- \n
- What Is Stakeholder Management in Project Management?<\/a>\n
- \n
- Types of Stakeholders<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
- Why Is Stakeholder Management Important?<\/a><\/li>\n
- How to Create a Stakeholder Management Plan<\/a>\n
- \n
- 1. Identify stakeholders<\/a><\/li>\n
- 2. Build a database of your stakeholders<\/a><\/li>\n
- 3. Categorize and prioritize your stakeholders<\/a><\/li>\n
- 4. Develop a stakeholder communication plan<\/a><\/li>\n
- 5. Assign resources to your plan<\/a><\/li>\n
- 6. Share your plan with stakeholders<\/a><\/li>\n
- 7. Monitor and adapt your plan<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
- Stakeholder Management Plan Tips<\/a>\n
- \n
- 1. Make your plan more user-friendly<\/a><\/li>\n
- 2. Plan for the unexpected<\/a><\/li>\n
- 3. Be open and transparent<\/a><\/li>\n
- 4. Be available to your stakeholders<\/a><\/li>\n
- 5. Use tools to make stakeholder management easier<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
What Is Stakeholder Management in Project Management?<\/h2>\n
\n![\"Stakeholder](\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/ClickUp-Whiteboards-for-Assigning-Users-and-Tasks.gif\")
Use ClickUp Whiteboards to assign tasks, tag stakeholders as assignees, and anything needed to kick off your next collaboration<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n Stakeholders are the people you work with (or for) during a project. They\u2019re the people who are integral to the project\u2019s success and those who should be kept updated on the project\u2019s progress all the way through. <\/p>\n
Stakeholder management is the art and process of building and sustaining a good relationship with these people throughout the project so you can achieve the best project outcome. \ud83c\udfc6<\/p>\n
Project stakeholder management isn\u2019t just about making a list of everyone who\u2019s connected to your project, though. It\u2019s a process that involves categorizing and prioritizing your stakeholders, as well as tailoring the way you communicate with each stakeholder.<\/p>\n
The purpose is to create an experience that\u2019s smooth, efficient, and effective for project stakeholders.<\/p>\n
Types of Stakeholders<\/h3>\n
What is a stakeholder in project management? When we think of key stakeholders, we often think of the main client and any other beneficiaries\u2014but in reality, your list of project stakeholders<\/a> extends far beyond this.<\/p>\n
A stakeholder is anyone who\u2019s directly or indirectly impacted by your project and anyone who has a keen interest in it succeeding\u2014such as an investor or government agency. This means you can have internal and external stakeholders in your project management plan.<\/p>\n
Stakeholders are often influential, have a sense of decision-making power or a financial stake in the project, and fit a unique role within the project team\u2014like the lead client or an essential partner. \ud83e\udd1d<\/p>\n
The most common types of project stakeholders include:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Clients<\/li>\n
- Consultants<\/li>\n
- Government agencies<\/li>\n
- Project sponsors<\/li>\n
- Investors<\/li>\n
- Elected representatives<\/li>\n
- Board members and executives<\/li>\n
- Land or resource owners<\/li>\n
- Vendors and suppliers (check out these vendor list templates<\/a>)<\/li>\n
- Contractors and subcontractors<\/li>\n
- Project team members<\/li>\n
- End users<\/li>\n
- Members of the community<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
This list isn\u2019t exhaustive. You might find that in your project there are internal stakeholders who occupy other roles or have unique responsibilities. At the start of a project, take time to identify stakeholders from every angle, being careful not to miss anyone.<\/p>\n
Why Is Stakeholder Management Important?<\/h2>\n
Projects often have a lot of internal and external stakeholders, and keeping track of everyone and everything going on with the project itself quickly becomes a challenge without a good way to manage it all. <\/p>\n
Stakeholder management is essential, allowing you to get organized, prioritize your stakeholders, and give your project the best chance of success. Effective stakeholder management helps you:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Identify key stakeholders and make prioritizations<\/li>\n
- Build strong and trusting relationships for effective stakeholder engagement<\/li>\n
- Tailor your approach to match each stakeholder\u2019s needs<\/li>\n
- Handle roadblocks with the least potential impact<\/li>\n
- Communicate effectively with every party throughout the project<\/li>\n
