{"id":27883,"date":"2025-04-09T09:30:30","date_gmt":"2025-04-09T14:30:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.projectmanager.com\/?p=27883"},"modified":"2026-06-05T11:12:58","modified_gmt":"2026-06-05T16:12:58","slug":"project-kickoff-checklist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.projectmanager.com\/blog\/project-kickoff-checklist","title":{"rendered":"The Only Project Kickoff Checklist You&#8217;ll Ever Need"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Starting your projects in the right way makes it so much easier to manage your work and your team. While it\u2019s tempting to dive straight in and get on with your tasks, it pays to take a bit of time at the beginning to <a href=\"\/guides\/project-planning\">plan out your work<\/a> and check that you\u2019ve got everything you need.<br \/>\nSet your projects up for success with this easy-to-use checklist. Work through the list and make sure you can say \u2018yes\u2019 to each item: then you\u2019ll know you can start work confidently. But first, let&#8217;s run through some basics about project kickoff.<\/p>\n<div class=\"template-download-holder\">\n\t<div class=\"template-download-image-holder\">\n\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Project-kickoff-template.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Project-kickoff-template.jpg 1600w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Project-kickoff-template-600x338.jpg 600w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Project-kickoff-template-300x169.jpg 300w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Project-kickoff-template-768x432.jpg 768w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Project-kickoff-template-1536x864.jpg 1536w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Project-kickoff-template-450x253.jpg 450w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Project-kickoff-template-384x216.jpg 384w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Project-kickoff-template-800x451.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/>\t<\/div><p class=\"intro\">Get your free<\/p>\n<h3>Project Kickoff Template<\/h3>\n<p class=\"subtitle\">\n\tUse this free Project Kickoff Template  for Word to manage your projects better.<\/p>\n\t\t<button type=\"button\" data-file-id=\"68270\" data-categoryname=\"In blog post\" class=\"button green template-lightbox-trigger-68270\">Download Word File<\/button>\n\t<\/div> \n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>What Is Project Kickoff?<\/h2>\n<p>Project kickoff is the first official meeting held at the start of a project. It unites <a href=\"https:\/\/www.projectmanager.com\/guides\/stakeholder-management\">stakeholders<\/a> such as the project team, the client or sponsor and other involved parties. The main goal of the kickoff meeting is to formally launch the project and ensure everyone is aligned on its goals, scope, roles and initial plans. Think of it as a way to build enthusiasm and commitment for the project.<\/p>\n<h2>Why Is Project Kickoff Important?<\/h2>\n<p>Think of a project kickoff as an investment in the project\u2019s future. When a project kickoff is well executed, it can help set up the project for success as it sets a positive tone and encourages enthusiasm.<\/p>\n<p>It establishes a shared vision for the project to ensure everyone is on the same page regarding its goals and secures buy-in from all stakeholders. It also <a href=\"https:\/\/www.personatalent.com\/leadership-management\/how-to-foster-collaboration\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">fosters collaboration<\/a>, building a sense of teamwork. During the kickoff, it\u2019s easy to clarify key aspects of the project early on.<\/p>\n<h2>Project Kickoff Part 1: Define Your Project<\/h2>\n<p>This first section is all about making sure that you know exactly what you have to do. Spend some time asking the right questions here and you\u2019ll create common objectives and a clear understanding of the work involved and what you are expected to deliver at the end.<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.projectmanager.com\/freetrial?edition=d\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-61628 size-full\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Gantt_Manufacturing_Wide_Zoom-175_Focus-on-Tasklist_Spreadsheet-CTA.jpg\" alt=\"A screenshot of the gantt chart in ProjectManager\" width=\"1600\" height=\"834\" srcset=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Gantt_Manufacturing_Wide_Zoom-175_Focus-on-Tasklist_Spreadsheet-CTA.jpg 1600w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Gantt_Manufacturing_Wide_Zoom-175_Focus-on-Tasklist_Spreadsheet-CTA-600x313.jpg 600w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Gantt_Manufacturing_Wide_Zoom-175_Focus-on-Tasklist_Spreadsheet-CTA-300x156.jpg 300w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Gantt_Manufacturing_Wide_Zoom-175_Focus-on-Tasklist_Spreadsheet-CTA-768x400.jpg 768w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Gantt_Manufacturing_Wide_Zoom-175_Focus-on-Tasklist_Spreadsheet-CTA-1536x801.jpg 1536w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Gantt_Manufacturing_Wide_Zoom-175_Focus-on-Tasklist_Spreadsheet-CTA-450x235.jpg 450w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Appoint the Project Manager<\/strong><br \/>\nThat\u2019s you. See, you can tick the first one off already!<\/li>\n<li><strong>Approve the business case<\/strong><br \/>\nYour company should have a process for submitting and approving <a href=\"https:\/\/www.projectmanager.com\/blog\/project-management\/how-to-write-a-business-case\">business cases<\/a>, also referred to as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.projectmanager.com\/templates\/project-charter-template\">the project charter.<\/a> You shouldn\u2019t start work on a project that doesn\u2019t have a business case approved. In some firms, that could be as informal as someone emailing you to say it\u2019s okay\u00a0to go ahead. A &#8220;business case&#8221; doesn\u2019t have to be a lengthy and complicated document: the point of this step is to make sure that someone who knows about this stuff has said that it\u2019s okay\u00a0for you to spend your time working on this. Download <a href=\"https:\/\/www.projectmanager.com\/templates\">a free project charter template<\/a> and other templates essential for\u00a0project kickoff here.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Identify Project Objectives<br \/>\n<\/strong>Write down what you are trying to achieve with this project. If you did have a formal business case, you can extract the objectives from there. The purpose of this step is to be clear that you know why you are working on it and what problem the project is going to solve for the company.