TOOL
Digital Project Kick off
Effectively facilitate digital project plans, ensuring teams stay aligned, tasks are clear, and progress is visible
Tool purpose
To effectively facilitate digital project kick-off meetings, ensuring the team understands project objectives, roles, timelines, and aligns on expectations for smooth collaboration in a virtual environment.
When to use it
The approach is best used for:
At the start of any project, to ensure all stakeholders are aligned and understand the project’s scope and goals.
For remote or hybrid teams where collaboration happens digitally.
When beginning cross-functional or complex projects, where clarity on roles, timelines, and deliverables is crucial.
Area
Product and service development, research and development projects, agile software development
Time
2 - 4 hours
Participants
Small to medium-sized teams (5-9 people) for focused collaboration Remember to involve all stakeholders you believe can contribute but keep the core small and agile.
Capabilities
Task management
Stakeholder management
Project Planning
Team Collaboration
Templates
Project Kick off Template
(Miro)
Method
Step 1 - Introduce the background and project context
Collect all information about the project with your key stakeholders.
Share and ensure that each participant understands the overarching purpose and vision for the project.
Open up for anyone to add their understanding of the project background.
Tip: you can have some main stakeholders coming to share their overview and expectations of the project in 5-10min.
Step 2 - Define goals and expected outcomes
Give each team member 5min to add their own sticky notes on goals and outcomes.
All share in the group and the facilitator clusters similar ideas.
If needed, dot voting can be used to choose main goals and outcomes.
Step 3 - Assign team roles and responsibilities
Let team members contribute to the discussion by adding their tasks or responsibilities on the board.
Share and add on any extra responsibilities that comes with the discussion.
Map if there are any roles missing so it can be discussed and adjusted further with main project owner.
Step 4 - Establish ways of working
Start by everyone writing individually about themselves and what makes them work in the best way.
Share and agree on main expectations on the ways of working, respecting everyone’s limits and expectations.
Set clear rules for communication channels (Slack, email, Zoom), meeting frequency, and task updates.
Step 5 - Set Up a visual timeline and plan
Start by individually or in small groups to write the project’s goals and key results expected for the first months.
Be clear on main goals and at least on results for the first 3 months.
Make sure this is agreed and followed up with everyone in the team later.
Step 6 - Finalize with clear next steps
Summarize the next few tasks and deadlines.
Confirm with team members what their immediate responsibilities are.