How to start a project effectively

How many "lessons learned" discover that the reasons for failure (harsh but probably true!) include aspects relating to stakeholder engagement and misunderstood requirements.

Whether your following a traditional lifecycle or claiming to be "Agile", it is vital to get these two aspects nailed as early as possible.

Consider using a Stakeholder Power/Interest Map to help the team understand the stakeholder relationships, and review it at every opportunity, whether that's a progress meeting or a sprint retrospective.

With requirements, keep challenging and asking the questions to remove any ambiguity or mis-understanding.