Stakeholder Analysis

Stakeholder Analysis Skill

Purpose

Identify and analyze project stakeholders to ensure proper engagement, communication, and management throughout the project lifecycle.

When to Use

• Project initiation and planning
• Requirements gathering preparation
• Change management planning
• Communication strategy development
• Risk assessment (stakeholder-related risks)

Stakeholder Identification

Sources of Stakeholders

• Project sponsors and executives
• Business owners and department heads
• End users (internal and external)
• IT and development teams
• External vendors and partners
• Regulatory bodies
• Customers and clients

Identification Techniques

1. Organizational chart review: Identify departments affected
2. Brainstorming with team: Who's impacted? Who has influence?
3. Document review: Previous projects, contracts
4. Interviews: Ask "Who else should I talk to?"
5. Process analysis: Who performs each step?

Power/Interest Grid

Matrix

High Power │ Keep Satisfied │ Manage Closely │
           │    (Latents)   │  (Key Players) │
           ├────────────────┼────────────────┤
Low Power  │    Monitor     │ Keep Informed  │
           │   (Apathetics) │  (Defenders)   │
           └────────────────┴────────────────┘
             Low Interest    High Interest

Quadrant Strategies

Manage Closely (High Power, High Interest):

• Regular 1:1 meetings
• Involve in key decisions
• Provide detailed updates
• Seek their input and approval
• Examples: Project Sponsor, Business Owner, CTO

Keep Satisfied (High Power, Low Interest):

• Periodic high-level updates
• Executive summaries
• Involve for major decisions only
• Don't overwhelm with details
• Examples: CFO, CEO, Board members

Keep Informed (Low Power, High Interest):

• Regular updates (email, newsletter)
• Involve in UAT and feedback
• Listen to their concerns
• Great sources of detailed requirements
• Examples: End users, Team leads

Monitor (Low Power, Low Interest):

• Minimal effort
• General communications only
• Keep aware of changes in interest/power
• Examples: External vendors not directly involved

RACI Matrix

Definition

• R - Responsible: Does the work
• A - Accountable: Approves/signs off (only ONE per task)
• C - Consulted: Provides input (two-way communication)
• I - Informed: Kept in the loop (one-way communication)

Template

Rules

• Every task has exactly ONE Accountable
• At least ONE Responsible per task
• Don't overload with C's (meeting fatigue)
• Validate with stakeholders

Stakeholder Register

Template

Engagement Levels

• Champion: Actively promotes project
• Supportive: Positive, helpful when asked
• Neutral: Neither supports nor opposes
• Resistant: Skeptical, may oppose
• Hostile: Actively working against project

Engagement Strategies

Champion → Champion: Leverage their support, involve in communications Supportive → Champion: Recognize contributions, give ownership Neutral → Supportive: Communicate benefits, address concerns Resistant → Neutral: Understand concerns, involve in decisions Hostile → Resistant: Meet 1:1, find common ground, escalate if needed

Communication Plan

Template

Communication Channels

• Formal: Email, presentations, reports
• Informal: Slack/Teams, quick calls
• Meetings: 1:1s, team meetings, workshops
• Documentation: Confluence, Notion, SharePoint

Stakeholder Engagement Tips

Building Relationships

1. Understand their goals and challenges
2. Speak their language (technical vs business)
3. Be responsive and reliable
4. Deliver on commitments
5. Acknowledge their contributions

Managing Resistance

1. Listen to understand (not to respond)
2. Ask probing questions
3. Find the root cause of resistance
4. Address concerns directly
5. Find win-win solutions
6. Escalate when necessary

Managing Expectations

1. Be clear about scope and timeline
2. Communicate risks early
3. Under-promise, over-deliver
4. Document decisions and agreements
5. Regular status updates

Domain-Specific Stakeholders

E-commerce

• Product Managers, Merchandising
• Marketing (promotions, campaigns)
• Customer Service
• Fulfillment/Warehouse
• Payment/Finance
• IT/Security

ERP

• Finance (CFO, Controller, Accountants)
• HR (CHRO, Payroll)
• Supply Chain (Procurement, Logistics)
• Manufacturing (Plant managers)
• IT (CIO, Enterprise Architects)
• Compliance/Audit

CRM

• Sales (VP Sales, Sales Managers, Reps)
• Marketing (CMO, Marketing Ops)
• Customer Service (Support Managers)
• IT (CRM Admin)
• Executive (CEO, Revenue leaders)

CDP

• Marketing (CMO, Campaign Managers)
• Data/Analytics (Chief Data Officer)
• IT/Engineering (Data Engineers)
• Privacy/Legal (DPO, Counsel)
• Customer Experience

Best Practices

✅ Do:

• Update stakeholder analysis regularly
• Adapt communication style to stakeholder
• Document stakeholder interactions
• Celebrate stakeholder contributions
• Be proactive with difficult stakeholders

❌ Don't:

• Assume stakeholder needs
• Ignore "difficult" stakeholders
• Over-communicate to everyone
• Forget to close the feedback loop
• Surprise stakeholders with bad news

Tools

• Lark/Notion: Stakeholder register database
• Figma/Miro: Power/Interest grid visualization
• Lark Meetings: Meeting notes and action items
• Email/Slack: Regular communications

Next Steps

After stakeholder analysis:

1. Create communication plan
2. Plan requirements elicitation schedule
3. Identify change management needs
4. Prepare for requirement workshops

References

• PMBOK Guide - Stakeholder Management
• BABOK Guide - Stakeholder Analysis
• Influence Without Authority (Cohen & Bradford)