Identify Stakeholders

What is Identify Stakeholders?

Identify Stakeholders is the process of determining all individuals, groups, or organizations that may affect or be affected by a project. This process occurs early in project initiation and is vital for understanding who has interest, influence, or involvement in the project’s outcome. By identifying stakeholders, project teams can assess expectations, anticipate concerns, and plan effective communication strategies. It sets the foundation for stakeholder engagement and helps prevent misunderstandings or resistance later in the project lifecycle.

Key Points

• This process happens at the beginning of the project, and the team may repeat it as new stakeholders emerge or circumstances change.
• Stakeholders can include both internal parties (such as project team members or company executives) and external ones (such as clients, regulators, or the general public).
• Accurate identification enables project managers to analyze the power, interests, and impacts of stakeholders on the project.
• Tools such as stakeholder registers, power/interest grids, and stakeholder analysis matrices are commonly used.
• Early and accurate identification supports tailored communication and engagement strategies.

Related Terms

• The stakeholder register is a key document developed during this process to record identified stakeholders and their roles.
• A power/interest grid helps categorize stakeholders based on their level of influence and concern regarding the project.
• Stakeholder analysis is a technique used to assess the needs, expectations, and potential influence of stakeholders.
• Plan Stakeholder Engagement builds upon the identification process to define how the team will engage with and communicate with stakeholders.
• A communication plan relies on stakeholder identification to tailor messages appropriately to each audience.

Identify Stakeholders: Example

A municipal government launches a project to upgrade public transit infrastructure. In the early planning phase, the project team identifies key stakeholders, including city council members, transit riders, construction contractors, local businesses, and environmental groups. The team assesses each stakeholder’s level of interest and influence. For example, city councillors have high power and high interest, while daily transit users have high interest but lower decision-making power. This identification enables the team to develop effective communication strategies that keep stakeholders informed and engaged throughout the project.

Identify Stakeholders: Best Practices

• Begin stakeholder identification as early as possible in the project and update regularly.
• Use structured tools, such as stakeholder maps and analysis grids, to gain a more comprehensive understanding of stakeholder positions.
• Involve team members from different departments to ensure the team overlooks no important stakeholder.
• Consider cultural, social, and political factors when identifying and assessing stakeholders.
• Maintain transparency and keep lines of communication open to build trust with stakeholders from the outset.

Additional Resources

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