You can find an introduction to Progress Check Meetings in Chapter 18 of Where the Action Is. These resources will help you plan, run, and troubleshoot the specific Progress Check Meetings your team needs.
Definition
A Progress Check Meeting is used to confirm progress on a project or initiative and to maintain project momentum.
Questions Answered
- Since our last progress meeting: What’s been done?
- What still needs doing? What’s changed?
- What do we need to focus on next?
Examples
- The Project Status Meeting
- The Client Check-In
- The Sprint Demo
Purpose
- Maintain project momentum.
- Ensure mutual accountability.
Work Outcomes
- Clarity about work progress.
- Information about circumstances impacting the planned work.
- Visibility into significant victories or setbacks.
- Decisions on how to address potential changes to the project plan.
- Documented decisions and action items.
Human Outcomes
- Reassurance about the project.
- Renewed project momentum.
Meeting Agenda Templates and Guides
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How to Run a Project Status Update MeetingElise Keith - This meeting agenda template follows a standard format common in organizations with a well-developed Project Management Office. Most commonly scheduled as a weekly or bi-monthly meeting, this format is best suited for those managing cross-functional teams on moderately complex projects or programs. |
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How to Run a Weekly Update MeetingElise Keith - Inspired by the written report format put together by the fine folks at Weekdone, this meeting agenda template adapts the PPP status report into a status meeting where people can discuss the information they share. Used by product teams, technology companies, and entrepreneurs alike, the Progress, Plans &... [ more ] |
Recommended Reading & Resources
Blog Posts
- "7 Ways to Write Better Action Items", Charlie Gilkey (2012).
Books
- Facilitating the Project Lifecycle: The Skills & Tools to Accelerate Progress for Project Managers, Facilitators, and Six Sigma Project Teams. Janet A. Means, Tammy Adams (2005).
- High Output Management. Andy Grove (1983).
- The Project Meeting Facilitator: Facilitation Skills to Make the Most of Project Meetings. Janet A. Means, Tammy Adams, Michael Spivey (2007).
Glossary of Meeting Terms
General Term
A meeting cadence is a pattern of regular team meetings. Short, frequent meetings increase a team's work momentum. Groups that provide oversight, such as boards and committees, hold longer meetings less frequently.
Technique
RAID stands for Risks, Assumptions, Issues, and Dependencies. Teams may conduct a RAID analysis as part of their project planning meeting, then produce a RAID board which they can review, update, and revisit during...
A weather report is a way to run meeting check-ins and check-outs developed by Diana Larsen for teams who meet on weekly basis.
During the check-in, each person gives their weather report for the previous week’s work...
Meeting Type
A status update is a regularly scheduled meeting, typically about a project, to exchange information. They can be held at various times during the project with different stakeholders.
