Project stakeholder engagement at the University of Edinburgh

1. Effective Stakeholder Engagement
Mark Ritchie and Rhian Davies
IS Applications Division

2. Stakeholder Engagement
• What are stakeholders?
• Why do stakeholders matter?
• Stakeholder Engagement Process
–Identification
–Assessment
–Planning Communication
• Stakeholder Engagement in practice

3. “a key individual or
group of people that
are impacted by the
project or are critical
to the success of the
project”
Stakeholder Definition

4. Project Communication
• Passive
• One way
• Reliant on newsletters,
mail shots and static
web sites
If your approach to informing
stakeholder is
this is unlikely to be result in happy customers or
successful projects!

5. 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30%
Poor Communications
Inadequate Planning
Unrealistic Budget or Schedule
Poorly Defined Requirements or
Success Criteria
Lack of Stakeholder Buy In
Poor Risk Management
Lack of Change Control
Why Do Projects Fail?
Source: PMI
(2007)

6. Why Engage Stakeholders?
• maximise the likelihood of project success
• win and maintain support from the most
influential stakeholders
• encourage wider and more positive
cooperation with your project
• anticipate stakeholder reaction and build
into the plan actions to win support
• improve quality of project deliverables

7. Identify
Stakeholders
Plan
Communication
Engage
Stakeholders
Stakeholder
Assessment
 Identify
stakeholder groups
 Identify individual
stakeholders
representatives
 Create initial
stakeholder list
 Create Stakeholder
Communications
Planning Sheet
 Identify engagement
activities
 Develop detailed
engagement plans
 Maintain plan to
support ongoing
engagement activities
 Execute stakeholder
communication plan
 Monitor progress
 Conduct high-level
stakeholder
assessment
 Prioritise
stakeholders
 Develop
stakeholder map
 Stakeholder List  Stakeholder
Communications
Planning Sheet
 Stakeholder
Communications
Plan
 Updated Stakeholder
Communication Plan
 Communication and
engagement activities
 Feedback mechanisms
implemented
 Stakeholder Map
 Engagement Grid
 Updated
Stakeholder List
Stakeholder Engagement Process
OutputsOutputs
TasksTasks

8. Who are our stakeholders?
Students Alumni Prospective Students
Academic Staff Administrative Staff Future Staff Recruits
Senior University
Executives
Project Team Colleagues
Human Resources Trade Unions Procurement
Disability Office Records Management Communications and
Marketing
Finance IT/Customer Support
Staff
Suppliers
Government Agencies General Public Press and Media
Press and Media Local Community

9. Identifying Stakeholders
• consider all areas of the project’s influence
• consider the entire project lifecycle
• be inclusive and diverse
• use past stakeholder information as a guide
• Include relevant interests groups e.g.
Finance, HR or Procurement
• engage empowered representatives

10. Stakeholder Map
New Email Service
Business Testers
Business Analyst: David Watters
Business Assurance: Stephen Smith
Business Reps (TBC): Units with
shared, delegated and real time diary
needs e.g. Careers or
Accommodation Services. Local
College integration experts. Non
central service units e.g. Physics.
Business Testers
Business Analyst: David Watters
Business Assurance: Stephen Smith
Business Reps (TBC): Units with
shared, delegated and real time diary
needs e.g. Careers or
Accommodation Services. Local
College integration experts. Non
central service units e.g. Physics.
Project Board
Convenor: Bruce Nelson
Project Board
Convenor: Bruce Nelson
User Support
Lead Migration coordinators,
Service Desk helpline & testers:
Neil Bruce
Keith Nicol
Local computing Officers
User Support
Lead Migration coordinators,
Service Desk helpline & testers:
Neil Bruce
Keith Nicol
Local computing Officers
External Suppliers
and Procurement
Procurement Office
Microsoft
Vodophone/02
External Suppliers
and Procurement
Procurement Office
Microsoft
Vodophone/02
Client Delivery
Client Config. for all OS’s: Hugh
Brown
Windows Desktop/CAB: Kenneth
McDonald
Client Delivery
Client Config. for all OS’s: Hugh
Brown
Windows Desktop/CAB: Kenneth
McDonald
MS Exchange
(2000/2007)
John McFarlane, David Foggo
MS Exchange
(2000/2007)
John McFarlane, David Foggo
Infrastructure
Technical Design: Iain Fiddes,
Pride Shoniwa, Garry Scobie,
Martin Cassels, Fiona Lawson,
Apollon Koutlidis
Mail relay, staffmail & SMS: Scott
Larnach
Infrastructure
Technical Design: Iain Fiddes,
Pride Shoniwa, Garry Scobie,
Martin Cassels, Fiona Lawson,
Apollon Koutlidis
Mail relay, staffmail & SMS: Scott
Larnach
Student Groups
Elected Student VP
EUSA
Student Groups
Elected Student VP
EUSA
UoE Staff
Incl. PGR’s, ‘staff like’ visitors,
and staff from each College and
support Group.
UoE Staff
Incl. PGR’s, ‘staff like’ visitors,
and staff from each College and
support Group.
Project
Project Sponsor: Jeff Haywood
Business Owner: Mark Wetton
Project Manager: Susan
McKeown
Service Manager: Stephen Smith
Programme Manager: Maurice
Franceschi
Project
Project Sponsor: Jeff Haywood
Business Owner: Mark Wetton
Project Manager: Susan
McKeown
Service Manager: Stephen Smith
Programme Manager: Maurice
Franceschi

11. Prioritising Stakeholders
• High Power/High Interest
– Fully engage with
– Make greatest efforts to satisfy
• High Power/Less Interest
– Keep satisfied
• Low Power/High Interest
– Keep informed
– Leverage their interest
• Low Power/Low Interest
– Monitor e.g for changes as
project progresses

12. Understanding Stakeholders
• Talk directly - don’t rely
on email
• Ask them their opinions
• Draw out emotional
responses
• Help them see next
steps and ultimate goal
• Explain the benefits

13. Understanding Stakeholders
• Have they a financial or other interest?
• What motivates them most?
• Is their current opinion positive or negative?
• Who influences them and who do they influence?
• At what stage will they be most impacted?
• Can they assist with project design or reduce costs?
• What information do they want from you?
• How can you win their support or manage their
opposition?

