Project teams are complex and it’s essential that the team works together productively to achieve the end goal. Every so often, there will be a ‘project maverick’ that upsets the balance. Perhaps they ignore the plan, or escalate an issue straight to the CEO. Mavericks are often seen as a Project Managers worst nightmare, as…
Would *you* be surprised if a pilot asked you whether it was safe to fly?
I travelled on an internal flight to Edinburgh recently and it was foggy and raining. It was a little turbulent, but I’m pleased to say that we landed safely. As a passenger, I was a very important “stakeholder” of the airline, but they did not ask me if it was a good idea to fly or not. The decision was (quite rightly) made without consulting me, and I took it on trust that those responsible had made the right decision.
Stakeholder management is an important part of any project. There will usually be many interested parties who need to be represented. An effective way of categorising these stakeholders can be to use a RACI matrix, arranging them into the following groups against each milestone or deliverable:
As Business Analysts, it’s normal for us to interact with a wide range of stakeholders on our projects. Actively engaging with and managing our stakeholders is incredibly important, as it can increase the likelihood of success in our projects. At the recent IIBA conference, I gave a short presentation on Stakeholder Management. It is in…