What is stakeholder analysis?

Definition of Stakeholder Analysis

To undertake a stakeholder analysis, you must examine all of the persons or groups who will impact the product’s success or those who will be affected by it. Usually, this evaluation takes place before starting a new program or project.

Depending on how they interact with the product or project or whether they fall into upstream or downstream categories, you may carry out different forms of stakeholder analysis on each one of them. Project managers or product managers may conduct stakeholder analysis depending on the circumstances.

What Is The Purpose Of Stakeholder Analysis?

The stakeholder analysis process is strategic and may be applied to a wide range of situations. Firstly, you can use it to solicit the assistance of important figures. These individuals may offer valuable information or insight, or they may have access to beneficial resources. Prioritizing these critical stakeholders early in the project’s lifetime increases the chances of winning their support, and conducting research ahead of time makes identifying who these stakeholders are simple.

Conducting stakeholder analysis and identifying essential stakeholders who can move the project forward can help successfully coordinate each party’s participation to collaborate toward the project’s strategic objectives. It becomes easier to keep up with the growth of both planning and scheduling this way. Practical analysis should also predict any concerns, conflicts, controversies, or other problems before the project is fully implemented.

It can be fatal for a project if a key stakeholder, such as an investor, loses sight of the strategic value of a product once it has reached a particular stage of development. A competent stakeholder analysis can identify the various influencers’ roles, the repercussions of their actions, and any potential vulnerabilities. Furthermore, you might supply such an analysis to a significant stakeholder in early-stage planning and services to alleviate future problems.

A stakeholder analysis template, commonly referred to as a power interest grid, can assist you in four ways:

●      Obtaining critical input: Key stakeholders can provide helpful information to keep your project on track and thriving.

●      Obtaining additional resources: If your stakeholder has a good understanding of what gets your project started, they may also assist in securing the people, tools, and help you require.

●      Creating a sense of trust: You may generate trust with stakeholders by regularly engaging and involving them in your process. This will make them more likely to support future projects.

●      Making preparations in advance: Consistent input from critical stakeholders allows you to anticipate feedback and requirements for future initiatives, obtaining buy-in faster.

Tools Used For Stakeholder Analysis

Before assessing and managing project stakeholders, keep in mind that a competent project management tool may assist managers in selecting project stakeholders. Leaders may discover stakeholders and engage with them about a project before it starts by learning which team members have the capacity and abilities for a particular task. Here are three project management software options that will assist project managers in better analyzing and implementing projects, as well as understanding how those initiatives will impact stakeholders and the business:

• Jira: Jira is a project management tool for agile development teams. It helps teams plan, track, and release software. It’s a popular tool for agile teams explicitly designed with the agile methodology. Users can generate reports to help improve teams, establish their workflows, write stories, plan sprints, monitor issues, and ship up-to-date software. It connects with various tools as part of Atlassian, allowing teams to manage their projects and products from start to finish.
• Wrike: Wrike is a work management tool that allows teams to plan and track projects, collaborate in real-time, and generate reporting. Gantt charts, Kanban boards, customizable dashboards, and custom request forms are Wrike’s 100 percent scalable features. With time monitoring, budget management, and project portfolio analysis, you can have 360-degree visibility.
• Asana: From daily activities to larger projects, Asana assists teams in orchestrating their work. Teams are more confident, move faster, and accomplish more with less when they use Asana, regardless of where they are based.