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Define Project Scope<br \/>\n<\/strong>Write down everything that is going to be included in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.projectmanager.com\/training\/write-scope-work\">the scope of the project.<\/a> Then write down anything that will not be delivered: these are your &#8220;out of scope&#8221; items. Documenting it helps everyone see what you are planning to do. If they notice anything that isn\u2019t on the list they can tell you now, rather than waiting until you\u2019ve practically finished to ask you to include more.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Approve the Budget<br \/>\n<\/strong>Check that you\u2019ve got the money approved! And any other resources that will be required. It\u2019s also worth asking your management team how you can get your hands on it and sorting out the process for spending it now so there isn\u2019t a rush to ask those questions when you need to pay a supplier.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Identify Initial Project Risks<\/strong><br \/>\nRisks are things that might affect your ability to complete the project to the specified brief, such as a vendor letting you down or not having resources with the right skills available when you need them. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.projectmanager.com\/training\/how-to-analyze-risks-project\">Analyze any risk<\/a> that could go wrong before you start doing too much of the project work \u2013 then you can prepare your Plan B and be ready in case anything on that list does happen.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Produce List of Deliverables\u00a0<\/strong><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.projectmanager.com\/blog\/project-deliverable\">Deliverables<\/a> are what you make on the project: a new product, a training manual, a building etc. Write down what this project is making. Then you can tick them off as you finish them and you\u2019ll be able to see how close you are to completing the whole project. Don\u2019t start from scratch with this list \u2013 use your project scope document as a starting point.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Watch this video with Jennifer Bridges to learn more about essential project kickoff documents.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"video-container\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Best Project Kickoff Meeting Checklist - Project Management Training\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/LOCkV-mENq8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/figure>\n<h2>Project Kickoff Part 2: Build Your Team<\/h2>\n<p>Now that you are clear about what you are doing, it\u2019s time to work out who is going to do it.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Appoint Project Sponsor<\/strong><br \/>\nThis is normally your manager or another senior manager who is the project\u2019s champion. They are probably the one who asked you to manage the project in the first place. Another one you can tick off straight away!<\/li>\n<li><strong>Appoint Team Members<\/strong><br \/>\nCan you do all the work yourself? Thought not. Work out who else you need on the team and ask them to join you. You&#8217;ll need a <a href=\"\/templates\/team-charter-template\">team charter<\/a> to define the team&#8217;s roles and responsibilities, and document other important information about the project.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Identify Other Stakeholders<\/strong><br \/>\nThere will be other people who will be affected by your project, such as customers or departments in your own company who don\u2019t need to be on the project team but who will need to be involved or kept informed. These are your stakeholders. Make a list.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Identify Suppliers<\/strong><br \/>\nYou may need to draw on other experts, consultants, suppliers or third parties. Find out who you need and prepare any contracts required.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Define Roles and Responsibilities<\/strong><br \/>\nNow you know who is involved and affected by the project, define everyone\u2019s role and areas of responsibility so they are clear on what you are asking them to do. A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.projectmanager.com\/blog\/project-organization-101\">project organization chart<\/a> can be an easy way to show how the different teams will be working together.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Produce Communications Plan<\/strong><br \/>\nHow are you going to keep your team and stakeholders informed with progress? A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.projectmanager.com\/templates\/communications-plan-template\">communications plan<\/a> doesn\u2019t have to be complicated: a note in your diary once a month to send a status report is good enough.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Arrange First Team Meeting<\/strong><br \/>\nBook a meeting with everyone. This will be your kick off meeting and it\u2019s a good opportunity to run through each person\u2019s role and what tasks you are doing, as well as to answer any questions.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2>Project Kickoff Part 3: Set Up Your Tools<\/h2>\n<p>Finally, you\u2019ll need to think about what tools you are going to use to make it easier to keep on top of the work. When you are managing lots of different activities you\u2019ll need some systems and processes to save you time.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Select Project Management Software<br \/>\n<\/strong>If you don\u2019t already have <a href=\"\/software\/\">project management software <\/a>in your company, choose which tool you are going to use. You can stick with email and spreadsheets, but if you\u2019ve got more than three people in the team you\u2019ll soon find that becomes difficult and you need a better tool so choose one now. Don&#8217;t forget the collaborative benefits on interaction.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Set Up User Accounts<\/strong><br \/>\nGive everyone user accounts for your project management software and make sure they know how to use it.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Set Up Project Filing System<\/strong><br \/>\nYour project filing system can be anything from remembering to keep all your notes in one notebook to a fully-featured document management system. In reality, it\u2019s most practical to use your project management tools to store documents related to the project so everything is in one place. Go ahead and upload those documents you created in Part 1 now.