- Keep stakeholders engaged over the project lifecycle<\/li>\n
- Make project execution<\/a> easier for all stakeholders involved<\/li>\n
- Work better together to achieve your strategic objectives and project deliverables<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
For the reasons above and more, managing your stakeholders effectively is crucial to the successful outcome of a project. Without having a stakeholder management process in place, it\u2019s almost impossible to keep the right people updated, at the right time, about the right details. <\/p>\n
The best way to make this happen is with a strategic stakeholder management plan. \ud83d\udcc4<\/p>\n
How to Create a Stakeholder Management Plan<\/h2>\n
A good stakeholder management strategy plan gives you the framework you need to manage your stakeholders in the most effective way. Here\u2019s a seven-step process for how to build your own strategy plan so you can work more closely with stakeholders and keep them engaged with what you\u2019re working on.<\/p>\n
1. Identify stakeholders<\/h3>\n
Before you can engage your stakeholders, you first need to know who they are. The first step in any successful plan is identifying your external or internal stakeholders. \ud83d\udd75\ufe0f<\/p>\n
Think about your project scope<\/a> and project objectives, and make a note of anyone who comes to mind as a potential stakeholder. Project managers should also include any entry on the list above, plus other members of the public, professional people or bodies, or partners that are involved in the overall project success metrics.<\/p>\n
At the stakeholder identification stage, your list doesn\u2019t have to be super detailed. As you move through the process you\u2019ll categorize and prioritize your stakeholders. Right now the goal is simply to make an initial list.<\/p>\n
2. Build a database of your stakeholders<\/h3>\n
\n![\"Stakeholder](\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/ClickUp-Stakeholder-List-Template-1400x674.png\")
Track internal and external stakeholders on a ClickUp List<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n Once you have a list of project stakeholders, you can start forming a more detailed picture of who they are and what their roles and responsibilities are. Now is the ideal time to start building a stakeholder list or stakeholder register, so you can use it to communicate with and engage them later on.<\/p>\n
Gather details about your stakeholders, including what company or organization they work for, their title, their role within the project, how to contact them, and any essential notes\u2014like an existing relationship or any known issues. \ud83d\udcdd<\/p>\n
Use the Stakeholder List Template by ClickUp<\/a> to organize your stakeholder information in a simple, visual way. The template helps you easily differentiate between internal stakeholders and external stakeholders, or customize the labels to create your own categories. See a stakeholder\u2019s name, role, communication channels, and contact details at a glance.<\/p>\n
This template is incredibly helpful not only for organizing your data but for your team members when they need to quickly identify or get in touch with project managers or project leads.<\/p>\n
Download This Template<\/a><\/div>\n3. Categorize and prioritize your stakeholders<\/h3>\n
\n![\"ClickUp](\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/ClickUp-Stakeholder-Analysis-Matrix-Template-1400x933.png\")
Use the Stakeholder Analysis Template by ClickUp to keep track of all your stakeholders<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n While we should create the best experience possible for every stakeholder, not all stakeholders are created equal. Different stakeholder groups require slightly different management and communication styles, so identifying who is essential.<\/p>\n
Use a stakeholder mapping process to identify your most important stakeholders. The Stakeholder Analysis Template by ClickUp<\/a> helps you do this collaboratively with a user-friendly power\/interest grid.<\/p>\n
Place all your stakeholders on the matrix template<\/a> grid according to where they fit in terms of their level of power (or level of influence) and level of interest. This stakeholder analysis<\/a> strategy will allow you to understand which groups you need to pay close attention to and which can simply be kept informed of progress. \ud83d\udc40<\/p>\n
For high-power and high-interest stakeholders (like project sponsors<\/a> and clients), manage them closely and keep them satisfied and informed throughout. But stakeholder analysis can also help you find the low-interest and low-power stakeholders (like community groups or members of the public). <\/p>\n
