Stakeholder Map Analysis: Artifact of Vision Phase
Stakeholder analysis is a valuable tool that businesses use to identify and prioritize the stakeholders involved in a project or initiative. This process helps organizations understand the interests, needs, and concerns of various stakeholders and develop effective strategies to engage with them. In this context, this stakeholder map analysis is conducted for XYZ Company’s new product launch.
The purpose of stakeholder map analysis is to identify and understand the different groups or individuals who have an interest or influence on a project, organization, or initiative. It helps to create a visual representation of the stakeholders and their relationships, allowing for a better understanding of their perspectives, needs, and expectations. Stakeholder map analysis can be used to inform decision-making, communication strategies, and stakeholder engagement plans. By identifying and engaging with key stakeholders, organizations can build positive relationships and ensure that their actions align with stakeholder expectations.
Example: Problem Description
A company is planning to develop a new product that will require a significant investment of resources. However, the company is facing strong opposition from environmental groups and some members of the local community, who are concerned about the potential negative impact of the product on the environment and public health. Additionally, the company’s employees are also expressing concerns about the safety of the manufacturing process and the potential impact of the new product on their job security. Meanwhile, the company’s investors are pushing for the new product to be launched quickly, as they believe it has the potential to generate significant profits.
In this scenario, the company must carefully consider the concerns and interests of each stakeholder group to make informed decisions about whether to move forward with the new product, and if so, how to do so in a way that addresses the concerns of each stakeholder group.
Here’s an updated Stakeholder Map Matrix based on the example given:
| Stakeholder | Involvement | Class | Relevant Viewpoints |
|---|---|---|---|
| CxO (Corporate Functions) | Interested in the high-level drivers, goals, and objectives of the organization and how these are translated into an effective process and IT architecture to advance the business | KEEP SATISFIED |
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| Program Management Office (Corporate Functions) | Interested in prioritizing, funding, and aligning change activity. An understanding of project content and technical dependencies between projects adds a further dimension of richness to portfolio management decision-making | KEEP SATISFIED |
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| Procurement (Corporate Functions) | Concerned with what building blocks of the architecture can be bought and what constraints (or rules) exist that are relevant to the purchase. They shop with multiple vendors looking for the best cost solution while adhering to the constraints (or rules) applied by the architecture, such as standards. The key concern is to make purchasing decisions that fit the architecture and thereby reduce the risk of added costs arising from non-compliant components | KEY PLAYERS |
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| Human Resources (Corporate Functions) | Ensure the correct roles and actors are represented in the enterprise architecture. | KEEP INFORMED |
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| Enterprise Security (Corporate Functions) | Ensure that the information, data, and systems of the organization are available to only those who have permission and how to protect the information, data, and systems from unauthorized tampering | KEY PLAYERS |
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| QA/Standards Group (Corporate Functions) | Ensure the consistent governance of the organization’s business, data, application, and technology assets | KEY PLAYERS |
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| Executive (End User Organization) | Interested in the high-level drivers, goals, and objectives of the organization and how these are translated into an effective process and IT architecture to advance the business | KEEP SATISFIED |
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| Line Management (End User Organization) | Interested in the top-level functions and processes of the organization and how the key applications of the IT estate support these processes | KEY PLAYERS |
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| Business Domain Experts (End User Organization) | Interested in the functional aspects of processes and systems. This can cover the human actors involved in the system, the user processes involved in the system, the functions required to support the processes, and the information required to flow in support of the processes | KEY PLAYERS |
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| IT Service Management (Systems Operations) | Ensure that IT services provided to the organization meet the service levels required by that organization to succeed in business | KEEP INFORMED |
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| IT Operations – Applications (System Operations) | Concerned with Development Approach, Software Modularity and Re-use, Portability Migration, and Interoperability | KEY PLAYERS |
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How to Determine the Relevant Viewpoint for Stakeholders
To determine the relevant viewpoints for the stakeholders, you should consider the following questions:
- What are the stakeholders’ interests in the project or organization?
- How will the project or organization impact the stakeholders?
- What concerns or issues do the stakeholders have that are relevant to the project or organization?
