This may not seem that important beyond the project sponsor or true project leader on the customer side, some key stakeholders on either side, and the PM. GoToMeeting and Skype both serve this purpose well. If you don't have the availability to meet with your client you definitely want to do a webcam sharing meeting so they can see your face(s) and your emotions. Preparation for this critical session needs to include a presentation deck and proposed agenda that is delivered to the customer in advance of the session for general approval (no surprises…or at least avoid them as much as you can just as you would during the project). It may end up being one of the few times the PM and team (if they are assigned at this point) are onsite with the project customer so you’ll want to take advantage of this and familiarize yourself with their location – especially if it has any bearing on the technical or business solution that will be rolled out at the end of the project. This usually happens on customer soil so as to set the “service” tone of the overall project engagement. First that should involve an introduction of the PM to the project client and a determination of when and where the project kickoff will take place. Next, begin preparation for the formal kickoff session. ![]() Having a clear picture of the project will lead to expectations being managed and people ultimately being happy. Those things must transfer to the PM in extremely granularity. That involves a complete knowledge dump because the account manager who “sold” the project knows how he came to the price and timeframe that was committed to, and he knows customer wants, needs and quirks that will help the PM best serve that customer. In most organizations, this will not be the case, so the next best thing is to get a great handoff from sales to the PM. Early PM involvement can help properly set expectations all around, provide the customer with a more accurate price and timeline from the start, and likely get the project kicked off faster. That is unfortunate, because the PM has much he can bring to the table in terms of delivery organization capabilities, PM concepts and practices, a solid understanding of what it’s going to usually take to get the project done, what type of information is needed from the customer, and a good idea of levels of effort and costs of any given activity or set of tasks. In most organizations, the PM has no role in the actual sales process (however I have the pleasure of at least being invited to most of the initial meetings and on-sites) of the potential project with the client…or the project inception process. The first step in the process is the handoff. It would be great if you review my methods and comment with what has met expectations (and not lived up to expectations) for you as you plan to kickoff an eCommerce/web project for one of your clients. For me, I've devised a rundown of five phases and ideas to cover when I'm getting prepared to kickoff a project. Most of what needs to happen is truly sensible at this point. Please review my process and feel free to comment with what has worked (and not worked) for you as you prepare to kickoff a crucial project for one of your customers… ![]() Some have just come through learning the hard way as you’ll see when you read the info presented below. ![]() For me, I’ve come up with a list of five areas and concepts to cover when I’m getting ready to kickoff a project. ![]() And most what needs to happen is fairly logical. There is no “obligatory” process to go through when planning and preparing for the project kickoff. All of these are key ingredients of success on any project. However, a project that is kicked off well will appropriately set customer expectations, potentially even senior management expectations, and get the critical project planning process that happens next off to the best start possible. The kickoff procedure is never basic and simple – it does require a considerable amount of planning and effort. The distinction between the two is often determined by just a little proper planning and thought in advance of the initial customer contact and kickoff preparation process. Kicking off a new project can be a fascinating and exciting experience.
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