From the course: Project Management Foundations: Small Projects

Kick off the project

From the course: Project Management Foundations: Small Projects

Start my 1-month free trial

Kick off the project

“

- Now that the plan is approved, you can kick off the real work for the project and start showing progress on what the customer really wants. For many projects, one of the first things that has to happen is signing contracts. If you're a free lancer, you might have approval for the proposal you submitted, but it's wise to hold off on starting work until the legal papers are signed. Next, it's a good idea to hold a kickoff meeting or a conference call. This event can perform several functions. First, a kickoff is the perfect time to make sure everyone understands the project and gets jazzed about it. The ideal is to have the customer talk about the goal and why it's important. Second, the kickoff can start team building. Team members can meet and learn a little bit about each other, if they don't already. To help people get to know one another, ask them to share a personal tidbit, like a hobby or anecdote. Each person might talk about what they do and their role in the project. Third, you can walk through the project plan, what's involved, when it's due, and any constraints. Now, is a good time to run through processes, or procedures you want people to follow. It's always a good idea to ask if anyone has questions. In addition to answering the questions that come up at the meeting, create a list of questions and answers after the meeting and post them where everyone can find them. Everyone has their own style with kickoff meetings, so come up with your ideal agenda and what you would do to make it as effective as possible.

Contents