Saturday, February 4, 2012

Management of Project Stakeholders I/II

The following graph you can download HERE




A (cooperation)
These project stakeholders are very often members of the middle or top management. They are the most important stakeholders in the project. An active maintenance of relationship is required. Whenever possible this relation should be even deepened. Since these stakeholders time is limited the information you provide should be accurate according to the position and function. The invested effort for understanding personality and needs of these executives and to provide a brief and concise information should be high. On the other hand ensure that you are not too active in providing information. By sending these stakeholders every project report and putting them cc: on every mail you will risk that the loose track a bid and even worse loose interest.

B (satisfy) 
As the ones from group B these project stakeholders are are very often members of the middle or top management as well. They are almost as important as the group B stakeholders. Even though the seem not to be interested they might feel not having enough information. As a result the might complain and influence your project or other project stakeholders negatively at a certain point in time. Satisfying them will maybe not make them support your project more actively, but not satisfying these project stakeholders, they might disturb or slowdown your project eventually. You should invest a lot of effort in understanding them better and build up or improve the relation with them. Whenever possible you should try to move them to group A. Your activity in providing information should be limited. Being too active would be counterproductively. The information should be short and very accurate.

C (regular information) 
These project stakeholders are important because they will help you to market the project. Since you can use the common project information such as status reports, project presentation, even put them cc: on mails the additional effort will be limited. To these project stakeholders you should provide provide information in an active way.

D (no specific activity) 
Since these project stakeholders importance for the project is limited just furnish them with the key project information for instance with the kick off presentation, key project results, final project report.