Project Kickoff Meeting

A project kickoff meeting represents the official start to the project and is often the first meeting for the improvement team. This meeting includes all project team members including the project sponsor(s) and typically covers the following topics: introductions, overview of project goals and plans, definition of team members’ roles and responsibilities, and confirmation of teammates’ participation in project. In addition to ensuring that team members are aligned, the  kickoff meeting also helps energize the team and set a positive tone for the project.

Key Steps

• Draft the project plan, including all major milestones and deliverables. The project charter is a great document to reference for this information.
• Schedule the meeting ensuring all areas of the project are represented: physicians, nurses, sponsor(s), data analysts, subject matter experts, project managers, etc. The meeting is often a space where the team meets each other for the first time so attendance is encouraged.
• Review the project objective and project plan as a team and discuss potential risks and concerns. Determine what success looks like for the project. In general, it is best to avoid covering too much information at a kickoff meeting. Instead, focus on giving a brief overview of the project and its goals.
• Confirm understanding and buy-in from all team members and consider methods for checking in at different points of the project.

Resources to Get Started

Read

Conducting a Kickoff Meeting – This document from Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) provides tips on how to prepare and conduct a project kickoff meeting.

Use

UNC Health Agenda Template – This document is an agenda commonly used at UNC Health and is framed around the 3 P’s: Purpose (why are you meeting?), Process (how will you meet the purpose and get the desired outcome of the meeting?), and Product (What is desired outcome or deliverable from the meeting?) Communication Plan – This document outlines the key components to consider when interacting with your project team and stakeholders. Project Charter Template — This document is a project charter template that we use here at the Institute for Healthcare Quality Improvement (IHQI). This template includes traditional components as well as program specific elements like equity and sustainment.

Related QI Concepts

• Communication Plan — A clear communication plan ensures that all team members and stakeholders stay informed and aligned in efficient and effective manner.
• Project Charter —  The project charter can be a great starting point when determining key agenda items to discuss at your project kickoff meeting.
• Project Planning – It is important for all project teammates align on project goals and understand the project plan.  
• Meeting Planning & Facilitation –  Effective planning and facilitation can help maximize your output during your project kickoff meeting.
• Stakeholder Analysis & Engagement — Effective stakeholder analysis and engagement can help you and team start off strong when preparing for your project kickoff meeting.