14. Key Concerns Record the stakeholder’s most important concerns about the project.
These may be positive drivers for why the stakeholder wants the project to
succeed or perceived negative impacts to be minimised or avoided
Communications
Approach
Monitor, Keep Informed, Keep Satisfied or Manage Closely
Required Level of
Support
High, Medium or Low
Required Action Record any actions that you need the stakeholder to take e.g. to publicly
champion the project or carry out specific tasks.
Sign Off Confirm whether the stakeholder will participate in sign off reviews and has
influence over whether the project is allowed to proceed.
Key Messages Record any messages you will need to convey to the stakeholder to
maintain there support. Typically messages will identify benefits to the
stakeholder or focus on their particular concerns.
Communications Planning Sheet

15. Planning Communication
• Focus on issues that matter
• Choose the right format and
frequency
• Ensure adequate resources
• Provide feedback loops
• Be ready to act - not just PR
• Listen – especially to critics
• Be open and build trust

16. Stakeholder
Group Key Concerns Approach
Required
Support Required Actions
Project
Sponsor
Exchange 2007 solution to be
implemented as quickly as possible to
ease current staff dissatisfaction and
relieve burden on support staff.
Satisfy Medium
To publicly champion the
project and provide funding for
costs.
UoE staff New solution needed as quickly as
possible due to problems with current
system. Use across different
platforms, especially Linux and
mobile devices, not just Blackberry.
Minimise user effort required to move
to new solution.
Satisfy High
To provide user requirements
to inform the project and
ensure the best solution is
delivered. To provide timely
feedback during testing and
immediately following
deployment.
Microsoft Solution meets the requirements and
enhance Microsoft's reputation.
Manage
Closely
High
Advise and participate in the
analysis, design and delivery.
Students How the move will affect students
ability to book time with staff
Inform Low
None
IS ITI
Infrastructure
Storage and back-up implications.
Mail relay implications. Impact on
Exchange architecture. Networking.
M M
To actively participate in the
project.
Communications Planning Sheet (Example)

17. Identify
Stakeholders
Plan Stakeholder
Communication
Engage
Stakeholders
KeyDelive
Stakeholder
Assessment
KeyActivities
 Identify stakeholder
groups
 Identify individual
stakeholders
representatives for
each groups
 Create initial
stakeholder list
 Create Stakeholder
Communications
Planning Sheet
 Identify engagement
activities
 Develop detailed
engagement plans
and timelines
 Maintain plan to
support ongoing
engagement
activities
 Execute stakeholder
communication plan
 Regular checks to
monitor progress
 Conduct high-level
stakeholder
assessment
 Prioritise
stakeholders for
engagement
 Develop stakeholder
map
 Stakeholder List  Stakeholder
Communications
Planning Sheet
 Stakeholder
Communications
Plan
 Updated Stakeholder
Communication Plan
 Communication and
engagement
activities
 Feedback
mechanisms
implemented
 Stakeholder Map
 Engagement Grid
 Updated Stakeholder
List
Stakeholder Engagement Process

18. Stakeholder Engagement
in Practice
Rhian Davies
IS Applications Division

19. eProcurement Scotland
• Background
• Identifying stakeholders
• Assessing stakeholders
• Communicating with stakeholders
• Challenges
• Outcome

20. Background
• Online marketplace for goods and
services
• National eProcurement programme
run by the Scottish Government
• Used in central government, local
government, NHS, higher and
further education

21. Identifying Stakeholders
Asked an
expert
Previous
experience
Brainstorming
Finance
Senior
Management
Scottish Government
Users
APUC
Suppliers
Capgemini
Procurement
Elcom
Cedar (Finance
System provider)

22. Assessing Stakeholders
• Key stakeholders
– Users
– Suppliers
– Software provider
– Senior management
– Delivery partners (Capgemini and APUC)

23. Communication
• Needed to actively engage key stakeholders
– Established a communication strategy
• Used a variety of techniques:
– Workshops
– One to one meetings
– Information events
– Dedicated staff e.g. supplier management

24. Challenges – Delivery Partners
• Who…
– Delivery partners
• What…
– Wanted basic implementation
– UoE wanted to add more value
• How…
– Set expectations at start of project
– Maintained focus on added value

25. Challenges - Suppliers
• What…
– Lack of interest
– Why fix what isn’t broken?
• How…
– Dedicated team member
– Regular updates
– Work with other institutions

26. Challenges - Users
• What…
– needed to maintain interest
despite delays
• How…
– Communication
– Focus on benefits

27. Challenges – Software Provider
• What…
– Had to communicate through 3rd
party
• How…
– Established weekly conference
calls
– Highlighted issues to 3rd
party
senior management

28. Outcome
• Successful rollout
• Obtained value added solution
– Integration with the Finance system
– Accessed via EASE single sign on
• Positive feedback from users post
implementation