how do you write a stakeholder engagement plan

What is stakeholder engagement plan?

A Stakeholder Engagement Plan is a formal strategy to communicate with project stakeholders to achieve their support for the project. It specifies the frequency and type of communications, media, contact persons, and locations of communication events. It is created at the beginning of the project and updated frequently as stakeholder communication ...

What is stakeholder communication?

The stakeholder communication needs are itemized based on the power and influence analysis. The type of communication and its frequency is specified. The other parts of the stakeholder engagement plan, described above, are more administrative in nature.

Why is it important to be thorough in identifying stakeholder?

But it’s important to be thorough because it’s easy to underestimate the ability of a minor stakeholder to trip up the project when they’re not being communicated with adequately. According to the PMBOK, this list is called a Stakeholder Register, and it is created as part of the Identify Stakeholders process.

What is stakeholder engagement software?

This is where stakeholder engagement software can be of immense help. It allows teams to easily coordinate, prioritize and report on activities, demonstrate compliance with regulatory requirements, visualize assets, hot spots and rising issues, and generate an institutional memory to empower future engagement efforts . Useful insights not only for a specific project, but also for obtaining long-term vision of your strategic stakeholder engagement.

Why use online engagement tools?

In some contexts, online engagement tools can help you better map out the current stakeholder landscape so that you can leverage this data to shape a more solid engagement strategy. The conversations in the community will take place and you want to know how people perceive your project.

What is the activities section of a plan?

The activities section of your plan contains your stakeholder engagement strategies for each group based on your stakeholder mapping. In other words, this section is your communication strategy/plan.

Why is methodology important in engagement?

The methodology is quite important, as it is the foundation of your plan. This is where you detail the criteria for identifying and categorizing stakeholders for your engagement strategy. Every organization has its own matrix to categorize stakeholders. At Borealis, we like to divide them into 4 broad groups.

Why is it important to keep in mind the project lifecycle?

It’s important to keep in mind the project lifecycle as you plan communications, as some steps require more engagement than others. For example, during the construction phase, you might need to hold monthly focus groups with stakeholders from village A and B.

What is required for a development project?

Most development projects are required to respect a number of regulations and requirements. Organizations must ensure their compliance and conformity at various levels, and the stakeholder plan is a great place to gather this information.

Do you have to prepare a stakeholder engagement map before implementing it?

Now remember that a first version of this map will be prepared before the engagement plan is implemented. Like many aspects of your stakeholder engagement plan, zones will change and need to be readjusted as the project evolves through its lifespan

What is a stakeholder management plan?

A stakeholder management plan is a formal document that establishes who the stakeholders of a project are and how each stakeholder engages with the project. A stakeholder includes anyone who may have an interest in a project or anyone who that the project may affect.

Why are stakeholder management plans important?

Stakeholder management plans are essential for ensuring effective stakeholder management, which is critical for the overall success of the project.

How to create a stakeholder management plan

The project manager is typically responsible for creating the stakeholder management plan. However, it's important for them to speak with everyone involved in the project to ensure they create a comprehensive and accurate plan. These conversations may help them better identify and understand their needs, expectations and level of influence.

When to contact stakeholders?

The best way though is to actually ask them directly. You’ll find that some stakeholders prefer to be contacted at the end of the project, while others, despite their low stakes, need to be handheld at every possible step.

What is a project stakeholder?

As the name goes, project stakeholders are the ones with a direct stake in the project. The project sponsors, managers, team members (people inside your organization, who finance, oversee, and execute the project), followed by subcontractors and customers (people outside your organization).

What affects the way you communicate with stakeholders?

Internal policies, non-disclosure agreements, and location will also affect the way you communicate with your stakeholders, so choose the communication channels in relation to your own context.

How many communication channels are there for 10 stakeholders?

So for 10 stakeholders, there’s going to be 10*9 / 2 = 45 potential communication channels. This shouldn’t discourage you, but serve as a warning that the situation is serious even for smaller projects.

Which tool is used to identify stakeholders that has been overlooked on purpose because of its complexity?

