I recently passed the PMP Exam at the end of the last month but I was really confused with this issue and I am still confused because PMBOK guide doesn't mention it at all. Some PMP exam reference books say that the timing of kickoff meeting should be held between approval of project management plan and carrying out the main work, and they look like correct according to the PMI's Exam Outline Contents in June, 2015 since the kick-off meeting is 12th Planning task after completion of project management plan. But it is still confusing when I read the contents of task 12 in said Exam Outline Contents, "Conduct kick-off meeting, communicating start of the project, key milestones, and other relevant information in order to inform and engage stakeholders, and gain commitment". It sounds like to be held between Develop Project Charter and Develop Project Management Plan and I still believe the best timing to announce the start of project and to seek the stakeholders engagement and commitment is after the project charter is approved and the project is initiated.
When I passed the PMP exam, I didn't want to think about it any more until I read an article yesterday regarding the project management in Korean language posted by one of experts in this field and it reminded me this issue again. His article includes some comments in this regard and kick-off meeting(workshop) should be located after the project charter is developed, and it seems logical to me.
Summary
1. Based on two reference books I have and PMI's Exam Outline Contents of June 2015(it confuses me), it might be held after completion of Project Management Plan. This is also supported by my experience.
2. But I still believe the kick-off meetings should be held after Initiating Process Group but before or at beginning process of Develop Project Management Plan based on my understanding of use of kick-off meeting as a tool to seek stakeholders commitment and to announce start of the project and inform relevant information to stakeholders. But in this case, it is hard to use it as a team building tool since majority of team members might be identified during planning processes.
This issue might be very minor considering that the processes are interdependent and iterated all the times during the project life cycle or during a specific phase and that kick-off meeting can be held at any time, but not too late, based on situation or size of each project. Many PMP aspirants, however, might still be being confused as I was and am. The contents and details of agenda to be used in the kick-off meeting might be different based on the timing of kick-off meeting held.
Please kindly help me understand this issue clearly.
George JucanManaging Partner| Organizational Perfomance Enablers NetworkWoodbridge, Ontario, Canada
That's an interesting question, and there is no universal answer. Personally, I do the "formal kick-off" meeting once the high-level plan (and a high-level schedule) are reasonably solidified, and most of the resources are identified. Typically tail-end of Planning and beginning of Execution overlap, but if I am to classify it I would say that indeed it is the beginning of Execution.
I use the kick-off meeting mostly as an opportunity to engage and motivate the team and stakeholders before everything is cast in stone (people like to have a say) but the changes based on feedback are reasonably limited (if planning was done right up to now there is no need to go back at square one).
However, I have other "mini-" kick-off meetings, at least:
- one with the key stakeholders - part of Initiation, to get their support and perspective finalizing the Charter
- one with the planning team - part of Planning, to get the key project resources / team leads to glue as a group to work well together during planning
The above are different from other Initiation or Planning meetings (even with the exact same groups) through the purpose and nature of the kick-off - I avoid any "real work" in the kick-off, and focus only on ensuring a common and correct understanding of the project objectives, constraints, key risks etc., as well as establishing and clarifying relationships (both for interactions as well as reporting structure).
Your reply is a real help to me. And use of mini kick-off meetings with key stakeholders in initiating and with planning staff in planning for the only purpose of key objectives makes sense to me. I understand strict application of timing for kick-off meeting is not practical and I can imagine the situation why and what you call "beginning of executing" for kick-off meeting.
Thank you very much.
Park Saving Changes...
Patrick DiceyManager, Customer Project Management| CentralSquare TechnologiesOrlando, Fl, United States
I think what you may find is it might depend upon the size of the project. For instance, if you are working a 4 year $50M development program, your planning phase might take two-three months before you're fully baselined. In this case, it would seem odd to wait months before holding a kickoff meeting. Typically these types of programs will have a kickoff at start of planning phase and a baseline review once the baseline is complete to deep dive into the plan.
Smaller projects it may be prudent to wait until most of the planning is complete, at least at a high level, as George said. I like to have a kick off as soon as reasonable, at least to develop a consensus on strategy, otherwise things may quickly get 'off track' especially communications between stakeholders/team members.
Good luck!
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1 reply by Sungjoon Park
May 11, 2016 4:00 PM
Sungjoon Park
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Dear Patrick,
Thank you very much for sharing your opinion and I found it very helpful to my understanding on this issue. I fully agree with you that timing of kick-off meeting might be different based on size and complexities of each project.
