Chapter 13: Managing Project Stakeholders

brain writing

A data-gathering technique that's similar to brainstorming, but provides brainstorming meeting participants with the questions and topics for brainstorming before the stakeholder identification meeting.

interactive communications

A type of communication in which stakeholder participants actively communicating with one another. Examples of interactive communications are meetings, forums, videoconferences, phone calls, and ad hoc conversations.

key stakeholder

Stakeholders who have the authority to make decisions regarding the project, such as managers, the project manager, program manager, and customers.

leading stakeholder status

Part of stakeholder analysis classification. A leading stakeholder is aware of your project, wants your project to be successful, and is working to make certain the project is a success.

negative stakeholder status

Part of stakeholder analysis classification. A negative stakeholder does not want the project to exist and is opposed to the project.

neutral stakeholder status

Part of stakeholder analysis classification. A neutral stakeholder is aware of your project and is not concerned about whether the project succeeds or fails.

positive stakeholder status

Part of stakeholder analysis classification. This stakeholder sees the benefits of the project and is in favor of the change the project is to bring about.

profile analysis meeting

An analysis meeting to examine and document the roles in the project. The role's interests, concerns, influence, project knowledge, and attitude are documented.

pull communications

A type of communication that depends on stakeholders pulling information from a central repository. Stakeholders retrieve information from a central source as needed.

push communications

A type of communication that happens when a sender pushes the same message to multiple receivers. Good examples of push communications are broadcast text messages, faxes, press releases, and group e-mails.

reporting system

A software program to store and analyze project data for reporting. A common reporting system will enable the project manager to pass data through earned value management, for example, and then create forecasting reports about the project costs and schedule.

resistant stakeholder status

Part of stakeholder analysis classification. A resistant stakeholder is aware of your project, but doesn't support the changes your project will create.

stakeholder

Anyone who is affected by the existence of the project or who can affect the project's existence. Stakeholders can enter and exit the project as conditions change within the project.

stakeholder analysis

An activity that ranks stakeholders based on their influence, interests, and expectations of the project. Stakeholders are identified and ranked, and then their needs and expectations are documented and addressed.

stakeholder classification models

Charts and diagrams that help the project man ager determine the influence of stakeholders in relation to their interest in the project. Common classification models include the power/interest grid, the power/influence grid, the influence/impact grid, and the salience model.

stakeholder engagement

Through communication, management skills, and inter- personal skills, the project manager works to keep the project stakeholders interested, involved, and supportive of the project.

stakeholder engagement plan

A plan that documents a strategy for managing the engagement of project stakeholders. The stakeholder engagement plan establishes stakeholder engagement and defines how the project manager can increase and improve stakeholder engagement.

stakeholder engagement planning

The project manager works with the project team and subject matter experts to create a strategy for managing the project stakeholders.

stakeholder identification

A project initiation activity to identify, document, and classify the project stakeholders as early as possible in the project.

stakeholder management

The project management knowledge area that focuses on the management and engagement of the project stakeholders. There are four processes in this knowledge area: identify stakeholders, plan stakeholder management, manage stakeholder engagement, and monitor stakeholder engagement.

stakeholder register

A documentation of each stakeholder's contact information, position, concerns, interests, and attitude toward the project. The project manager updates the register as new stakeholders are identified and when stakeholders leave the project.

supportive stakeholder status

This is part of stakeholder analysis classification. A supportive stakeholder is aware of the project and is supportive and hopeful that the project will be successful.

unaware stakeholder status

Part of stakeholder analysis classification. An unaware status means the stakeholder doesn't know about the project and the effect the project may create on the stakeholder.