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Meetings & Communicationnoun · /ˈkɪkɔːf/

kickoff

In simple English

In tech companies, a kickoff is a dedicated meeting held at the beginning of a major project, sprint, or product release. During a kickoff, stakeholders, engineers, designers, and project managers align on objectives, deliverables, deadlines, and individual roles. This term comes from American football where the game begins with a kickoff play. In the workplace, it signals the formal commencement of work and ensures everyone understands what needs to be accomplished. Kickoffs can vary in scale from a small team meeting for a two-week sprint to a large all-hands event for a major product launch. They are considered essential because they prevent misalignment and set clear expectations from day one.

What is a kickoff meeting and why is it important in software projects?

At a glanceCEFR B2
Commonness5/5
Versatility4/5
FormalityCasualFormalNeutral
Spoken ↔ WrittenSpokenWrittenBoth
Directness ↔ DiplomaticDirectDiplomaticDirect
RegionUS and UK
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Say it like this

✓Let us kick off the meeting by reviewing the timeline
✓The project kickoff is scheduled for next week
✓We need a solid kickoff to get everyone aligned

Real examples

in a team meeting

"The project kickoff is tomorrow at 9 AM, so please review the requirements document before then."

in an email

"Thanks for confirming attendance at the v2.0 feature kickoff. We will cover the technical architecture and timeline."

in a standup

"The backend team had their sprint kickoff yesterday and committed to finishing the API endpoints by Friday."

Don't say this

Handle with care. Do not use as a verb in formal settings; use 'launch' or 'initiate' instead. Kickoff is primarily a noun meaning the initial meeting or start of a project.

✕We will kickoff the development phase tomorrow.
✓We will hold the kickoff for the development phase tomorrow.— Kickoff is primarily a noun. While it can be verbed casually, using 'hold the kickoff' or 'have a kickoff' is clearer and more professional.
✕After the kickoff, we kicked off the project.
✓The kickoff launched the project.— Using 'kickoff' twice is redundant. Use 'start' or 'launch' for the action that follows the meeting.
✕The kickoff will be very casual with no agenda.
✓The kickoff will cover all the major milestones and deliverables.— Kickoffs are formal, structured meetings with clear objectives, not casual gatherings.

Other forms

noun

kickoff

"The project kickoff is scheduled for Monday morning."

noun

kickoff meeting

"Attend the kickoff meeting to understand the project scope."

adjective

kickoff

"This is the kickoff event for our new product line."

Often used with

project kickoffThe formal meeting that starts a project; most common usage
sprint kickoffMeeting at the beginning of a two-week or monthly sprint cycle
product kickoffLaunch event for a new product or major feature release
kickoff meetingThe formal gathering held to start an initiative
attend the kickoffTo participate in the kickoff meeting
schedule a kickoffTo arrange the kickoff meeting

Similar words

launch meetingVery similar but less commonly used in tech; launch emphasizes the public release aspect
opening meetingMore formal alternative; less common in tech industry
initiation meetingMore formal; used in enterprise or large organizations
start-up meetingOlder term; kickoff is now preferred in modern tech usage

Opposites

wrap-upclosureconclusion

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Practice

Try it

4 quick exercises

Pick the most natural phrasing

1. Your manager wants to start a new feature project. Which sentence sounds most natural?

Complete the sentence

2. Everyone should review the requirements before the _______ so we can discuss the timeline effectively.

Spot the mistake

3. Which sentence uses 'kickoff' incorrectly?

Rewrite naturally

4. Rewrite using kickoff: 'We need to have an initial meeting where we explain the project goals and deadlines to everyone.'

Questions

Quick poll

Have you said "kickoff" in a standup this week?

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