Project design and implementation is a complex process requiring the Project Manager to handle many aspects of the project. One of these concerns is the identification and management of stakeholders, i.e., people who work on the success of the project as well as others who may get affected by it. Such a list is the stakeholder register and today, we’ll define it and show a few handy tips to draft a good one.

What is a stakeholder register? – table of contents:

  1. Introduction
  2. Why create a stakeholder register?
  3. Who to include in the stakeholder register?
  4. How to prepare a stakeholder register?
  5. Summary

Introduction

Nowadays, more and more projects are being implemented in an international environment. This makes not only the number of stakeholders increase, but also their group becomes more diverse. Therefore, for a project to be successful, the Project Manager must identify the needs of individual and group stakeholders, and learn how to manage them according to their requirements.

Why create a stakeholder register?

The stakeholder register has several important purposes. First, it allows you to identify all project stakeholders who can influence the project’s course and results. Second, it enables you to determine the degree of involvement and influence of each stakeholder on the project. Third, its data can help you to develop a stakeholder management strategy that will effectively address their needs and interests.

Who to include in the stakeholder register?

The stakeholder register should include information about any person, group or organization that may affect the project in any way. These include:

  • Project team members,
  • Management of the organization,
  • The local community, if the project is implemented in or affects public space,
  • Investors,
  • Customers,
  • Suppliers,
  • Business partners,
  • Representatives of the local government, if it is necessary to involve them or obtain permits for activities,
  • Representatives of NGOs that can use the results developed in the project for the benefit of the community,
  • Unrelated employees may get affected by the project, due to for instance workplace reorganization.
stakeholder register

How to prepare a stakeholder register?

The Project Manager should first and foremost identify project stakeholders and collect data focusing mainly on them:

  • needs,
  • expectations,
  • business,
  • level of commitment to the project, and
  • impact on the project.

The Project Manager should then evaluate and classify the stakeholders taking into account their role in the project. For example, the project team will be more important than employees who are not directly involved in the tasks. It is also worth noting the potential risks and opportunities that accompany their involvement in the project.

After collecting and evaluating the data, the Project Manager moves on to a critical step: devising a stakeholder register document. It should contain up-to-date information about each individual or group stakeholder. It needs constant updating on an ongoing basis as the project progresses and the situation changes.

The final step is to develop a stakeholder management strategy. The Project Manager should determine the following:

  • How and how often will it communicate with stakeholders?
  • What actions will he take to meet their needs?
  • How will it minimize risks and take advantage of opportunities?

Summary

The stakeholder register is an indispensable project management tool. It allows the Project Manager to recognize project stakeholders, assess their influence and importance, and at the same time meet their needs and expectations. Preparation of the stakeholder register should remain a key priority during the project’s first steps following the project charter to avoid problems at later stages of the project.

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What is a stakeholder register? | #40 Getting started with project management caroline becker avatar 1background

Author: Caroline Becker

As a Project Manager, Caroline is an expert in finding new methods to design the best workflows and optimize processes. Her organizational skills and ability to work under time pressure make her the best person to turn complicated projects into reality.

The most important questions

  1. What methods to employ to effectively communicate with stakeholders and ensure that their needs and expectations are fully understood?

    To effectively communicate with stakeholders, take on a variety of communication methods, such as face-to-face meetings, phone calls, emails, surveys, reports and press releases. Consider regular social media postings, so that communication becomes simpler and its effectiveness is easily analyzed. Listen carefully to stakeholders, open up to their opinions and suggestions, as well as provide them with regular and reliable information on the company's activities and plans.

  2. What measures should the organization take if there is a conflict with stakeholders?

    During the implementation of large projects involving diverse stakeholder groups, conflict situations occur. To resolve a conflict with stakeholders, an organization should first focus on determining the cause of the conflict, understanding the needs and expectations of the stakeholders, and developing a compromise that satisfies both sides. It is also worth considering engaging a mediator or communications specialist to help negotiate and resolve the conflict.

Getting started with project management:

  1. What is a project?
  2. What is project management?
  3. How to manage projects?
  4. Project management methods
  5. Types of projects
  6. 4 examples of projects
  7. Prioritization of projects
  8. Areas of project activity
  9. Definition of success in project management
  10. Why use project management software?
  11. How to choose the best project management software?
  12. Overview of project management software
  13. Project life cycle
  14. What is the project vision for?
  15. Project goal. What is it and how to define it well?
  16. Project initiation phase - what to pay attention to?
  17. The domain of planning in project management
  18. What is a project schedule and what is it for?
  19. How to use milestones in a project?
  20. Project execution
  21. How to prepare a successful project contingency plan?
  22. Importance of project closure
  23. Project failure. 5 reasons why projects fail
  24. 4Ps of management: project, product, program and portfolio
  25. Most important tasks and responsibilities of the Project Manager
  26. Most useful project manager skills
  27. How to become a project manager?
  28. 5 books every project manager should read
  29. How to set up a project team?
  30. Work breakdown structure - how to delegate work in a project?
  31. How to lead a team during hybrid work?
  32. Challenges project managers face when working with a team
  33. Types of project meetings
  34. Project monitoring. What parameters to watch?
  35. How to write a compelling
  36. How to define the scope of a project and avoid scope creep?
  37. Feasibility study – can we implement this project?
  38. Risk analysis in projects and tools to facilitate it
  39. How to create a project charter?
  40. What is a stakeholder register?
  41. Gantt chart in project management planning
  42. How to create a project budget?
  43. Time management in project
  44. How to create a project risk register?
  45. Project risk management strategies
  46. Project marketing
  47. Sources and areas of change in the project
  48. Project management change models
  49. What's after Agile? Methods in project management