These folks may require a reduced level of engagement and can be kept informed occasionally and monitored lightly.<\/p>\n
Download This Template<\/a><\/div>\n4. Develop a stakeholder communication plan<\/h3>\n
With your stakeholders prioritized, you next need a plan for how you\u2019re going to communicate and engage with them throughout the process. It\u2019s time to create a strategic stakeholder communication plan.<\/p>\n
Consider every stakeholder within your project, and plan a personalized plan of outreach for each. Your stakeholder communication and engagement plan should cover:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Your project communication or stakeholder engagement goals<\/li>\n
- Communication methods or channels<\/li>\n
- Communication frequency<\/li>\n
- Style and tone<\/li>\n
- Resources required to execute your communication plan<\/li>\n
- Responsible team member(s) for each stage of your communication plan<\/li>\n
- Potential messages or communication deliverables at various stages of your plan<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
![\"Threaded](\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/image17.gif\")
Communicate with your team directly in a task, share other tasks, and upload files with threaded comments in ClickUp!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n In your communication action plan, you might specify that for your client you\u2019ll provide weekly communications through Slack<\/a> or email or through regular project meetings. For community members, you might send a monthly or quarterly project update via email. \ud83d\udce7<\/p>\n
Building a tailored plan for every stakeholder group might sound overwhelming at first, but putting in the time and effort at the start makes it easier to stay accountable and consistent throughout the entire project lifecycle.<\/p>\n
5. Assign resources to your plan<\/h3>\n
\n![\"ClickUp](\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/ClickUp-resource-allocation-template.png\")
Use ClickUp\u2019s Resource Allocation<\/a> Template to keep track of the organization\u2019s materials, team members, and more for every project<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n Having a plan is great, but you also need the right resources to allow you to actually deliver it. Consider what resources you need, then allocate them to your project plan<\/a> and team members accordingly.<\/p>\n
Some elements of your stakeholder communication plan will require more resources than others, but you\u2019ll always need a team member\u2019s time and energy to make it happen. Other potential resources include a budget for communication and design tools, printed materials, press events, promotional photography, and more. \ud83d\udcf7<\/p>\n
If you already use ClickUp or you\u2019re considering making a move, there are plenty of templates to help you with resource management. Use the Resource Allocation Template by ClickUp<\/a> to organize resource requests and get a clear overview of any agreed and assigned resources.<\/p>\n
Download This Template<\/a><\/div>\n6. Share your plan with stakeholders<\/h3>\n
Once you\u2019re happy with your engagement plan and you\u2019re sure it\u2019s realistic, it\u2019s time to share it with your stakeholders. This might not sound like an obvious step, but it\u2019s one that can help hugely with managing stakeholder expectations.<\/p>\n
Share your communication plan<\/a> for better stakeholder engagement to help them understand the process, your timeline of communications, and what they can expect to see. Think of your plan as a roadmap for how project managers stay in touch with each other during the project. <\/p>\n
\n![\"Product](\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/ClickUp-Product-Roadmap.png\")
Visualize and manage your product roadmap in ClickUp Timeline View<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n If both parties are aware of the plan, you can manage expectations while also feeling motivated to stay accountable and on track.<\/p>\n
By sharing your plan and stakeholder mapping docs, you\u2019re also making it easier to build a relationship with them. Engaging stakeholders can be tough\u2014especially if they\u2019re busy\u2014so being open and transparent with them from the start can build trust and create a stronger bond that makes working together easier. \ud83e\udd29<\/p>\n
7. Monitor and adapt your plan<\/h3>\n
