Create your program brief on a simple, shareable doc.
Kick off
Once you've pitched your program to stakeholders and they've approved it, you're ready to start implementing!
Up until this point, you probably haven't connected with any XFN teams. That's where a program brief and kickoff call come in.
Program brief
A program brief is a document that provides an overview of a program, its objectives, and implementation plan. It's a useful tool to ensure that all stakeholders and contributors are aligned.
Every program brief should have the following:
Every program brief should have the following:
☝🏾DACI
A DACI is a matrix that defines and clarifies roles and responsibilities within a project or program.
🚕 Driver
This is you. The driver of the ship and the keeper of keys. You're involved in everything.
✅ Approver
This is who needs to be looped in when deliverables are ready for approval. Typically your manager or other upper management.
🎁 Contributor
This is your cross-functional team. Marketing, Finance, etc. Owners of the individual projects that roll up into your program.
📊 Informed
This is usually the people you pitched to. They should be kept abreast on program reporting and health, not daily operations.
📄 Key docs/links
This is a list of the most important documents and links related to your program; pitch deck, budget spreadsheet, link to Slack channel, etc.
📊 Key metrics
This is a bulleted list of the metrics you'll use to measure the success of your program. Things like number of participants, website traffic, CSAT, and social media engagement.
Review the Metrics section in Plan if you don't have this.
Review the Metrics section in Plan if you don't have this.
🗓️ Key dates
This is a high-level look at major milestone like launch date, kick off, etc. You don't need to list everything in your workback plan, but do link to it for reference.
🤝 XFN sections
This is where your Contributors will add in their information. For example, if your program has a heavy focus on social media marketing to high schoolers, you should include a section for the social team to add their specific plan.
Kickoff Call
A kickoff call introduces yourself and your program to the XFN teams that you'll be working with.
💯 Why is a meeting important?
Similar to the program brief, the kickoff call is a way to clearly articulate the program's goals. On top of that, it's the first time you're bringing together the larger team.
This meeting lends time to detailed discussions of the program's scope, including deliverables, timelines, and expectations to make sure everyone is on the same page.
This meeting lends time to detailed discussions of the program's scope, including deliverables, timelines, and expectations to make sure everyone is on the same page.
⏳ What you should discuss
Take your stakeholder pitch, water it down a bit, and present it to your team.
Here's a quick agenda for a sample 20-minute meeting:
Here's a quick agenda for a sample 20-minute meeting:
- Welcome + program overview (5 minutes)
- Workback plan (5 minutes)
- Scope + responsibilities (5 minutes)
- Next steps (2 minutes)
- Q+A (5 minutes)
🔈Communication
After the meeting, create a group in Slack (or your preferred internal communication tool), name if after the program, and invite the D, A, & C to join.
As the Driver, you're in charge of keeping everyone on track. That means hosting regular meetings to follow your workback plan, identify blockers, and share next steps.
Alternatively, if you hate meetings, you can have everyone touch base asynchronously by having them post a weekly update in your group chat.
As the Driver, you're in charge of keeping everyone on track. That means hosting regular meetings to follow your workback plan, identify blockers, and share next steps.
Alternatively, if you hate meetings, you can have everyone touch base asynchronously by having them post a weekly update in your group chat.
🏆 And that's it!
Your program is done and you're ready to launch.
If this if your first program, or your 50th, know that not all are built the same, and each set up will be different. Do what works best for your users, your company, and you.
Happy building!
If this if your first program, or your 50th, know that not all are built the same, and each set up will be different. Do what works best for your users, your company, and you.
Happy building!
🏀 Suggested Tools
🎮 Kick off Sandbox
TEMPLATE
Run through this brief during your kick off call, and share with all relevant parties.
