The kick-off meeting is one of the most exciting moments in any creative production in the iNGO world. This meeting brings together the key players, decision-makers, creative consultants, beneficiaries, and others who will contribute to the final communication product to get to know each other and discuss the possibilities ahead.
While much of the meeting is typically spent introducing the team, summarizing the TOR, and discussing the general roadmap ahead. Furthermore, there are a few critical elements that, if clearly defined from the start, can significantly enhance the project's effectiveness, speed, and overall impact.
In this blog, I’ll share some key aspects I always address during these kick-off meetings to set the stage for a more successful collaboration.
Regardless of what type of communication product you are looking to develop —whether a film, photo essay, or report— It’s always essential to define a clear workflow from the very beginning.
Creatives often have distinct production workflows, and INGOs often have well-established reviewing and monitoring processes for their creative projects. It’s important to recognize how even small differences between workflows can create unnecessary friction if not addressed early on.
During the kick-off meeting, I highly recommend investing the time to outline the production stages from start to finish: What will the creative team be expected to deliver at each stage? When and what kind of feedback will the INGO representatives provide? When are progress reports due? And let’s not forget - how the project’s funding installments be structured?
While these details may seem very straightforward or even something that can be handled later on, I’ve learned that ironing it out—or at least acknowledging—potential mismatches in the workflow from the start can save a lot of time and frustration down the road.
At such an early stage, where you might not even know what kind of communication product you will be working on, there is one thing you must be able to clearly define: who has the final say on the deliverables.
When working with INGOs, you’re often collaborating with large teams, each with their own expertise, opinions, and feedback that will shape the final product you are working on. While diverse input can be valuable, it’s equally important to acknowledge a simple truth—you can’t please everyone.
Creative projects can quickly lose direction when too many opinions come into play. That’s why it’s crucial to define (or at least attempt to) who will give the final approval. This will help navigate differences in opinions efficiently, ensuring that creative decisions align with the project’s goals and have a clear vision rather than being pulled in too many different directions.
While it might seem counterintuitive, based on my experience, communication products that are shaped by committees often struggle to hit their mark. Attempting to accommodate everyone’s viewpoint often dilutes the final message and weakens its impact on audiences. A story must have a clear direction— anchored by a well-defined decision-making process— ultimately creating compelling final products.
While the kick-off meeting isn’t the time to dive deep into messaging and stylistic choices, it’s still an opportunity to set the stage for that discussion about it. One of the most valuable things you can do at this stage is to get some of the creative engines running and discuss possibilities for the creative vision you might have for this project.
For instance, when I work on a project—whether for an INGO or a commercial client—I follow my well-tested four-step process of ‘Script development’. This process helps my team guide our clients in defining the core messaging and expected style of the final deliverables. However, before beginning this process, I often use the kick-off meeting to gather some key insights from the different participants by asking a simple question:
"Can you share examples of communication products that you feel could work for this project?"
These examples could include references for aesthetics, pacing, music, and overall style. While these won't necessarily dictate the final creative vision - they provide a starting point that helps align expectations and valuable insights for the script development stage of production.
While most Terms of Reference (TOR) documents outline a project deadline quite clearly, the reality is that many things can shift between procurement and the beginning of production. That’s why I always recommend taking a moment during the kick-off meeting to reassess whether the original deadlines align with current needs.
In some cases, flexibility in the deadlines could allow the creative team additional time for refinements to the final product. In others, an earlier delivery might be beneficial for key stakeholders who could use the final product in another platform. Regardless, the main idea is to eliminate uncertainty. In any creative pursuit, there is nothing more stressful than a sudden deadline change midway through production. Defining a clear timeline ensures that both the creative team and INGO professionals can work efficiently and account for potential delays or unforeseen challenges.
Even during these early stages of development, it’s important to define what would success look like. While it's tempting to use big, abstract terms like "impactful," "thought-provoking," or "influential"— it's important to ground the success of the communication product in real-world measurable outcomes. After all, as exciting as it sounds, most communication products won't organically attract millions of views, raise vast amounts of funds, or shift the views of entire governments… though that's always worth aiming for.
When defining what would success look like, I always encourage teams to focus on the "lowest hanging fruit"—the practical and achievable goals for the product. Constantly asking: “What is this communication product should aim towards?”
Having concrete and realistic goals in mind will allow the creative team to tailor their approach while giving the INGO representatives a clearer idea of where, when, and how they could use the final product effectively.
The "Kick-off meeting" is one of the most exciting stages in any creative production. It sets the tone for the entire project and provides an opportunity to align everyone involved—from the creative team to the INGO representatives—on the essential elements that will guide the production.
By proactively defining key aspects like the workflow, decision-making process, goals, and deadlines right from the start, you lay a solid foundation for a smoother and more efficient project. These early discussions not only prevent potential misalignments but also help everyone stay focused on a shared vision, ensuring more effective collaboration.
I hope these insights help you navigate your next kick-off meeting more effectively. If you found this useful, feel free to share it with colleagues or anyone who might benefit from it. And of course, if you have any thoughts, questions, or experiences to add—I’d love to hear them! Let’s keep the conversation going.
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