Even the best stakeholder plans can change, and yours should change sometimes if you\u2019re doing stakeholder management right. As you move through the project lifecycle, new challenges and opportunities can appear\u2014so it makes perfect sense to change your plan to match.<\/p>\n
Work on managing stakeholders and your relationships with them throughout the project. Check in regularly to make sure your plan is effective. You might discover that your planned updates happen too frequently and it\u2019s causing stakeholders to disengage.<\/p>\n
You might find that the communication channels you chose just aren\u2019t resonating with your stakeholder management plan. Monitor proactively, so you can make adjustments for the better. \u2692\ufe0f<\/p>\n
Stakeholder Management Plan Tips<\/h2>\n
Knowing you need a plan and understanding the best way to make it happen are two different things. Find ways to make a successful stakeholder management plan even more effective and successful with these five useful tips.<\/p>\n
1. Make your plan more user-friendly<\/h3>\n
Your stakeholder management plan is not only an internal document to guide you, but one that you\u2019ll share with the whole project team and maybe your stakeholders, too. This means it needs to be easy to understand, with clear and concise language.<\/p>\n
Avoid getting too technical with the wording you use, and use diagrams, timelines, tables, and relevant imagery to break up text and provide helpful visuals, making the experience more user-friendly. \u2728<\/p>\n
2. Plan for the unexpected<\/h3>\n
We can\u2019t plan for every eventuality, but we can anticipate some of the more likely problems. Make sure your plan features a risk management element that considers potential roadblocks and complications\u2014along with ideas for how you\u2019ll deal with them. \u2692\ufe0f<\/p>\n
You might plan to release updates on a specific schedule, but project delays and roadblocks mean these can get delayed. Consider moments where this might happen, and build in some padding in your schedule so you\u2019re not always one step behind if you encounter a problem.<\/p>\n
3. Be open and transparent<\/h3>\n
Transparency builds trust, and that\u2019s something you want your stakeholders to have in you with abundance. Be open and transparent throughout the entire project so you have buy-in from your key project stakeholders and they trust you to do your best work.<\/p>\n
Be honest about deadlines, timelines, and milestones so you can manage expectations. Admit when you\u2019ve made a mistake, and apologize for any impact this may have had on others. Hold yourself and others accountable, and run your project with transparency<\/a> and trust in mind for a truly successful stakeholder management plan. \ud83e\udd1d<\/p>\n
4. Be available to your stakeholders<\/h3>\n
While you don\u2019t need to be available to your stakeholders every minute of the day, they should feel like they have a good relationship with you and can get in touch if they have any questions. Set expectations early around who will be available to discuss the project and when so you can keep lines of communication open and appropriate. \ud83d\udcde<\/p>\n
Assign a team member to be the go-to person for each of your key stakeholders\u2014or someone for each group of stakeholders if you\u2019re running a large-scale project. Provide stakeholders with contact details for the responsible team member, and let them know the best way to stay in touch between official updates. <\/p>\n
Building communication reassures them, and it gives you another way to keep them engaged through an effective stakeholder management plan.<\/p>\n
5. Use tools to make stakeholder management easier<\/a><\/h3>\n
\n![\"ClickUp](\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/timeline-view-1400x928.png\")
The Timeline View in ClickUp gives a bird\u2019s-eye-view of your resources and tasks<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n Managing your stakeholders and the rest of your project process without the right tools can be a challenge. Luckily, we\u2019ve built the best project management software<\/a> out there\u2014ClickUp.<\/p>\n
ClickUp is the ideal hub for all your project management<\/a> needs. Organize people, resources, budgets, and tasks. Create and monitor project management charts<\/a>, timelines, to-do lists, and dependencies. <\/p>\n
- Work better together to achieve your strategic objectives and project deliverables<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- 2. Plan for the unexpected<\/a><\/li>\n
- 2. Build a database of your stakeholders<\/a><\/li>\n
- Why Is Stakeholder Management Important?<\/a><\/li>\n
- Types of Stakeholders<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n