Stakeholder Engagement Assessment
Engaging your stakeholders is key to a successful adoption, and the earlier you involve them, the more responsive and interested they will be. It begins to build trust between the project team and the end-users due to being brought into the conversation before the change takes place. This shows you are considering the effects and changes that it will bring upon them consequently making the stakeholders feel more part of the project.
On the other side of this, it is important for you to gather information about these stakeholders to have a clearer view on how they are likely to react to the change, whether that be positively or with a bit of resistance. Knowing this, along with additional factors, can allow you to make solid plans and reduce the risks of any potential problems that may arise throughout the project. It allows you to be ahead of the game, mirroring the goals of the senior managers and end-users alike.
At Simplify Change we have created a stakeholder engagement assessment that quickly about the allows you to gain valuable insights about the people involved in the project. It will be sent out to a core group, that represents the organisation as a whole. This assessment is part of the Build step in our BEE methodology, to prepare and plan, creating the foundations to understand the new changes, in a coherent & consistent way so that it’s achievable.
Five Main Areas
1. Project Knowledge
Establishing what your key stakeholders already know about the project will give you the information needed to start your engagement plans. If they’re already quite knowledgeable about it, less time will be needed to engage them. However, if there is little knowledge, more time needs to be established in the change management plans, to educate them about the benefits and aim of this project.
This assessment will allow you to gauge an idea of whether the stakeholders know what the project aims to achieve and how this is to be done, as well as its main benefits.
2. Time for Project
We all know that people can be very busy within their jobs, this is why it is vital to understand how much time an individual can input into the project, in terms of learning and support, and if they have the space to educate and communicate to others about it. Knowing this will give direction to your change management plans, for example, for some may have time to attend frequent webinars whereas others may only have time to read through targeted 1-page training documents.
This assessment investigates the time that has been given to support and adopt this project, discussions about it in relevant meetings and whether the individual has enough time to help and support others throughout the project.
3. Communications
Strong communication to key stakeholders is crucial within any project, especially when rolling out new products, without your stakeholders being sufficiently informed, they are unlikely to be excited or quickly adopt the change. Therefore, knowing what the current level of communication is and preferences on the receiving of communications, will ensure the best engagement from those involved.
This section focuses on whether there needs to be any changes to the current methods of communication, whether there is a sufficient amount of communications given the priority of the project and checks that those involved keep being updated.
4. Project Alignment
Knowing your key stakeholders’ opinion on how the project is being managed will let you know if any changes need to be made in your plans to suit the organisation as a whole.
This section investigates whether they feel the project is aligned with the company strategy, the support from managers and other impacted parties as well as the benefit and link it has to existing processes.
5. Importance of Project to You
Understanding how important the project is to your stakeholders allows the identification of those see it as a priority, so shall be more willing to be involved and shout out the message, potentially becoming your champions. It shall also help you manage their expectations and deliver the project appropriately.
This section investigates how the individual’s goals and objectives link to the project, and whether others know how important the project is for certain people. As well as to wether the stakeholders think it will make a difference company-wide.