To find this out, we turn to another tool used to identify stakeholders that has been overlooked on purpose because of its complexity: the salience model. On top of the power and interest (dubbed “legitimacy”) dimensions, it also includes a third one: urgency.

Can a plan become too complex?

Without guidance though , the plan can become too complex and act against its purpose.

Is communicating with stakeholders as often as possible bad advice?

At best, it bores them down with useless details. At worst, it renders them unable to distinguish signal from noise.

How to write a stakeholder engagement plan?

How to write a stakeholder engagement plan 1. Identify the stakeholders 2. Place the stakeholders on the Power/Interest grid 3. Define the motives of your stakeholders 4. Precise the influence of the stakeholders 5. Build your engagement strategy

What is stakeholder engagement?

Project stakeholders are diverse and can regroup organizations, individuals and businesses of all shapes and sizes.

What is the goal of communication strategy?

The goal of this communication strategy is to provide relevant information to stakeholders, at the most appropriate time, to maximize stakeholder engagement and guide change. To help you find the best approach for each stakeholder group, you may model your plan after the 5 levels of stakeholder engagement.

What is the first step in stakeholder analysis?

Once the list of stakeholders is complete, you should focus on determining their rough stance with regard to the project. This is the first step of stakeholder analysis and its results will be the basis for your communication plan.

What are the people who influence a project?

Leaders: these are people whose influence is so strong that it will determine large parts of project development. They include internal stakeholders such as the project sponsor, as well as important external players if applicable, such as the government.

Why is it important to engage stakeholders in a project?

Engaging stakeholders may be vital for your project and could prevent running into obstacles down the road. It’s an essential part of the project planning phase, as it allows you to identify and manage risks before they arise.

What is project management?

Project management rhymes with engagement. You’re probably not without knowing that project management involves a great deal of negotiation and communication. Many people with different backgrounds and roles may play a key part in the success of your project; hence why you need a robust stakeholder engagement plan to ensure everything goes smoothly.

What is a stakeholder communication plan?

A stakeholder communication plan is a strategy developed by an organization to better connect with its stakeholders and to assess their feedback regarding major projects on the company's agenda.

Why are stakeholder communication plans important?

Stakeholder communication plans are important for the following reasons:

How to create a stakeholder communication plan

Consider following these steps when attempting to create a stakeholder communication plan:

Example of a stakeholder communication plan

Pink Horse Entertainment is a video game company that aims to release a new game by the end of next year. With game development being an ongoing project, they create a stakeholder communication plan to keep everyone involved informed regarding how the project is evolving.

What is a stakeholder management plan?

A stakeholder management plan is a written document that outlines how your team plans to manage the goals and expectations of key stakeholders during the project lifecycle.

Who creates a stakeholder management plan?

The project manager usually creates the stakeholder management plan. However, that doesn’t mean the PM completes it in isolation. You must gather input from everyone involved in your project to identify the key stakeholders and assess their needs, expectations, and level of influence.

Why is a stakeholder management plan important?

Effective stakeholder management is critical to a project’s success. Key stakeholders often have control over project resources, such as project funds, employees, materials, or knowledge critical to its success.

How to plan a stakeholder management strategy with Wrike

Did you know that Wrike offers dozens of templates to help you plan and launch your projects? Our communication plan template is the perfect place to start when planning your stakeholder management strategy.

What pages are advice on engaging with specific groups including older people and young people?

The advice on engaging with specific groups including older people and young people (on pages 53–57 of the Queensland document) is worth reviewing when selecting your methods of engagement.

Why is grouping common elements important in community engagement?

Grouping common elements is a good way to reduce repetition in your engagement plan.

Why is it important to summarise key elements of a project?

I find it really valuable to summarise the key elements of the project, as this provides the context for the engagement, and leads naturally to thinking about who is likely to be most affected by the issues, or to have more than a general interest in the outcomes.

Do subject matter experts add value to community engagement plans?

Are community engagement plans magically whipped up by the communications advisers at your council, or do you have to come up with them yourself? Even if they are mainly done for you, subject matter experts can definitely add value to them.