Projects can have so many documents and procedures to consider that it is really easy to get lost in the sea of paper.The project manager needs to read ALL of the documents so that he/she can properly delegate tasks as needed as well as identify any areas that may compromise the team's ability to execute.

Clarify Any Points In The Project Documentation Received From The Customer

When project documentation is analyzed, priorities have generally not been set and they can also evolve over time. For this reason, it is a good practice to ask if any priorities have been set by the time of the kickoff meeting and also include the expected impacts on the agreed-upon baseline schedule.

Identify And Address Project Priorities As Well As The Main Risks

Change is always disruptive and causes unwelcomed re-work for all those involved in the process.If both parties take a reasonable approach to this process, then the Management of Change (MOC) process can be streamlined so that neither side change orders the other side to death.

Define And Streamline The Management Of Change (MOC) Process

Kickoff meetings can last several days or even weeks, depending on the number of stakeholders, sites, and time zones to consider.Once the meeting(s) wrap up, the project manager needs to issue the Minutes of Meeting (MOM) to cover all of the points addressed during the meeting, while being sure to list ALL of the people who participated.

The Bottom Line

When projects are green-lighted, one of the most important things to do is to hold a kickoff meetingThe aim of the meeting is to:<ul><li> Cover the main contractual parts of the project and ensure understanding from both sides and alignment on how the project will be executed.</li><li>Cover the project procedures to be followed during execution.</li></ul>

The Importance Of A KickOff Meeting

During the kickoff meeting, these procedures, rules of conduct, and communication methods need to be clearly addressed so that the teams know the course of action in case of a conflict or contractual dispute.

Establish Rules Of Engagement For Both Sides, Including The Third-Party Providers

When projects are green-lighted, one of THE most important things to do is to hold a kickoff meeting.Higher overall project success and, more importantly, improvements to the bottom line are among the many benefits of holding an effective kickoff meeting.