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1.   Introduction

As part of process 13.2 Plan Stakeholder Management, one of the tools involved is Analytical Techniques.    Actually, stakeholders have already been analyzed on a macro level in the previous process, 13.1 Identify Stakeholders.   In that process, which is in the Initiating Process Group, stakeholders are identified and analyzed as having low or high power or influence on the project, and low or high interest in the project.    The intersection of these two categories gives four quadrants of possibilities, each with its own general method for engaging the stakeholders, as seen in the following diagram.

This process takes the analysis from the macro to the micro level, and for each stakeholder, the current engagement level is determined (by interviewing the stakeholders), the desired engagement level is determined by the project management team, and then actions are identified that will bring the current level in line with the desired level.

2.   Analytical Techniques

One of the ways to analyze the current engagement level is along a scale as listed below:

a.   Unaware–of project and potential impacts

b.   Resistant–aware of project and potential impacts and resistant to change

c.   Neutral–aware of project, yet neither supportive nor resistant

d.  Supportive–aware of project and potential impacts and supportive to change

e.  Leading–aware of project and potential impacts and actively engaged in ensuring the project a success.

For the list of stakeholders in the stakeholder register, a Stakeholders Engagement Assessment Matrix is created where a C is put in one of the five columns Unaware, Resistant, Neutral, Supportive, and Leading for the current engagement level of that stakeholder.    Based on a realistic appraisal obtained through expert judgment and meetings (other techniques of the process 13.2 Plan Stakeholder Management), a D is put at the desired level.

Then actions and communications required to close the gaps between the C or current engagement level and the D or desired engagement level are identified, again using expert judgment and meetings.

The Stakeholders Engagement Assessment Matrix is then used to update the Stakeholder Register.

The next post talks about the main output of this process, the Stakeholder Management Plan, and what elements it consists of.

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