight afterwards!
Look at your agenda and work out how long you realistically need to discuss each point, and assign a time against it. Keep a clock visible at all times, and if you feel everyone is spending too long discussing one aspect try to keep it flowing and move on. Don't let people be too indulgent on a particular point; if it needs that much discussion, then it probably needs a separate meeting.
I would recommend first thing in the morning before people have a chance to get their head into other work or first thing after lunch for kick off meetings, avoiding the end of the afternoon slump.
5. Build excitement
Part of the objective of the kick off meeting is to excite your team about the new project. It should be inspiring and fun! Keep positive and energise the team by tuning into what will give them satisfaction on this project, and how it can help achieve any personal goals they may have. Your role is to support them throughout.
6. Pre-empt the questions
Research and gather as much information as possible ahead of the meeting, and try and put yourself in the shoes of the different team members – creative, UX, developers. Anticipate the types of questions they might ask and do the hard work beforehand so you’ve got the answers ready.
7. Understand the relationships in the team
Who is the one person that will make the project a success, and who could bring it all crashing down? This could be agency side, or it could be client side. Identify your key advocate and the possible enemy on the project. Empowering your team members to take responsibility for different aspects of the project will also help motivate them.
Are there any personality conflicts that could damage the project? In reverse of that, could any collaborative partnerships increase your chances of success?
8. Understand what will make the project a success
I find the established project management method of BOSCARD very useful when defining a project. It works as a checklist aid to ensure you’ve considered all the essential elements:
Background
Set the scene. This is where your research and planning comes in.
Objectives
What will make this project a success? How can you measure the success?
Scope
It’s just as important to identify what is out of scope as what is in scope.
Constraints
These could be time or budget related. It could be resources you have available or in-house skills.
Assumptions
Any assumptions you are making with regards to the client expectations, technical limitations, or what will be included in the scope.
Risks
Knowing ahead of time the issues you may face along the way can help lessen their impact down the line. Think about potential bottlenecks and inter-project dependencies. Are there any holidays at key points?
Deliverables
What is the end product? Are there multiple deliverables?
9. Define the actions
Make sure everyone is clear of their own actions and when they need to be completed by. It’s also good at this stage to put together a loose timeline, with the key milestones identified and a communications plan. Agree when the next meeting will be and who needs to be involved.
10. Write it up
To avoid people forgetting to take notes of their actions, and for total clarification on what was discussed and agreed, as the meeting organiser you should be responsible for producing a contact report of the meeting. This doesn't mean you have to write it - that could be delegated, but you are responsible for checking it's correct and distributing it.
Make sure everyone confirms the actions and deadlines set are as they expected.