Project Stakeholder Management

Editing in process - Sasha Mantel

Abstract

According to the Project Management Institute (PMI), project stakeholder management is defined as "the processes required to identify the people, groups or organizations that could impact or be impacted by a decision, action or outcome of the project, and to analyze stakeholder interests, relationships and potential impact on project success." This article goes trough the different aspects of this definition, and then identifies why effective project stakeholder management is critical to the success of a project as it helps to build support, ensure alignment with stakeholders, and manage potential risks and challenges.

Moreover project stakeholder management can be more challenging in the context of a public project, as public procurements for instance. In fact they often involve a wider range of stakeholders with diverse and conflicting interests. These stakeholders may include government agencies, local residents, businesses, environmental organizations, and community groups, among others. Stakeholders may have different opinions about the project goals and outcomes, and also concerns about the impact of the project on their community or environment. Additionally, the public nature of the project may attract greater scrutiny and media attention, increasing the pressure on the project team to manage stakeholder expectations and mitigate any negative impacts. It is given here proposals of lines of conduct in the management of actors on a public project.

I. Definition

- History on project stakeholder management

- Definition and importance

II. Understanding Stakeholders

- The different types of stakeholders (specifically in the context of a public project)

- How to identify key stakeholders

- Assessing stakeholder interests and expectations

III. Stakeholder Management Plan

- Setting stakeholder management goals and objectives

- Developing communication and engagement strategies

- Prioritizing stakeholders

V. Effectiveness of project stakeholder management

- Measuring stakeholder satisfaction

- Building support

- Ensuring alignment with stakeholders

- Managing potential risks and challenges

VI. Project Stakeholder management in the context of a public project

- Complex stakeholder landscape: implication of a wide range of stakeholders, each with their own interests, needs, and concerns

- Political sensitivity (Large sums of public money, impact on local communities)

- Public scrutiny : intense public scrutiny that can lead to increases stakeholder expectations and heightened concerns

- Conflicting interests

- Time and resources constraints: Public procurement projects often operate under tight time constraints, which can make it difficult to allocate sufficient time and resources to stakeholder management + impact the ability of the project team to effectively manage stakeholders

- Regulation and bureaucratic processes: increases the difficulty to respond to stakeholder concerns and feedback on time

Resources

Vogwell, D. (2003). Stakeholder management. Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2003—EMEA, The Hague, South Holland, The Netherlands. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute.

Project Management – 2nd Edition Chapter 5 : Stakeholder Management. Adrienne Watt; Merrie Barron; Andrew Barron; Erin Palmer; and Jose Solera