Based on the answers to these questions, you can identify the relevant viewpoints for each stakeholder. For example:
- Investors: Their interests may include financial returns and the growth potential of the organization. Their viewpoint may be focused on the financial health of the organization and its potential for long-term success.
- Customers: Their interests may include product quality, reliability, and customer service. Their viewpoint may be focused on the value they receive from the organization’s products or services and their overall experience.
- Employees: Their interests may include job security, compensation, and work-life balance. Their viewpoint may be focused on their experience working for the organization and their ability to advance their careers.
- Suppliers: Their interests may include payment terms and the reliability of the organization as a customer. Their viewpoint may be focused on the organization’s ability to pay on time and maintain a positive relationship.
- Regulators: Their interests may include compliance with laws and regulations, public safety, and environmental protection. Their viewpoint may be focused on ensuring the organization operates legally and responsibly.
- Community: Their interests may include the organization’s impact on the local economy, environment, and social well-being. Their viewpoint may be focused on the organization’s overall contribution to the community and its efforts to be a responsible corporate citizen.
By understanding the relevant viewpoints of each stakeholder, you can better engage with them and address their concerns in a meaningful way.
How to Determine the Class of a Stakeholder
The four classes of stakeholders are as follows:
- Keep informed: Stakeholders who need to be kept informed of project progress, but who do not have a significant impact on the project outcomes. These stakeholders are typically provided with regular updates and progress reports to ensure that they remain informed about the project’s status. They do not require significant resources or attention beyond the provision of periodic updates.
- Keep satisfied: Stakeholders who have a significant impact on project outcomes and require active management to ensure their satisfaction. These stakeholders may have significant power or influence over the project and may need to be engaged in regular dialogue to ensure their needs are met. It is important to keep these stakeholders satisfied to maintain project success.
- Key players: Stakeholders who have a direct role in project execution and whose contributions are essential to the project’s success. These stakeholders have a high level of interest and power in the project and require active management and engagement to ensure their needs are met. The success of the project is often highly dependent on the involvement of these stakeholders.
- Minimum effort: Stakeholders who have low levels of interest and power in the project and do not require significant resources or attention. These stakeholders may have a minor impact on the project’s success and can be managed with minimal effort. It is important to identify these stakeholders to ensure that resources are not unnecessarily allocated to managing them.
Determining which class a stakeholder belongs to involves evaluating their level of interest in the project and their level of power or influence over its outcomes. Stakeholders who have a high level of interest and power are typically classified as key players, while those with low levels of interest and power are classified as requiring minimum effort. Stakeholders with a significant impact on project outcomes but who do not require active management are typically classified as requiring only to be kept informed. Finally, stakeholders with a high level of impact on project outcomes and who require active management to ensure their satisfaction are typically classified as requiring to be kept satisfied.
More Example – Implementing a New IT Architecture
| Stakeholder | Involvement | Class | Relevant<br>Viewpoints |
|---|---|---|---|
Board of Directors
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This stakeholder group is interested in the overall performance and direction of the organization. They are concerned with the long-term vision, strategy, and financial stability of the company. | KEEP SATISFIED |
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IT Security Team
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This stakeholder group is responsible for ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the organization’s information and systems. They are concerned with identifying and mitigating security risks, as well as ensuring compliance with industry standards and regulations. | KEY PLAYERS |
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Business Unit Managers
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This stakeholder group is responsible for the day-to-day operations of their respective business units. They are concerned with how technology can support their business processes and help them achieve their goals. | KEY PLAYERS |
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IT Operations – Service Desk
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This stakeholder group is responsible for providing technical support to end-users. They are concerned with ensuring that incidents and service requests are resolved in a timely and efficient manner, and that end-users are satisfied with the level of service provided. | KEEP INFORMED |
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Project Sponsors
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This stakeholder group is responsible for providing funding and resources for change initiatives. They are concerned with ensuring that projects are aligned with the organization’s strategy and goals, and that expected benefits are realized. | KEEP INFORMED |
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External Auditors
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The main concerns of this group are to ensure that the organization is in compliance with industry regulations and that financial statements are accurate. They are specifically interested in the processes, data, and systems used to generate financial reports. | KEEP SATISFIED |
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