How do you plan and conduct an effective program kick-off meeting and a program review meeting?

Outlining the “why“ the program is critical is an essential aspect of engaging stakeholders. Spend the time to develop how to tell the program story in an engaging and meaningful way before the kickoff meeting. Then at the kickoff, tell it with passion and belief that the program is mission critical. You need to believe first. You are making a sales pitch to get people on board your program ship at the kickoff. If you can’t articulate the value of the program, don’t expect the stakeholders to figure it out. They will move on or do the bare minimum from a program support standpoint. Go for the mind and heart to truly engage a team for a blockbuster program. You have the choice!

I would like to add two things that I have not seen mentioned so far. First, when defining the goals and objectives of the project or program, explain the cost benefits. When you can accurately show quantities of money in cost savings, avoidances or value of the program as an end product or service, you have gained the attention of everyone Director level and up. Secondly, once the meeting is coming to a conclusion and there is concurrence on the project/program from the stakeholders, get them to sign a document that states the costs in money, human resources and time that can be referred back to at a time in the future if disagreements were to arise about these topics. Also, try to hold this meeting in person, if at all possible.

Program managers plan effective kick-off and review meetings by defining clear objectives: kick-off meetings establish program vision, roles, and collaboration expectations; review meetings report on status, solicit feedback, and address issues. They create an agenda, specifying topics, speakers, and time allocation for each meeting, ensuring focus and efficiency.

One thing that can be helpful is to use the lessons learned from past, or similar, programs. Reach out to others in the business to share their experience. Ask the questions: 1. What should we do more of? 2. What should we do less of/avoid? 3. What should we start doing? Ensure these lessons are clearly laid out in the project and team charters.

Key aspects to cover at any program kickoff/review meeting: 1. Outline the programs goals, outcomes and business benefits - as they align with the company’s strategic objectives 2. Expose program level risks and dependencies - as early as possible 3. Share program high-level schedule - and any critical path items worth highlighting with executives and sponsor 4. Present program structure, RACI and escalation path 5. Allow time for engaging discussion - Top of mind feedback from key stakeholders, Questions and Answers

Consider having a timer tool available that your team can view so that the meeting can stay on top and on time. This can be achieved via screen-share and tools such as Zoom or other conferencing software that allow a live timer in screen overlay.

An effective program kick-off and review meeting involves leveraging collaboration tools, sharing relevant questions in advance, and encouraging everyone's contribution. Utilizing a shared document during the meeting fosters inclusivity and values all opinions. Options like a parking lot or raising hands ensure every team member is engaged. Promoting active participation in action items and shared responsibility ensures accountability and a successful project outcome.

It's essential to keep your audience in mind when creating a deck. Each stakeholder receives information differently. So, be sure to consider varying communication vehicles to inform your attendees. The best roadmap I've ever encountered balanced brief project descriptions, with resource impact and a high-level milestone Gantt, all on one slide. It was a snapshot of information for every type of stakeholder, regardless of their knowledge.

Program managers plan effective kick-off and review meetings by preparing materials and tools. They create necessary documents like program charters, roadmaps, and status reports. They choose appropriate presentation tools, like slides or whiteboards, and communication tools for sharing information. Testing and troubleshooting tools before the meeting and having backup plans in case of technical issues ensure smooth execution.

As an integral component of the Kick-off deck, it is imperative to incorporate a comprehensive Project overview and contextual framework. This entails elucidating the Project's Objectives and expected outcomes, in conjunction with outlining the Roles and responsibilities of team members and stakeholders. Additionally, providing a well-defined Project timeline and key milestones will significantly enhance the value of the materials. Moreover, a judicious inclusion of identified risks and corresponding contingency plans, along with specific guidelines and procedures to be adhered to, will further augment the overall significance and efficacy of the content.

Kickoff meetings should be inclusive to all stakeholders (except those verified not to be involved) so everyone has a chance to be supportive of the program's goals. Missing a key person could cause a re-hashing of the plan later down the road.

Kick-off meetings provide the opportunity to ensure the project team and key stakeholders have a shared understanding of the project, its goals, and what success might look like on the project. In addition, Program Managers can use the opportunity to clarify roles and responsibilities and project controls. Program Managers need to encourage key stakeholders to contribute to the conversations, allow room for Q and As and identify lessons that can be learned from previous projects.