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Create Task List<\/strong><br \/>\nYour <a href=\"\/software\/task-management\">project task list<\/a> is the starting point for planning the work. Add the tasks to your online tools so that your project management To Do list is available wherever your team is working.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Create Project Schedule<\/strong><br \/>\nAdd some dates to the tasks on your list and voil\u00e0! <a href=\"https:\/\/www.projectmanager.com\/project-scheduling\">A project schedule.<\/a> Share this with your team and make sure they know which of the tasks will be their responsibility.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Use this list to <a href=\"\/blog\/how-to-start-a-project\">start each of your projects<\/a> off on the right foot. When you\u2019ve ticked off all the items you\u2019ll be confident that everyone knows what the project is going to deliver and how you are going to get there as a team.<\/p>\n<h2>Project Kickoff Template<\/h2>\n<p>This <a href=\"\/templates\/project-kickoff-template\">project kickoff template<\/a> helps you gather the elements about your project that you&#8217;d like to address with your team during a project kickoff meeting such as the project background, scope, timeline and roles and responsibilities.<\/p>\n<a href=\"\/templates\/project-kickoff-template\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"557\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-68272\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/project-kickoff-template-image-600x557.jpg\" alt=\"Project Kickoff Template Image\" srcset=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/project-kickoff-template-image-600x557.jpg 600w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/project-kickoff-template-image-300x278.jpg 300w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/project-kickoff-template-image-768x712.jpg 768w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/project-kickoff-template-image-450x417.jpg 450w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/project-kickoff-template-image.jpg 1339w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a>\n<h2>Running Your Project Kickoff Meeting<\/h2>\n<p>Now that you have a better understanding of what a project kickoff is and how to set up a checklist, consider using these helpful tips.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Plan Before the Meeting:<\/strong> Nobody likes to waste time in an unproductive meeting. Define the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.projectmanager.com\/blog\/write-project-kickoff-meeting\">purpose of the meeting<\/a> and articulate exactly what you want to accomplish during it. Ensures all stakeholders have the invitation and created a detailed agenda. If any documents are needed, compile them ahead of time.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Clearly Communicate the Vision and Goals:<\/strong> Project stakeholders will be more inspired to participate in the project kickoff when they understand the \u201cwhy\u201d behind the project. Note its strategic importance and state the project objectives and desired outcomes. Paint a picture so everyone knows what success looks like.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Establish Communication Channels:<\/strong> How and when will communication occur throughout the project? This is a simple yet important thing to clarify during project kickoff. Will there be regular meetings, emails or specific tools used to communicate? This ties into the reporting requirements and frequency. If risks arise, be sure to have a plan on how to mitigate them.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Foster Open Discussion:<\/strong> During the project kickoff, encourage active participation and questions from all attendees. Make sure to leave plenty of time for questions at the end of the meeting. If there are any concerns, address them thoughtfully.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Follow Up After the Kickoff:<\/strong> When the meeting is done, the work doesn\u2019t stop. Distribute a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.projectmanager.com\/templates\/meeting-minutes-template\">summary of the meeting<\/a> that outlines key action items, owners and deadlines. Ensure that everyone understands their role and follow up with them as needed. You can also send a follow-up email to reiterate the project goals, key takeaways and excitement for the project.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>For a spanish version of this post, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.projectmanager.com\/es\/lanzamiento-de-proyecto\">click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><em>Make starting projects easy with ProjectManager. It\u2019s the fastest way to create professional, online project workspaces. Simple team collaboration, an intuitive interface and access from anywhere make it the choice for thousands of project managers around the world. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.projectmanager.com\/pricing\">Click here to start using our software for free.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Starting your projects in the right way makes it so much easier to manage your work and your team. While&#8230;<br \/><a class=\"excerpt-read-more button blue\" href=\"https:\/\/www.projectmanager.com\/blog\/project-kickoff-checklist\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":57822,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":0,"_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-title":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-description":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-image":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-title":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-description":"","head_code_insert":"<link rel=\"alternate\" hreflang=\"en-us\" href=\"https:\/\/www.projectmanager.com\/blog\/project-kickoff-checklist\" \/>\r\n<link rel=\"alternate\" hreflang=\"es\" href=\"https:\/\/www.projectmanager.com\/es\/lanzamiento-de-proyecto\" \/>\r\n<link rel=\"alternate\" hreflang=\"x-default\" href=\"https:\/\/www.projectmanager.com\/blog\/project-kickoff-checklist\" \/>","footnotes":""},"categories":[195,193,131],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27883","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-planning","category-project-management","category-blog"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v28.3 (Yoast SEO v28.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>The Only Project Kickoff Checklist You Need - ProjectManager.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"To kickoff a project you need to prepare the right documents and processes. 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