13.1 Identify Stakeholders

Process Definition

 In order to manage Stakeholders first you need to identify who they are, what needs they have and how to communicate with them. This is all part of the Identify Stakeholder process.  During this process each stakeholder is assessed for their role, expertise, potential contribution, interdependence and or influence with the project.  Meetings and expert judgement are used with the information to develop the Stakeholder Register which is a key component of managing stake holders involvement.  

Process Assessment

Without an quality analysis and identification of the stakeholders significant members of the team may be left out of communications, decisions or planning processes.  It is important that this takes place during the Initiating Process in order to ensure maximize participation and identify key project assets such as subject matter experts, financial supporters, working groups, teams and communication lines of authority.   Figure 3 identifies the Inputs, Tools & Techniques and Outputs to identifying stakeholders. 

Figure 3. Identify Stakeholders: Inputs, Tools & Techniques, and Outputs . Reprinted from "A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide), 5th Edition" by Project Management Institute, 2013, p.66. Copyright 2013 by Project Management Institute, Inc. Reprinted without permission.

 Artifacts

Inputs

The project charter lays the ground work for the stakeholder identification process.  It provide the why and who of the project and the identifies key members of the project team as resources to the project.  The project charter attached is from my PMGT611 class developing  IT solution project at a University.  See 13.1.1

Tools & Techniques

The two tools and techniques I wish to address are the Stakeholder analysis and meetings. 

The stakeholder analysis gathers stakeholder information, relevance, roles, and process it into the types of information and how often information each stakeholder needs it.  It evaluated the level of engagement and the communications processes preferred by each. See 13.1.2

Meetings are critical to the initiating process.  Gather information, brain storming, coordinating, establishing time schedules and developing points of contract for future communications are all done more effectively in meetings.  The kick off meeting can be the most crucial as it acts as a spring board for the rest of the project.  Included is a Blog I created which outlines my understanding of the importance of meetings. See 13.1.3

 Output

From all of this we develop the stakeholder register, a chart of document that compiles the information into a resource to be used to develop the Stakeholder Management Plan.