Work coordination
Prepare questions for a project kickoff
The best kickoff questions surface what is still unclear, not what everyone already agrees on. Give the assistant the project brief and your role, and it can draft questions that may head off problems later.
A text to start with
Here is the project brief for [project name]. I am the lead on delivery. Draft questions for the kickoff covering what is in and out of scope, how success will be measured, which teams or systems we depend on, who decides when we disagree, and any practical constraints like budget or tool access. Group them by topic and cut anything the brief already answers clearly.
Example request. Change the details to fit your situation.What to check before the kickoff
For each question, ask whether you need the answer to start work. Cut the ones that are interesting but not blocking. Remove any question the brief already answers if you read it closely. Keep the questions about decision rights, even if they feel awkward, because unclear authority tends to cause trouble later. Then add anything specific to your team that the assistant could not have known from the brief.
Using the questions in the meeting
Share the list with the meeting organizer a day ahead so they can prepare. During the kickoff, write each answer next to its question. Whatever is still unanswered when the meeting ends becomes the first follow-up, with a named owner and a date.