Sometimes projects have multiple stakeholders, each with their own agendas and requirements. Sometimes, I am even scared to engage new stakeholders due to fears of getting slapped with more requirements!
But, no matter how scared, I must engage and keep them engaged until the end of the project. This still raises questions like:
- Do I engage them now or later? How do I prioritize?
- How do I keep them updated? Can’t really put everyone in a chat room and post updates regularly. Do they even want updates?
As usual, there is no clear answer to such questions. But we do have frameworks to help us create some structure in the ambiguity. One framework suggests creating a 2×2 matrix: Influence vs Interest.
Once you categorize your stakeholders into these 4 buckets, simply devise mechanisms to send them updates. Each bucket should receive updates in a different cadence. For example:
| Influence/Interest | High | Low |
| High | – Doesn’t need regular updates, but any update that either meets their needs or goes against them should be propagated to them. = You probably need their approval before signing off on the project. | – Small chat room with all key players in one place. – Regular Meetings or Direct Chat. – This quadrant will be happy to get updates so don’t be shy to send them updates. |
| Low | Fine to not track this separately. | – Send them major updates. – Irregular FYI updates. |
This is just a guide, not an algorithm. Feel free to change it to suit your needs.