Why a great Kick Off matters
In simple terms, smart businesses showcase their best during trials—like test-driving a fully equipped car or staging a house with premium decor.
Show the best of you and your team during the trial. Since Designity invests $15-20k per trial, we must demonstrate maximum value, not minimal effort.
We’re all responsible for wasted investment when clients or trials are lost for avoidable reasons. That investment could instead make a significant impact in others' lives through compensation, bonuses, and rewards.
Reminder: Each creative should dedicate around 10 hours per week per client. For a Plus plan, that’s 30 hours weekly, including the CD. Clients need to feel this commitment, or they’ll lose confidence and cancel. Rushing projects or skipping quality control is unacceptable—it’s not in line with Designity or the top 3% creative community we’re building.
Score Calculation
For each performance pillar, we ask several questions during feedback reviews. You can score up to 10 points for each question. We then calculate the average score for that pillar and multiply it by 10, giving a maximum score of 100 for that pillar in that specific review. All the feedback scores are then averaged to give you the Total Pillar Score, which you see in your portal.
Types of reviews where Client Satisfaction & Kickoff are rated:
Quality Assurance (QA) checks
Client Reviews
The weight of this score is x2.
Sources for this score
QA Checks Questions & Points for Kick-off Follow Up Looms
Timeline Presented?
(+2 points) Screenshared timeline in timeline view
(+2 points) Mentioned tasks for the past week
(+2 points) Overviewed deliverables for the past week
(+2 points) Mentioned deadlines for the past week
BONUS
(+1 point) Mentioned total duration and end date of the project
(+1 point) Provided a general update of the project: are we ahead, on track, delayed with the project?
(+1 point) Presented timeline in client view
Next Steps & Expectations Setting
(+2 points) Presented the tasks for the upcoming week, ensuring the audience understands the team’s focus and objectives
(+2 points) Mentioned the deliverables and milestones expected in the upcoming week
(+2 points) Clarified any hiccups in the creative process and updated the timeline, setting clear expectations for delivery
(+2 points) Explained the client's role for the week, including the need for feedback, copy, or images, or meeting
BONUS
(+1 point) Requested the submission of new projects
(+1 point) Offered options and insights to ensure the smoothest possible process and accelerate timelines
Loom Duration
(+4 points) Aligned the length of the Loom video with the duration expectations specified for each client plan:
Essentials can be shorter than 2 minutes long
Plus should be within range (2-5 minutes long)
Premium can exceed the range
(+4 points) Edited the Loom to be brief and concise, eliminating unnecessary silences and fillers
BONUS
(+2 points) Balanced the time spent discussing the timeline and deliverables, ensuring adequate attention was given to each, as both are equally important
Loom Sentiment
(+2 points) Engaged, maintaining focus on the recording
(+1 point) Ensured the camera was on
(+1 point) The video window was well-positioned, without obstructing important information such as the creatives roles while presenting the timeline
(+2 points) Maintained a positive attitude and solution-oriented approach, even when addressing hiccups in the creative process
(+2 points) No background noise, ensuring clear sound quality
BONUS
(+1 point) Used a nice background for their video window
(+1 point) Extended a warm, nice greeting to the client and/or addressed specific names
QA Checks Questions & Points on Timelines
Does the initially submitted and current scope align?
(+4 points) All the steps in the timeline are the same as in the project brief
(+2 points) The project brief is updated (if applicable)
(+2 points) Note explaining any updates made to the brief (if applicable)
BONUS (pick two)
(+1 point) Fixed formatting and weird words
(+1 point) Removed bottom section of the template if it's not needed
(+1 point) Extra info was added / updated, comments added to tag the client
How clearly does the timeline outline the project?
(+1 point) phases are clearly outlined
(+1 point) Making sure the “final files” task is renamed and explained and the time is adjusted
(+2 points) All tasks are adjusted to less than 3 days. If a CD thinks a task will take longer than 3 days, then the task is broken down into smaller tasks
(+2 points) Detailed the task or phase name, i.e. concept ideation (3-4) clearly if things are modified, or kept the original name without typos
(+1 point) tasks aren't stacked needlessly
(+1 point) tasks statuses are updated
BONUS (pick two)
(+1 point) Client feedback task under the client line (without extending timeline)
(+1 point) CD QA task under the CD line (without extending timeline)
(+1 point) Added emojis to help communicate the timeline tasks
(+1 point) Adding client tasks in the client section that could potentially derail the project. For example, refer to these specific examples, watch this video, provide headshots, etc.
Are all Creatives assigned across projects with minimal downtime?
(+3 points) All creatives on the plan are utilized
(+2 points) All creatives are properly tagged by level
(+1 point) All creatives are properly tagged by name
(+2 points) No unexplained gaps on timeline
BONUS (pick two)
(+1 point) CD’s name is tagged properly to know if they are acting as a creatives
(+1 point) If there is a gap for the creative on a project, they are allocated in another project
Are projects scheduled out clearly for the next two weeks?
(2 points) If no timeline or 1 day
(2 points) Some tasks planned out for the next 2-3 days for all creatives
(4 points) Tasks planned for 1 week for all creatives
BONUS (pick two)
(1 point) Tasks planned for the next two weeks
(1 point) There is a backburner project
(2 Points) Timeline is planned for the next month for all creatives (with or without backburner project)
Was the timeline submitted within 8h of the kickoff?
10 points = 1-2 biz hours after kickoff
8 points = within 5-8 biz hours after kickoff
6 points = within 10 biz hours
4 points = within 12 biz hours
2 points = within 14 biz hours
Client Review Questions
If design strategy was something clients were seeking, were they being provided with that?
Rate the relationship with your Creative Director.
How clients rate the speed of their Creative Director's responsiveness?
How clients rate the clarity of the timelines provided to them?
How was the CD's introduction on Kickoff call?
How effectively did the CD demonstrate adaptability and flexibility in adjusting the project strategy as needed?
How CD was prepared for the Kickoff Call?
Designity Courses
Additional Resources
Kickoff Calls Refresher loom for CDs by Joseph - 05/2024
Kick-Off Success Workshop Findings by Joseph - 07/2023
Preparing for a Kick-Off Call miro board
Have a Great Project Launch by Joseph - 07/2023
Example call with Tricoci by Matt - 04/2024
Kick-off follow-up timeline Loom for MacWhisperer by Molly - 04/2024