Comments on: What Are Stakeholders? http://pmstudent.com/project-management-stakeholder/ Helping new and aspiring project managers reach their career goals! Tue, 16 Mar 2010 23:14:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/ hourly 1 By: Josh Nankivel http://pmstudent.com/project-management-stakeholder/#comment-11346 Josh Nankivel Tue, 21 Jul 2009 12:07:33 +0000 http://pmstudent.com/?p=3121#comment-11346 Yes, doing your stakeholder identification and analysis in a systematic way is very important. When you don't do this, it's easy to forget someone. Something as simple as forgetting to invite someone to a meeting can be disastrous in terms of garnering support from your stakeholders. Yes, doing your stakeholder identification and analysis in a systematic way is very important.

When you don’t do this, it’s easy to forget someone. Something as simple as forgetting to invite someone to a meeting can be disastrous in terms of garnering support from your stakeholders.

]]> By: Ron Rosenhead http://pmstudent.com/project-management-stakeholder/#comment-11341 Ron Rosenhead Tue, 21 Jul 2009 05:52:37 +0000 http://pmstudent.com/?p=3121#comment-11341 Josh, on our training courses we introduce participants to a simple process for identifying and managing stakeholders. The interesting aspect is that many (most) say they do this ...in their heads i.e. they identify who is a stakeholder but do not do this in any systematic way. When we look at the problems they face around 60% are stakeholder issues. Ron Rosenhead www.ronrosenhead.co.uk Josh, on our training courses we introduce participants to a simple process for identifying and managing stakeholders. The interesting aspect is that many (most) say they do this …in their heads i.e. they identify who is a stakeholder but do not do this in any systematic way.

When we look at the problems they face around 60% are stakeholder issues.

Ron Rosenhead
http://www.ronrosenhead.co.uk

]]> By: Josh Nankivel http://pmstudent.com/project-management-stakeholder/#comment-11199 Josh Nankivel Wed, 15 Jul 2009 03:21:51 +0000 http://pmstudent.com/?p=3121#comment-11199 Thank you for the great comments Bill! These are really great points you are making. I especially like the distinction about some stakeholders being irrelevant at times. Let me add that in addition to that, some stakeholders really only care about a specific portion of the project, not the project as a whole or even the end product. Thanks again! Thank you for the great comments Bill! These are really great points you are making. I especially like the distinction about some stakeholders being irrelevant at times. Let me add that in addition to that, some stakeholders really only care about a specific portion of the project, not the project as a whole or even the end product.

Thanks again!

]]> By: Bill Duncan http://pmstudent.com/project-management-stakeholder/#comment-11198 Bill Duncan Wed, 15 Jul 2009 01:33:20 +0000 http://pmstudent.com/?p=3121#comment-11198 Glad to see you included the project team (and yourself!) as stakeholders. Some thoughts: -- The GAPPS standard uses the term "relevant stakeholders" in many places. This suggests that some stakeholders may be irrelevant at times. The 12-year old in your example is not relevant when discussing what activities are needed, but is relevant when you start considering how much overtime is needed. -- I've adopted Alan Stretton's concept of "beneficial stakeholders" and "adversarial stakeholders." I think his terms are more descriptive than "positive" and "negative," but even beginners need to know that there are folks out there who may not want you to succeed. In terms of deciding "how far to go," I define stakeholders as those who can help or harm your project. How far to go then becomes something of a project risk management exercise when you consider how much good or how much harm an individual stakeholder or group of stakeholders can do. Glad to see you included the project team (and yourself!) as stakeholders. Some thoughts:
– The GAPPS standard uses the term “relevant stakeholders” in many places. This suggests that some stakeholders may be irrelevant at times. The 12-year old in your example is not relevant when discussing what activities are needed, but is relevant when you start considering how much overtime is needed.
– I’ve adopted Alan Stretton’s concept of “beneficial stakeholders” and “adversarial stakeholders.” I think his terms are more descriptive than “positive” and “negative,” but even beginners need to know that there are folks out there who may not want you to succeed.

In terms of deciding “how far to go,” I define stakeholders as those who can help or harm your project. How far to go then becomes something of a project risk management exercise when you consider how much good or how much harm an individual stakeholder or group of stakeholders can do.

]]>