Project kickoffs can be exciting, but they can also feel like a lot of admin work before the creative work even starts. There are a lot of kickoff documents to set up, contracts to share, timelines to build, budgets to organize, and details to clarify before you can begin making anything.
If you are like me, you probably hate having to repeat the setup process just to get to the creative part. After doing this enough times, I built a kickoff structure that helps me move projects forward faster, keep collaborators organized, and ensure my team has what they need to build momentum and get the project through the gate.
Shared Folders
The first thing I set up is the project folder. This becomes the project’s home base, both internally and with the client. If anything is shared, it goes here so we don’t have to dig through email or Slack later to find it. I usually use Google Drive, but the platform matters less than having a structure that is easy for everyone to understand.
I typically create two main areas: one internal folder for my team and one shared folder for the client, vendors, and outside collaborators. The internal folder is where we can work through rough ideas, drafts, budgets, and planning docs before anything gets shared externally.
A basic folder structure might look like this. The items in bold are the ones I usually keep as templates and then duplicate or modify for each new project.
- Project Folder
- Client Shared Documents
- Contracts
- MSA, SOW, MNDA, W-9, Quotes and Invoices
- Planning
- Workback, Timeline, budgeting, deliverables and responsibilities
- Tech/Project Requirements
- Creative/Tech Brief
- Development
- Assets and Content
- Software
- Creative Development tools (Miro or Figma) and notes
- Contracts
- Internal Documents
- Contracts (Internal versions and Templates)
- Notes and Planning Docs
- WIP Content and Software (not ready to show client)
- Client Shared Documents
Every project is different, but having the same base structure makes it easier to get moving. For larger projects, you may need more, but for most of my projects, this is enough to keep things clear without overcomplicating the process.
Contracts
The contract folder is where I keep the business side organized. For most projects, this includes the MSA, SOW, MNDA, W-9, invoices, quotes, and change orders.
I also recommend having a place for change orders or scope changes. Experiential projects shift all the time, so keeping a log of changes and a change order template helps streamline the process. Even if you do not use formal change orders every time, having a place to track changes helps protect the project, budget, and timeline.
Planning Documents
Once the folders are set up, I start laying out the planning documents. Some of these usually live in a single Google Sheet and/or Word Doc with different tabs for the workback, timeline, budget, time tracker, asset list, responsibilities matrix, production advance, site survey notes, and creative technical brief.
Workback / Timeline: The workback and timeline help everyone understand how the project gets from kickoff to install, launch, or delivery. These are especially useful when approvals, content deadlines, fabrication milestones, technical tests, or travel dates are involved.
Budget and Gear: The budget sheet is where I track labor, gear, rentals, travel, software, and other production costs. For gear, I track what needs to be bought or rented, what has been approved, what has been purchased, and how that cost relates back to the quote. For labor, I use a time-tracking sheet to see how the work aligns with the estimate.
Asset List: The asset list is also important, especially for interactive or immersive projects where there may be video files, brand guidelines, 3D models, audio, fonts, technical references, or hardware details coming from different people. It helps avoid the “who has the latest file?” problem.
Responsibilities Matrix: If there are a lot of people involved, I’ll add a responsibilities matrix. This can be as simple as listing the main tasks, who owns them, who reviews them, and who needs to be kept in the loop.
Creative / Tech Brief: One of the most useful planning docs for me is the creative technical brief. This is where I break down the goals, timeline, deliverables, technical needs, gear, assets, stakeholders, and any other details the team needs to know.
I like this because it explains the project in a way that is easier to share than a contract. A SOW is important, but it is not always the easiest thing to send to a developer, designer, fabricator, or content creator when they just need to understand what we are making. The brief can also evolve into the SOW once it has been reviewed.
It may also double as a running notes document, so you can track when changes happen or when new information is added, like load-in times, power constraints, venue details, or client notes.
Advance / On-Site Needs: For projects involving venues, festivals, installations, or live events, I’ll also add a production advance. This helps confirm real-world details before we arrive on-site, like venue contacts, load-in time, parking, freight elevator access, measurements, power, internet, safety rules, contact info, and who is responsible for what.
Development Folder
The development folder is where the production work starts to live. It is also where you may be more likely to share work with developers or content creators.
Assets: This is also where I keep assets and invite others to add assets, including videos, images, logos, style guides, fonts, audio, and any other content we need. Internally, we can also use it to keep older versions of software or content so we have a basic version history.
Software: I’ll move in any boilerplate software or previous starting points that can help us move faster. If I know a project needs motion tracking, a web app, a TouchDesigner system, or any another technical foundation, I’ll place it here. This will also become the home for the actual software being delivered.
Technical documentation: Technical documentation usually lives here too. That might include setup notes, software style guides, network diagrams, system logic, signal flow, hardware references, or install documentation. Starting this early helps because documentation can easily get pushed to the end.
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Additional Tools and Documents
There are a few other tools and documents I’ll add depending on the project. It can be a tough balance, though, to make sure you aren’t adding tools just for the sake of adding tools. Use whatever helps the project stay clear, move forward, and be familiar to people. I sometimes make sure a tool works for me first, then extend it to others and see if it’s something we want to adopt.
Running Notes: I often keep a running notes document or decisions log that grows out of the creative technical brief. This becomes a record of how the project evolved over time. Meeting notes, decisions, open questions, and client feedback can all live there. Having an AI meeting recorder/analyzer also helps keep this easy without making it a larger task.
Client Design Review Tools: Having a basis for how clients send notes or how you review the deliverables is essential, especially for projects larger than a TV screen. Frame.io is useful for video or content review. Miro is great for signal flow, system logic, floor plans, moodboarding, experience design, and technical diagrams. Figma is usually where I end up when working closely with designers or reviewing interface layouts.
Team Collaboration and Version Control: GitHub can also be useful for tracking versions and sharing the project with other developers. It is not always necessary if you have a small team, but it can be helpful to be familiar with it in case you need it later in the project or just want to track progress.
Non-Email Communication: Slack, Google Chat, or even Discord can also be helpful for quick communication outside of email. A shared channel is great for quick updates, check-ins, and sharing things that do not need to become a full email thread.
Task Tracking: This is one I’m throwing in just in case, since sometimes a larger project may need it and a Google Sheet may not cut it. Task-tracking software like ClickUp, or even Notion, is great for small teams. It’s not always needed for shorter projects, but for larger ones with longer timelines, it can be handy.
Wrap up
Creating kickoff documents is not the most exciting part of an experiential project, but it makes everything that follows much smoother. Once you have a basic template, every new project gets easier to start, refine, and hand off. It also gets easier to track a project’s progress in memory when you start to build habits and patterns.
For me, the biggest benefit is momentum: the client feels confident, the team gets oriented, and everyone can move into the creative and technical work with less friction. It’s also nice when the client can tell you’ve done this before, which makes it easier for everyone to enjoy the creative process.
