Product Feature Kick-Off Meeting Agenda Template

A product feature kick-off meeting is a time for stakeholders to come together and discuss plans, goals, and concerns before a feature is released. It may also be used as a way for the team to work on developing the feature to some degree, such as addressing those concerns. The product launch meeting agenda should outline everything that will be included in this process to ensure that every person in attendance is fully aware of what to expect.

Sometimes, features can’t be completed in weekly or biweekly agile sprints.

If you’re a product manager, running a product feature kick-off meeting can help you identify knowledge gaps and mitigate risks.

After several tries and iterations, Diana Hsieh (co-founder at InPlace Health) has developed a template to run efficient and informative feature kick-off meetings.

What is Product Feature Kick-Off Meeting?

A product feature kick-off meeting is an opportunity for key members, such as the product manager and any other employee or manager that works in this field to come together to discuss a new feature. This meeting is customized to meet the unique needs of the group working on the new feature but generally will focus on educating, gathering information, and working through challenges, so there are no surprises down the road when the feature launches.

The Purpose of a Product Feature Kick-Off Meeting

There are several key reasons for the feature kick-off meeting. This starts with ensuring that everyone is aware of the feature and that there are clear expectations in terms of what comes next. If the meeting is successful, the team will have a clear vision for the feature and assignments for any tasks associated with it. Additionally, the kick-off meeting will also establish the next steps involved in the process.

How to Run an Effective Feature Kick-Off Meeting

Running a product kick-off meeting requires careful organization and management. Using a meeting agenda for a new product launch may help organizations make wise decisions and keep information flowing.

To be successful, the person responsible for the meeting organization should use a template like a product launch meeting agenda template to keep the meeting moving forward. It may also require careful consideration of everyone’s opinions and questions since it is the unique thought processes and ideas here that may play a role in the outcome of the project.

To prepare for the meeting, individuals running it should have a clear story around the feature, including why it is necessary and beneficial. It may be important to document all aspects of the feature, including how it will be used. Then, the product manager needs to ensure the right people at in attendance at the meeting, including anyone who will or has contributed to the project as well as those who are decision-makers within it.

Done well, this meeting will help to motivate and excite team members, align them with the feature and its benefits, and gain a way to gather important stakeholder insights. It will also mitigate risks for the feature and product.

What’s inside this Product Feature Kick-Off Meeting Agenda Template

Utilize this template to aid in the creation of a product feature kick-off meeting:

1 Why are we building this feature?

In this section, document why the feature is being built. It is important to have this information clearly presented so that anyone attending the meeting can fully understand the feature and the value it brings to the company or the product. It is also important to set clear expectations and goals around the feature, including any opportunities or concerns that may exist. This creates an opportunity for individuals to talk through those concerns.

Use the beginning of your feature kick-off meeting to set clear expectations and goals around the new feature that your team is about to build.

“Figure out how much you and your team already know about this topic. Identify where the gaps are in knowledge and what assumptions you are making. Focus on providing information that can fill those gaps or mitigate the risk of making incorrect assumptions,” says Diana.

2 User stories

Outline user stories for the new feature. This should document who will use this feature and why they need it. It is important for all in attendance to understand how people are going to perceive and use the feature. This means discussing the various ways it can be used as well as what examples or stories already exist about the new product.

One essential part of building a new feature is understanding the people that are going to use it. According to Diana Hsieh, it’s important that as a meeting organizer, you understand the user stories being presented:

“I’ve found that this isn’t just about providing a simple user story. It’s also about further detailing the acceptance criteria that we need to meet for users to be satisfied, as well as providing the user flow of how they might use a given feature.”

3 Competitors & market offerings

During this section of the feature kick-off meeting, the team can discuss the competitive landscape and similar features or products that have been built by direct and/or indirect competitors. This will help your team get a clear overview and idea of the market offerings and overall demand for this new feature.

In this component of the agenda, discuss all potential competitors to the product as well as any similar features that those competitors have. It may be necessary to pinpoint any specific areas of concern here that may impact the design of the product. It may also help with creating a solid understanding of the market offering and demand for it.

4 Feature scoping

In this component of the feature kick-off meeting, define the specific scope of the work needed within the project to launch the feature. This includes discussing any acceptance criteria for it and any other requirements of the feature to help ensure it is created with specific goals.

One of the most important parts of the feature kick-off meeting is defining the scope of work needed to complete the project. Focus on acceptance criteria and actual feature requirements.

5 Feedback

In the final stages, after all of the information has been communicated, be sure that there is a clear outline of the feedback from all stakeholders in attendance during the meeting. Be sure this feedback is well documented and assessed. It can help to provide insights into what comes next as well as expectations for moving forward with the product feature and with any other steps in the process.

“It’s helped me quickly improve how I run kick-offs so that each kick-off is better than the last,” says Diana Hsieh.

We hope that this template helps you run great feature kick-off meetings! Remember to document decisions and action items by using a meeting management tool like Fellow.