Many project managers use stakeholder management techniques to ensure the project’s success. So, in this article, we’ll discuss 11 stakeholder management techniques every project manager should know to increase the chances of their project success.
Table of Contents
What Is Project Stakeholder Management?
Project stakeholder management includes the processes required to identify, engage, manage, and monitor individuals, groups, or organizations who have an interest or influence in a project, as well as analyzing stakeholder expectations and their impact on the project and develop appropriate management strategies for engaging stakeholders in project decisions and execution. Stakeholders can be categorized into two areas, such as internal and external.
Internal stakeholders include the sponsor, resource manager, project management office, team members, project managers, program managers, and portfolio steering committee. External stakeholders include customers, suppliers, shareholders, competitors, and end users. Effective project stakeholder management ensures these groups’ needs and concerns are addressed and understood, aligning their interest with the project’s objectives for a smoother process and successful outcomes.
Read More: Why stakeholder management is important in project management
Why Important Stakeholder Management Techniques?
Stakeholder management techniques are essential to the success of any project, as they ensure that all parties with a vested interest are aligned, engaged, and supportive. The effective method of these techniques brings numerous advantages, including:
- Aligning goals and expectations,
- Reducing project risks,
- Building strong relationships and trust,
- Improving resource allocation and efficiency,
- Ensuring better communication,
- Increasing stakeholder satisfaction,
- Enhancing flexibility and adaptability,
- Facilitating conflict resolution, and
- Increase project success rate.
So, let’s discuss 11 stakeholder management techniques that can help project managers ensure the project’s success.
11 Stakeholder Management Techniques
Stakeholder Analysis
Stakeholder analysis is a technique that includes a list of stakeholders and relevant information such as positions in the organization, roles on the project, level of support for the project, and their “stakes”, expectations, and interest in information about the project. However, stakeholders’ stakes can include:
- Interest – A person, group, or organization can be affected by a decision related to the project or its outcomes
- Rights – This includes regal and moral rights. Legal rights, such as occupational health and safety. Moral rights may involve environmental sustainability or concepts of protection of historical sites
- Ownership – A person, group, or organization has a legal title to an asset or a property
- Knowledge – This means specialist knowledge, which can benefit the project through more effective delivery of project objectives or organizational outcomes
- Contributions – Provision of funds or other resources, including human resources, or providing support for the project in more intangible ways
Root Cause Analysis
Roots case analysis is a technique that helps project managers determine the basic underlying reason that causes a defect, risk, or variance. A root cause may underline more than one variance or risk. This technique may also be used to identify the root causes of problems and solve them effectively. However, when all root causes for a problem are removed, the problem does not occur.
In stakeholder management, root cause analysis identifies underlying reasons for the level of support of project stakeholders (primary and secondary stakeholders) to select suitable strategies to enhance their engagement.
Alternative Analysis
An alternative analysis is a technique that helps project managers evaluate identified options to choose the appropriate options or approaches to execute and perform the project work. Many activities have multiple options for accomplishment, including various levels of resource capability or skills, different sizes or types of machines, and different tools. However, this tool helps in providing the best solution to perform the project activities within the defined constraints.
In stakeholder management, alternative analysis can be used to evaluate options to respond to variance in the desired results of stakeholder engagement.
Assumption and Constraint Analysis
Assumption and constraints analysis is a technique that explores the validity of assumptions and constraints to determine which pose a risk to the project. Threats may be identified from instability, inconsistency, inaccuracy, and incompleteness of assumptions. Constraints may give rise to opportunities by removing or relaxing a limiting aspect that affects the execution of the project or phase.
In stakeholder management, an analysis of current assumptions and constraints may be conducted to tailor appropriate engagement strategies. Important💡 Every project and its project management plan are conceived and developed based on assumptions and within the project constraints.
Document Analysis
Document analysis is a technique that consists of reviewing and assessing any relevant documented information. Furthermore, project managers can use this technique to elicit requirements by analyzing existing documentation and identifying information relevant to the project’s requirements. Examples of documents:
- Agreements;
- Business plans;
- Issue logs;
- Policies and procedure;
- Request for proposals; and
- Use cases.
However, by assessing the available project document and lesson learned register from previous projects, project managers can identify stakeholders and other supporting information that help ensure the project’s success.
Brainstorming
Brainstorming is a technique that can be used to identify a list of ideas in a short period of time. Furthermore, this is conducted in a group environment and is led by a facilitator. Moreover, this technique comprises two parts:
- Idea generation and,
- Analysis
As a project manager, you can use brainstorming to gather data and solutions or ideas from stakeholders, subject matter experts, and team members when developing a project charter. In stakeholder management, you can use brainstorming to identify stakeholders which may include both brainwriting and brainstorming.
Pro Tip💡 Brainwriting is a structured alternative to brainstorming, where participants can write down their ideas individually rather than sharing them aloud. Furthermore, this technique gives everyone an equal opportunity to contribute without the influence of other voices.
Questionnaires and Surveys
Surveys and questionnaires are written sets of questions. These techniques are designed to quickly accumulate information from many respondents. Furthermore, these are the most suitable for varied audiences, when a quick turnaround is needed, when respondents are geographically dispersed, and when statistical analysis could be appropriate. Moreover, surveys and questionnaires can include:
- Focus group sessions
- One-on-one review
- Mass information collection techniques
Mind Mapping
In stakeholder management, the mind mapping technique is used to visually organize project information about stakeholders and their relationship to each other and the organization.
Stakeholder Engagement Assessment Matrix
The stakeholder engagement assessment matrix is a technique that supports comparing the current engagement level and the desired engagement level of stakeholders required for successful project delivery. As a project manager, you can classify the engagement level of stakeholders as follows:
- Unaware – Unaware of your project and potential impacts
- Resistant – Aware of the project and potential impacts. However, it can be resistant to any changes that may occur as a result of the project outcome
- Neutral – Aware of the project, however neither supportive nor unsupportive
- Supportive – Aware of the project and potential impacts and supportive of the outcomes
- Leading – Aware of the project and potential impacts and actively engaged which help project managers to ensure that the project is a success
Feedback
As a stakeholder management technique, feedback is information about reactions to communication, a situation, or a deliverable. Furthermore, this technique supports interactive communication between the project manager, team, and other stakeholders. Furthermore, it helps project managers to ensure that the information to stakeholders is received and understood. Example include:
- Mentoring
- Negotiating
- Coaching
Presentation
As a stakeholder management technique, presentation is a formal delivery of information or documentation. However, presentation is a communication skill that provides clear and effective information to stakeholders, such as
- Project background information to support decision-making;
- Progress reports and information updates to project stakeholders;
- General information about the project and its objectives, and
- Specific project information aimed at enhancing understanding of the project objectives and work, etc.
Conclusion
Effective stakeholder management techniques can align project goals with stakeholder expectations, mitigate risks, and secure risks. Stakeholder management techniques, stakeholder analysis, root cause analysis, alternative analysis, assumption and constraint analysis, document analysis, brainstorming, questionnaires and surveys, mind mapping, stakeholder engagement assessment matrix, feedback, and presentation are the essentials techniques every project manager should know to increase the success of the project.
