Project Management For Dummies, 6th Edition

Chapter 4

Knowing Your Project’s Stakeholders: Involving the Right People

IN THIS CHAPTER

Compiling your project’s diverse stakeholders into a stakeholder register

Identifying your drivers, supporters, and observers

Using an effective format for your stakeholder register

Determining who has authority in your project

Prioritizing your stakeholders by their levels of power and interest

Often a project is like an iceberg: Nine-tenths of it lurks below the surface. You receive an assignment and think you know what it entails and who needs to be involved. Then, as the project unfolds, new people emerge who may affect your goals, your approach, and your chances for project success.

You risk compromising your project in the following ways when you don’t involve key people or groups in your project in a timely manner:

• You may miss important information that can affect the project’s performance and ultimate success.
• You may insult someone. And you can be sure that when someone feels you ...