ORIGIN Onboarding Tests
Act 06, How we protect the work Section 02 of 07

The kickoff is where we say the things that are uncomfortable to say later. A Team Lead should never be afraid to raise any of them, and you should know why each is said.

7Points we state plainly
Up to 2Rounds of changes usually included
1Person named to approve on the client's side
Hear the conversation
Three people in conversation by an office window, from the ORIGIN real estate company profile
Part 1

What we say, and why

The kickoff is the first meeting of the engagement, held with the client. On ORIGIN's side, the Growth Team and the OS Team are together, including the Team Lead. It is friendly, and it is direct.

These are the points we state plainly. The first is the scope, our word for what the client agreed to buy.

The seven points

We talk aboutWhat we sayWhy we say it now
Scope"This is what is included. This is what is not."A request outside the scope later is a change, not a favour
Changes"Up to two rounds of changes are usually included. Your proposal and contract give the exact number."So a third round is understood as extra work, quoted separately
Approvals"Who approves on your side, and how quickly can we expect an answer?"One named approver prevents five opinions
Delays"If feedback comes late, the timeline moves by the same amount."The client owns their part of the schedule
Acceptance"This is how a deliverable is confirmed as accepted."Accepted work is what allows the next step and the invoice
Payment"These are the payment dates. Who receives our invoices?"An invoice sent to the wrong person is a late payment
How we work"Approvals come by email. WhatsApp is for conversation. Meetings are recorded."Decisions are never lost in a chat
In practice

Your part, when a client asks you for something outside the scope: thank the client, and bring it to your Team Lead. It is a change, not a favour, and we never say "that was not in scope".

A client writes to you on WhatsApp: "looks perfect, go ahead". What do you need before it counts as an approval?

That way, decisions are never lost in a chat.

Remember

Approvals come by email. WhatsApp is for conversation.

Part 2

What makes it work

Say it warmly, and say it onceClients respect a partner who is clear.
Write it downThe kickoff notes go to the client the same day, by email.
Do not soften a point to be likedA promise made to keep someone happy is a problem postponed.
In practice

However flexible a client sounds, stay warm, and still walk through each point. The flexible client of week one is often the surprised client of month three.

At the kickoff a client says, "we are flexible on all that, let us just start". What does the Team Lead do?

Warmly, and once.

Remember

Say the hard things at the kickoff, kindly and clearly. Later, they cost more.

Your part

Before you move on

Three questions before you move on. Type your answer, send it, then check it.

Your answers stay on this device.

1Who is at the kickoff on ORIGIN's side?

The answerThe Growth Team and the OS Team, including the Team Lead.

2A client's feedback comes late. What happens to the timeline?

The answerIt moves by the same amount. The client owns their part of the schedule.

3A client asks you for something outside the scope. What do you do?

The answerThank the client, and bring it to your Team Lead. It is a change, not a favour.

Answer all three and this section is yours.
ORIGIN

Kindly, clearly, at the start.

Never afraid to raise a hard point: that is what fearless looks like. Next: the clauses that protect the engagement.

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