Program managers plan effective kick-off and review meetings by inviting and engaging participants. They identify key stakeholders, including sponsors, project managers, and team leads, and send clear invitations well in advance. They communicate the purpose, agenda, and expectations of the meeting. Encouraging participants to prepare questions, feedback, and relevant information beforehand ensures active engagement and a productive discussion.

Program managers plan and conduct effective kick-off and review meetings by facilitating them effectively. They follow the agenda, manage time, moderate discussions, and ensure stakeholder participation and alignment. During kick-off meetings, they introduce the program, present relevant documents, invite project managers and team leads to align their projects, address questions and concerns, and summarize key points and next steps. In review meetings, they recap objectives, present progress documents, highlight achievements and challenges, gather feedback, resolve conflicts, and summarize outcomes and next steps.

Two things that I have found to help get people engaged from the start are the following: 1. Have the project/program sponsor tell the story of why we are launching the program/project and how it improves their daily work (WIIFM), their teams, and how it aligns with the company vision/strategy. 2. Speak to high level scope in terms of a context diagram, with the purpose of presenting a picture or diagram instead of a PowerPoint slide with too many words.

I have found that it is also helpful to provide a bit of background material for the meeting, with the amount and type of material varying depending on the type of meeting and audience (e.g., for a kickoff meeting, the background info may include info that helps make a Pain Statement as to why the project is critical and sufficient info to understand the proposed Solution offered by the project). A brief reminder of this info is useful even in review meetings as stakeholders are often busy and working on different projects. By choosing the right material and providing it early in the meeting you will help them stay engaged more easily.

Part of facilitating the meeting effectively is reaching out to team members and stakeholders and asking them to prepare a statement or an introduction for the program. This allows them time to gather their thoughts to communicate effectively in the meeting, increasing understanding by participants and decreasing the amount of time used in the meeting to get to that point.

"Pre-reads" with key stakeholders can be valuable, too. I think giving these folks time to hear your message and understand their role before the kickoff meeting can help these stakeholders champion the program and possibly get ahead of controversial feedback.

One thing I've found helpful for kickoff meetings is to have a live document that captures the contributions of the attendees. That "live document" is both notetaking and brain storming and can become a good springboard for future program actions.

I believe this follow-up part of the program kick-off meetings is usually underestimated. Sending out a follow-up email after the meeting summarizing the key points, decisions, and next steps reinforces the information shared during the session and keeps everyone aligned.

Depending on the topic, jumping straight into a meeting like this could potentially blindside people. After you have defined the objectives and prepared the materials, you will then want to identify those who will be most affected who may not immediately buy-in (see Jon Thompson's post). Consider one-on-one meetings with those people to seek their input and advice prior to the kickoff. They could potentially derail your kickoff if they feel they weren't properly considered in the process OR they could be your biggest champions if you took the time to make them feel included them earlier on.

Drive for clarity. Before you start developing your presentation, take the top X critical takeaways and frame them into questions. These are the points that if attendees take anything away, these are the things that matter most to the success of the project. As you develop and complete your presentation the answers to these questions should be clear and concise. At the beginning of the meeting, let the attendees know that you will be asking questions at the end of the meeting and tell them why. Read the questions aloud. People will naturally take notes and complete their answers as they receive information throughout the presentation. In the post meeting wrap-up, ask the questions to the attendees and measure how well you did.

Consider 'external forces' (opportunities and risks) to your program and incorporate a method to make them integral to your moving forward with program validation and management.

One of the key objectives of any program initiation is to get "buy in" from participants, going through a program plan involves "telling", one way to achieve buy-in is using "post it notes". Set out the overall plan, the high level timelines etc. but ask the participants to write down the main tasks they will need to achieve on a series of post it and then stick them on the timeline chart. The act of writing down and sticking up promotes ownership and you have the opportunity to challenge as well as you might learn about something you had thought of

Last but not least, celebrating achievements during program review meetings is important. Recognizing the hard work and successes of teams and individuals boosts morale and fosters a positive working environment. It reminds us of the importance of our program and motivates us to continue giving our best. In conclusion, by implementing these practical tips and best practices and leveraging program management tools and techniques, we can ensure the effectiveness of our program kick-off and review meetings. It will help us align our stakeholders, communicate effectively, monitor progress, and celebrate our achievements, ultimately leading to the success of our program.