Checklist Description

Major projects often start with project kick-off meetings. These meetings set the tone of the project and are the point where all interested parties are brought up to the same level of understanding about what the project is intended to achieve and how it is intended to run.

This is a simple checklist to indicate what should be covered in the project kick-off meeting effectively, the meeting's agenda. It goes without saying that it is very important that all interested parties be invited to the meeting.

Checklist

1. Describe the project background (see checklist 1.2 Five key areas to understand when starting a project ).

2. Outline the project objectives and goals (see checklist 1.3 Dealing with hidden agendas where to start ). Explicitly state the goals.

   1. Primary goals:

      1. To achieve what? Specific benefits with numbers, volumes, rates (e.g. 25 per cent more query calls handled per day)

      2. By when?

      3. At what cost?

      4. For the benefit of whom?

      5. Giving them what benefits?

   2. Secondary goals:

      1. Using whom?

      2. With what additional benefits (e.g. new skills, PR value, higher morale etc.)?

3. Set scope of project and expectations.

4. Show milestones and plan.

5. Show individuals their part and reporting lines.

6. Outline what standards are to be used.

7. Outline project controls status reporting, timesheets, change control, configuration control.

Definitions/Techniques

None.

Next Steps

It should be clear from the above that project kick-off meetings don't just happen. A great deal of project work needs to...