Stakeholder Management

Question 1

What is Stakeholder Engagement?

Answer 1

The systematic identification, analysis, planning and implementation of actions designed to influence stakeholders

Question 2

What should be included in a Stakeholder Engagement plan?

Answer 2

• Stakeholder list
• Role in organisation
• Areas of interest
• Influence
• Involvement
• Engagement approach

Question 3

How do you develop a stakeholder management plan / communication plan for the AVIC project?

Answer 3

1) Gathered a list of stakeholders by talking to the project sponsor / landlord
2) Developed a matrix of stakeholders to determine what their role was in or connected with the project
3) Developed the matrix to determine each stakeholders’ power/influence on project
4) Defined the communication channels available, i.e. group email/newsletter, project meetings, standalone engagement meetings.
5) Developed a communications strategy using the stakeholder matrix and determining the best form of communication for each stakeholder
6) Implemented the strategy, kept a project meeting schedule to maintain focus
7) Stakeholder plan was updated whenever a new stakeholder was identified

Question 4

How were the stakeholders identified on the AVIC project?

Answer 4

1) Gathered a list of stakeholders by talking to the project sponsor / landlord
2) Held a series of meetings to complete information on each stakeholder - role in organisation, interaction with project, likely level of involvement, any specifics to be aware of.
3) Issued the completed list for comment and approval.
4) Developed a stakeholder management and communications strategy - separated groups of stakeholders into workstreams
5) Iterative process - identified new stakeholders as part of the stakeholder management process.

Question 5

What is the Iceberg Model?

Answer 5

• The idea that not all stakeholders are immediately identifiable - the iceberg is biggest below the surface
• There are many consequences of bad stakeholder management that are not immediately obvious and should be unearthed
• Stakeholders may be driven by behaviours or pressures not immediately obvious

Question 6

Why is stakeholder management so important?

Answer 6

1) Communication can be focused where it is needed most, generating efficiencies and value.
2) Stakeholders provide valuable input to a range of processes including risk identification, requirements definition and schedule management.
3) Some stakeholders have the power/influence to derail or stop a project if not identified/engaged.
4) Stakeholder objectives, interests, constraints and expectations are constantly evolving

Question 7

Give some examples of external stakeholders?

Answer 7

• planning authority
• building control
• utilities companies
• community groups
• environmental bodies
• specialist interest groups
• insurance and warranty providers

Question 8

What is a stakeholder?

Answer 8

Any group or individual who can affect or is affected by the achievement of the project objectives

Question 9

What are some key principles of stakeholder engagment?

Answer 9

1) Communicate - ensure the intended message is understood and the desired response achieved
2) Consult early and often - identify the relevant stakeholders and understand their objectives, success criteria, constraints, key concerns
3) Plan - stakeholder engagement should be planned and resourced very carefully and deliberately
4) Build relationships - relationship strength is closely related to the level of trust between parties
5) Risk management - stakeholders impact/action should be monitored carefully for risk of rejection or support of the project (power vs interest)
6) Compromise - to find a compromise between opposing stakeholders, an appreciation of who the stakeholders are and their relative importance (power vs interest)
7) Understand success - identify and distinguish stakeholders’ success criteria

Question 10

What tools can be used for stakeholder engagment?

Answer 10

1) Mandelow’s power-interest matrix:
- High power/high interest: Key players
- High, low: Keep satisfied
- Low, high: Keep informed
- Low, low: Minimum effort

2) CASE 6 step approach
- Identify success criteria
- Identify and assess stakeholders
- Identify and plan tools/process to influence
- Continual review