Project kickoff questions

Almost every project post-mortem names something that could have been settled in the kickoff. Spend the first session on the questions people are too polite to ask out loud.

10 starter cards you can use today

Write the answers down where everyone can see them

A kickoff whose output lives in one person's notebook gets relitigated a month later. The board and its summary become the reference.

Name the decision-maker explicitly

'We will decide together' is the answer that causes the most delay. Say who decides when the group is split.

Ask for risks anonymously first

People raise real risks more readily on a card than out loud in front of a sponsor. Collect them in silence before discussing.

Frequently asked questions

What should a project kickoff meeting cover?

Scope and non-scope, the definition of done, the decision-maker, dependencies, risks and how you will notice early that the plan is wrong. Status reporting can wait.

How long should a kickoff be?

An hour is usually enough when the questions are on a board in advance and people have added their answers before the meeting starts.

All brainstorm topics