Stakeholders are individuals and/or organizations that have a vested interest in the success of the project. The identification and engagement with the project Stakeholders early in the project will help to define and clarify the scope and will ultimately lead to the success of the project.
To ensure project success, the project management team needs to identify the project Stakeholders early in the project, determine their needs and expectations, and then manage and influence those expectations over the course of the project.
Here are a few thoughts:
- Identify Stakeholders by name
- Stakeholders can be either internal or external to the organization
- Determine the individual Stakeholder needs and expectations
- Manage the Stakeholder needs and expectations. Revise project objectives if necessary or assist the Stakeholders in setting realistic expectations