How to run a useful project kickoff meeting

When I lead a new project, I want to set my team up for success right from the start. For me, that means one thing: a solid kickoff meeting.

Done well, a project kickoff brings clarity, alignment, and energy to the team. It ensures that everyone knows the "why" behind the work, what success looks like, and how we'll get there together.

But not all kickoffs are created equal. Without the right structure, they can leave the team feeling like they're being told what to do or unsure of how to move forward. The last thing you want is for the project to go off the rails or to blow past a deadline because there was a lack of clarity up front.

Over time, I've found a simple structure that works well.

The goal is to align the team on the project's purpose, scope, and how you'll work together. This should all be in a Notion doc (or similar to refer back to later).

Start with the why

• What problem are we solving?
• Why does this matter to the user and the business?
• What does success look like?

This context gets everyone invested in the work. This should in reality be defined by the Product Manager in charge of this project, so hopefully you can pull this from a PRD. If not, make sure the PM is aligned with the why.

Define the scope and deliverables

• What's in scope, and what's out of scope?
• What are the key deliverables and milestones?

Again, these should be defined by the PRD, and a brief overview is all you need. This step eliminates confusion and keeps the team focused on what's most important. Make sure you share any risks or assumptions so the team can flag potential issues early.

Clarify roles and responsibilities

• Who's working on this project?
• How does one's work support another?

This step is especially important if you're onboarding junior team members or mentoring someone into a new role. But in general, make it clear who the lead is on a project.

Outline the collaboration plan

• What major milestones are you working towards, and how are you reporting those milestones?
• How often are you meeting?

I like to meet weekly on a project and have a simple Notion doc that contains the following format:

• Date [toggle]
• Individual on project [repeat for each individual]
  • Status update
  • Blockers
  • Questions
• Additional notes

That's it. We meet weekly for a project standup (no more than 15 minutes) and I get their update and note down any blockers. The "Additional notes" section is for any other decisions we make during one of these syncs (e.g. we deprioritized X part, we need Product to line up beta customers, etc.)

End with next steps

• What's happening immediately after this meeting? (Are we getting started on this project right now? Is everyone ready to start on it?)
• When is our first weekly check-in? Get that check-in on the calendar as a recurring event now.

Leaving the team with clear action items makes sure the energy from the kickoff translates into real progress.

That's it! This structure has helped me create kickoffs that align my team and keep everyone moving in the same direction.