What Is Project Stakeholder Management?

What Is Project Stakeholder Management?
Managing stakeholder expectations is often difficult due to conflicting objectives. For example: say one key stakeholder (the CFO) wants a new IT system that costs the least, while another stakeholder group (the IT team) wants the system with the most powerful functionality. How do you resolve these conflicting demands? Generally, the solution should be resolved to meet the customer's needs as the customer will be using the product or service. However, this does not negate the needs and expectations of other stakeholders. A project manager will have to resolve differences like these amicably. It's one reason why project management can sometimes be a challenging job.
What is stakeholder analysis in project management?
Before any stakeholder management can occur, you need to know who your key stakeholders are. Stakeholder analysis is where you classify stakeholders and identify all their needs and requirements. Part of this analysis includes their information needs. Once you're assembling the project communications plan, you must know:
- What information they will need
- The sources for that information
- The methods and technology you will use to deliver the info
Why is project stakeholder management important?
Any project is a success if it meets its objectives and fulfills (or ideally, exceeds) the expectations of its project stakeholders. It is the project manager's responsibility to manage — and even influence — key stakeholders' expectations as well as requirements. This is why project stakeholder management is crucial for project success. To fully understand who stakeholders are and how they wield so much influence over a project, visit our ‘who is a stakeholder in project management’ page.
Strategies for project stakeholder management
How do you deal with specific key stakeholders? What are some good strategies for managing their expectations and reporting to them? We've outlined a few helpful tips below.
- Customers: The key here is knowledge. Gathering data on the customer's needs, culture, business pains and then documenting it all before the project execution starts will always help when conflicts arise.
- Project team members: The key to managing team expectations is constant communication. Schedule informal one-on-one meetings with each member to get insight into the group's mood. Let them know you can be approached any time.
- Executives: The key here is presenting them with a comprehensive plan with milestones. Then continually update them on project risks based on their information needs.
- Resource managers: The key here is establishing a good relationship. If you are in good standing with a resource manager, your requests for equipment or manpower will never be roadblocked.
Further reading:
- 4 Strategies for Dealing With Difficult Stakeholders
- Project Management Lessons Learned from the Apollo 11 Moon Landing
In project management, deliverables are tangible outputs produced through objective-focused work within a project’s scope. They can be internal or external and are usually due on specific dates. Unlike objectives or milestones, deliverables are concrete items that must be completed and handed over to advance or close a project.
Governance in project management is the framework that defines accountability, decision-making authority, and reporting relationships within a project. It establishes who oversees the project, who makes key decisions, and how information flows between stakeholders. Effective governance provides structure, oversight, and alignment, with the project sponsor playing a critical coordinating role.
PMBOK, or the Project Management Body of Knowledge, is a comprehensive framework of standardized processes, best practices, terminology, and guidelines for project management. Maintained by the Project Management Institute (PMI), it helps organizations standardize and tailor their project practices while reducing the risk of failure.
A PMO, or project management office, is a centralized team or function that standardizes project management processes across an organization. It provides governance, best practices, tools, and oversight to improve efficiency and consistency. By aligning projects with business objectives, a PMO helps organizations deliver initiatives on time, within budget, and with greater strategic impact.
A project in project management is a temporary effort made up of specific tasks designed to achieve a clearly defined goal or outcome. It can be simple or highly complex, and responsibilities are usually assigned by a manager who outlines expectations and deadlines. Teams often break projects into smaller tasks to improve accountability, streamline workflow, and ensure timely completion.
