Remote teams can be local, like when an office goes virtual or uses a hybrid methodology (with people coming and going on different days or weeks). The key to managing remote team members is keeping everyone engaged, informed, productive, and responsive. Now more than ever, people are successfully working remotely. This setup poses a unique challenge for any project manager striving to keep all team members working in concert. While it is generally desirable to have a team working together in the same location, this is not always the case. See the Best Project Management Software for 2021īack to top Project Kickoff Meetings for Remote TeamsĪ project may require a partial or fully remote team. They will need to understand how their role plugs into the overall project, when they are needed, and to what extent. They could be the partner who is designing visuals, writing copy, developing code, testing builds, or translating deliverables into multiple languages. This is a secondary kickoff that introduces the team to the client, as well as introducing client to your organization and the leads who will be defining and executing the work.Ī kickoff meeting with a vendor or a third-party developer is another type of project kickoff meeting that is important to hold when multiple parties are involved in a project. This is an opportunity to get questions lined up for a smooth and competent project start.Īn internal project kickoff meeting is where your organizational team meets prior to a client or a vendor kickoff meeting to make sure everyone is on the same page, asks the right questions, and begins a project on the right path.Īfter meeting with your internal stakeholders, it is time to host a client project kickoff meeting. This is where you meet with a key team member or smaller group of leads to review the project scope, as well as gathering input and preparing for an upcoming client kickoff meeting. They may not all be necessary for every project, but each helps to get things off to a clear start.įirst, you may find a pre-kickoff meeting is necessary. There are several different types of project kickoff meetings that may occur within your organization. Next steps, upcoming meetings, and status reportsīack to top Types of Project Kickoff Meetings.Explanation of the project change order process.Overview of the approval process, including legal and regulatory reviews.Discussion of the assets, including what is available and what is needed.Review of the RAID (risks, assumptions, issues and dependencies).Review of the project proposal, detailing the project’s creative and technical goals.Introduction of all key team members and stakeholders.Every kickoff meeting should include the following: 8 Tips for Hosting Successful Project Kickoff MeetingsĪ project kickoff should have a similar anatomy whether it is for a visual digital solution, a complex technical build, or a physical construction.Project Kickoff Meetings for Remote Teams.The Anatomy of a Project Kickoff Meeting.Read more: 7 Ways to Make Your Project Management Meetings More Productive Table of Contents No matter the size of your team, dollars in your budget, or hours in the project plan, the more prepared you are as a project manager at kickoff, the better you will be able to lead your team. The initial meeting is the framework on which the final project deliverables will be built, tested, approved, and released. It sets the expectation for what the project is about, who is involved, the scope of work, and the general timing of when tasks are to be completed. The project kickoff meeting is one of the most important meetings a team will engage in.