Whether learners are being assigned to you project from experience administrators, or have successfully applied to your project, your next step will be to start the project and begin engaging with the learners.
Here are the best ways you can prepare for the start of a project.
Refresh the details
Re-read the project description in full. Make sure you fully remember the problem, goals, and deliverables of the project you are asking learners to complete.
Re-read the experience details. Refresh yourself on the level of the learners, the skills they have, any applicable timelines, and any learning outcomes that should be achieved.
Schedule a kickoff meeting
Once the learners are ready to start the project, you will be notified. Your next step should be to schedule a meeting between yourself and the learners. During this meeting:
Everyone should introduce themselves.
Introduce the scope of the project and the expected deliverables.
Review the tools and technology the learners will need access to, and make sure to set them up with the appropriate logins, software, and access.
Answer any questions the learners might have.
Confirm any milestone and final submission due dates.
Establish any recurring meetings if necessary or set a date for a future check-in meeting.
Designate primary contacts. It's best for the learners to have a main and a backup contact.
Remember that first impressions mean a lot and the kickoff call is your chance to really get things started on the right foot.
Learners may be knew to project based work or project management in general, so remember:
Be professional, friendly, and inviting.
Help them take the lead on any work and further management of the project.
After your kickoff meeting, learners should have everything they need to begin work on the project, so have them get to it!