How to launch a project (the right way)

So that's interesting.

It's an, a different approach where you have to be a bit more adaptable and agile and, you know, it's all about pace and speed and creating momentum, which is something I'll come back to.

But that's, um, interesting that you need to start the project before you've got everything ready to go.

I imagine project managers like to have everything ready and stacked up and prepared, but you're kind of being pushed to go slightly before you're ready.

Um, that makes sense.

Lindsay, what's it like in your sector? Um, is it the same? Is that s- ringing true for you as well, what they're saying?

Uh, I think so, but I think I'm slightly different in that I work client side, and I have done in this job and my previous job.

Um, and a lot of the people who work on the work that I do are internal.

So we do, in my team anyway, there's lots of different programs and program project managers across the V&A that do very different things.

But in my team, um, yeah, we work a lot with internal people, and we do work a lot with consultants.

Um, but because of the nature of what we're doing, I think we spend a lot of time figuring out with them what we're gonna do before we start it.

Um, so we're kind of developing it together really.

So I think there's a lot of legwork that has to happen before I feel like the project has started.

But I guess I would say it's when, um, there's like a genuine commitment to do something, and we've all agreed to do it, and everyone's like, "Let's go." So yeah, there is lots of stuff to get to that point, but, um, that's the kind of moment for me.

But we do use the kickoff meeting as a kind of vehicle for doing that.

But, um, uh, you kind of hope that by the time you've got to that meeting, everyone has been prepared, there's no surprises.

It's really a kind of like, uh, official moment, but it's not the moment where the work gets done.

Okay.

So that's, actually, I'd like to follow that up with, um, Kerry and Anita.

So what, what work needs to happen before you get to the point of, uh, kind of having a launch meeting, ideally? What do you like to have ready? And I imagine preparation is critical for a successful meeting.

So have you got any advice or, um, experience that you can draw on, that, that you could share that has worked or that you try to do?

So, um, for me, as part of the project launch, it's all about having the key resources in place and knowing what they're delivering.

So I like to do what I call soft land information beforehand.

So going to the stakeholders, like doing a bit of the pre-work with the resources that you're gonna be using, getting the buy.

A lot of the time in our project launch is all about our management plans, like our construction phase plans, our environmental management plans, the quality plans, the commercial strategy.