Stakeholder Analysis

01 What is a stakeholder analysis?

02 Why is a stakeholder analysis helpful?

03 What is the process of a stakeholder analysis?

04 How to identify and classify the stakeholders?

05 How to map the stakeholders?

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01
What is a stakeholder
analysis?

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What is a stakeholder analysis and who are
stakeholders?

Stakeholder Analysis in project management is a methodology used to identify the needs of those who have a ‘stake’
or an interest in the project’s success. The main objective is to ensure successful outcomes for the project or the
changes to come, but not to satisfy every need of all the stakeholders.

Stakeholders are the people or organizations who can be positively or negatively affected by change or action within
the project. They can also be the ones having a positive or negative impact.

Internal stakeholders are all participants who are directly involved in the project. This can be top-management,
workers’ council, employees in the project/in the company, controlling, quality control, project lead, internal
consultants, …

External stakeholders are all participants, groups, institutions who are not in the close environment of the project.
Misjudgment of these stakeholders can have significant consequences on the project’s success. External stakeholders
can be external customers, policy, state, legislation, associations, residents, population, media, press, …

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02
Why is a stakeholder
analysis helpful?

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Why is a stakeholder analysis important for the
success of a project?

A project is always characterized by different people with different influences:

Expectations

Imaginations Project Values

Qualifications

You should know what influences the project‘s stakeholders to understand their actions
and to evaluate their impact on the project‘s success!
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03
What is the process of
a stakeholder analysis?

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Overview of the process of a stakeholder analysis

1 Identify stakeholders

Individuals/characters

Formal groups

Informal groups

Environment

2 Classify stakeholders Generate information

Influence Workshops

Authority Interviews

Attitude/perception …

Potential for conflict

Wishes/hopes/criticism
Attitude

Distribution of power/conflict area

Influence

3 Create stakeholder-maps 4 PM-Cycle (ongoing)

New-identification

New-classification

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04
How to identify and
classify the
stakeholders?

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Identification of stakeholders
Overview

1 Identify stakeholders

Individuals/characters

Formal groups

Informal groups

Environment

•Identify the important key roles in the project.

1

•Analyze formal groups. This might be departments, committees or other organizational units – persons in charge are e.g.
2 department leaders.

•Identify informal groups. This might be residents or informal lobby organizations. Identify the opinion leaders as persons in
3 charge.

•Analyze the wider environment. This might be authority or legislation.

4

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Identification of stakeholders
Helpful guiding questions

Helpful guiding questions might be:

- What is the aim of the project and who can draw positive or negative conclusions?
- Who is involved professionally? Who is involved leading? Who is involved strategically or consultantly?
- Who is interested in the success/failure of the project?
- Who can create good/bad atmosphere?

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Classification of stakeholders

Influence and authority (towards the project/during Of organizational nature (disciplinary/professionally)

the project)
Of legal nature (procuration/governmental)

Personnel (Human Resources/Head of department)

Potential for conflict (interim goal/project goal/social Where can conflicts turn up?
nature)
What may conflicts influence negatively?

Description of the conflict‘s source

Overall attitude (positively/negatively/neutrally)

In general Roles of the stakeholder

Description of the function/action in the project

Financial power

Are there strengths/weaknesses which might be

taken an advantage from?
Expectations (to others/during the project/…)

Hopes and wishes (regarding the project/during the

project/towards the project)

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05
How to map the
stakeholders?

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Stakeholder mapping

Supporters Opponents

High influence

Participatory D Restrictive

C
Low influence

B
Discursive Repressive

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Stakeholder mapping

Supporters

Participatory:
High influence

A
- High influence and positive attitude
- Actively involved in the project, the project structure,
Participatory decisions and discussions

Discursive:
Low influence

B - Low influence and positive attitude

- Opinions of these stakeholders will be taken into account
Discursive
- Not as actively involved as participatory stakeholders
because of missing influence
- Activities might be invitations for interaction or participation
in surveys

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Stakeholder mapping

Opponents

Restrictive/Repressive:

High influence
- All those stakeholders who stay opponents of the project
despite all attempts to convince them of the project‘s
benefits D Restrictive
- Get informed e.g. about status reports, newsletter or project
reports

Note: Only, if all other attempts failed!

Low influence
Repressive

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The information contained herein is for informational purposes only and is subject to change without notice. © DÖHLER