I think what you may find is it might depend upon the size of the project. For instance, if you are working a 4 year $50M development program, your planning phase might take two-three months before you're fully baselined. In this case, it would seem odd to wait months before holding a kickoff meeting. Typically these types of programs will have a kickoff at start of planning phase and a baseline review once the baseline is complete to deep dive into the plan.
Smaller projects it may be prudent to wait until most of the planning is complete, at least at a high level, as George said. I like to have a kick off as soon as reasonable, at least to develop a consensus on strategy, otherwise things may quickly get 'off track' especially communications between stakeholders/team members.
Good luck!
Dear Patrick,
Thank you very much for sharing your opinion and I found it very helpful to my understanding on this issue. I fully agree with you that timing of kick-off meeting might be different based on size and complexities of each project.
Thank you again.
Park Saving Changes...
Alejandro Guerra NochezPMO Project Manager| Corporación Multi InversionesGuatemala, Guatemala
We do a lot of department restructuring, ERP implementation, engineering type projects which typically run from 6 months to 2 years. I find the end of planning phase to be the best time do to a formal Kick Off meeting. The Key stakeholders usually expect periodic status reports after the kick off meeting and there is usually a Change management initiative that starts here and runs through the execution phase. Change Management activities include workshops, bulletin boards, focus groups, news, etc. Tailored to all audiences.
So the whole company knows that when there’s a Kick Off meeting, it means the PMO started doing something and they’ll be filled in on the progress.
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1 reply by Sungjoon Park
May 12, 2016 2:04 PM
Sungjoon Park
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Dear Alejandro,
Thank you for sharing your opinion. I have got many opinions and read other articles, and thanks to many helps, I can summarize that kick-off meetings might not be strictly located at any given point in time but flexible enough based on each size or characteristics of projects.
We do a lot of department restructuring, ERP implementation, engineering type projects which typically run from 6 months to 2 years. I find the end of planning phase to be the best time do to a formal Kick Off meeting. The Key stakeholders usually expect periodic status reports after the kick off meeting and there is usually a Change management initiative that starts here and runs through the execution phase. Change Management activities include workshops, bulletin boards, focus groups, news, etc. Tailored to all audiences.
So the whole company knows that when there’s a Kick Off meeting, it means the PMO started doing something and they’ll be filled in on the progress.
Dear Alejandro,
Thank you for sharing your opinion. I have got many opinions and read other articles, and thanks to many helps, I can summarize that kick-off meetings might not be strictly located at any given point in time but flexible enough based on each size or characteristics of projects.
Thank you again.
Park Saving Changes...
Stéphane ParentSelf Employed / Semi-retired| Leader MakerPrince Edward Island, Canada
Like George, I have my main Kick-off meeting at the beginning of execution, when the project execution team is known.
Also like George, I have planning kick-off meetings as, often, the team in the planning stage may be different than the team at the execution stage.
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1 reply by Sungjoon Park
May 13, 2016 2:46 PM
Sungjoon Park
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Dear Mr. Parent,
Thank you for sharing your experience. I realized that kick-off meetings might be held as many times as needed regardless of timing of those meetings and of formality in use.
Like George, I have my main Kick-off meeting at the beginning of execution, when the project execution team is known.
Also like George, I have planning kick-off meetings as, often, the team in the planning stage may be different than the team at the execution stage.
Dear Mr. Parent,
Thank you for sharing your experience. I realized that kick-off meetings might be held as many times as needed regardless of timing of those meetings and of formality in use.
Thanking you again,
Park Saving Changes...
M. Sahir A. Shatiry, PMI-RMP, PMPSenior Hook-up and Commissioning Engineer| Petronas Carigali Sdn BhdIpoh, Perak Darul Ridzuan, Malaysia
I'm my company kick off meeting depending on the phases of the project, since it is depending of the contractual strategy.
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1 reply by Sungjoon Park
May 14, 2016 6:33 PM
Sungjoon Park
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Dear Muhamad,
Thank you for sharing your experience. I am really happy to hear all of valuable talks on your opinions and experience.
"Nearly every great advance in science arises from a crisis in the old theory, through an endeavor to find a way out of the difficulties created. We must examine old ideas, old theories, although they belong to the past, for this is the only way to understand the importance of the new ones and the extent of their validity."
