Stakeholder and communication management
Identifying and analysing stakeholders
A stakeholder is anyone with an interest in, or influence over, the project. Begin with a stakeholder register recording name, role, interest, influence, attitude and engagement needs. Analysis often uses a power/interest grid: high power and high interest means manage closely; high power and low interest means keep satisfied; low power and high interest means keep informed; low power and low interest means monitor.
Engagement and communication
Engagement is two-way and aims to change or maintain stakeholder attitude; communication is the transfer of information. A communication plan defines audience, message, method, timing, frequency, sender and feedback mechanism. Different stakeholders need different channels: a regulator may need formal reports, while the team may need daily stand-ups.
Traps
Exam traps include treating communication as one-way broadcasting, over-communicating to low-interest/high-power stakeholders, ignoring operational staff who inherit the output, and assuming the sponsor is the only senior stakeholder. Another trap is confusing the stakeholder register (who they are) with the communication plan (how you will engage them).
Worked example
For a payroll system: the finance director (high power, high interest) is managed closely with monthly board reports; the regulator (high power, low interest) is kept satisfied with formal compliance updates; payroll clerks (low power, high interest) are kept informed through weekly demos and a feedback channel. Rule of thumb: start each communication-plan entry by stating the decision or action you want from that audience.