What this template is for
Starting a new project means juggling strategic decisions and administrative setup at the same time. The temptation is to knock out quick tasks first -- set up a Slack channel, request access permissions -- because they feel productive. But those tasks rarely move the project forward.
This template gives you eight common kickoff tasks with varying importance, effort, and deadlines. It demonstrates how Klara's algorithm separates the work that defines your project from the busywork that surrounds it.
Example tasks
| Task | Importance | Effort | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Define success metrics and KPIs | 5 | Days | End of week 1 |
| Create project timeline | 5 | Hours | End of week 1 |
| Set up Slack channel | 2 | Minutes | Day 1 |
| Schedule kickoff meeting | 4 | Minutes | Day 2 |
| Draft stakeholder communication plan | 4 | Hours | End of week 1 |
| Set up project repository | 3 | Hours | Day 3 |
| Assign team roles and responsibilities | 5 | Hours | End of week 1 |
| Order equipment and access permissions | 2 | Hours | Day 3 |
How Klara handles these tasks
The interesting tension here is between urgent-but-trivial and important-but-buffered tasks. "Set up Slack channel" has a day-1 deadline and takes only minutes. That tight deadline pushes urgency up, but importance is only 2. A trivial task with a close deadline still cannot outrank a strategic task with high importance.
"Define success metrics and KPIs" has importance 5 and requires days of work. Even though its deadline is further out, the combination of high importance and substantial effort gives it the edge. It claims the single "Do now" slot.
This is the system working as intended. The Slack channel can wait -- anyone can create it in two minutes. Defining success metrics requires deep thought and shapes every decision that follows. Klara surfaces that distinction automatically.
The three importance-5 tasks ("Define success metrics," "Create project timeline," "Assign team roles") all compete for attention through the first week. As you complete each one, the next highest-ranked task rises into "Do now." The administrative tasks -- Slack channel, equipment orders -- settle into "Maybe" or "Skip it" and surface only after the strategic work is done.
"Schedule kickoff meeting" (importance 4, Minutes effort, day-2 deadline) sits in an interesting middle ground. Its tight deadline and moderate importance place it in "Later," close enough to "Do now" that completing one strategic task could promote it. This reflects reality: the meeting matters, but defining what you will discuss in that meeting matters more.
Tips for customizing
- Adjust deadlines to match your actual project timeline. If your kickoff is two weeks out, spread the deadlines accordingly and watch the algorithm redistribute tasks across the longer horizon.
- Add domain-specific tasks like "Set up CI/CD pipeline" or "Create design system" at importance 3-4. They will slot naturally between the strategic and administrative layers.
- If you are coordinating with a team, use Klara's collaboration features to assign tasks to specific members. Each person sees their own "Do now" based on their assigned workload.