What is a stakeholder register?

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:

Introduction
Why create a stakeholder register?
Who to include in the stakeholder register?
How to prepare a stakeholder register?
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.

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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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.
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The most important questions

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.
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.