Discovery & analysis
Stakeholders & interests
Identify who has a stake in the implementation — sponsors, end users, suppliers, IT — and the role each one plays. Without this foundation every later step is at risk.
Updated Jan 23, 2026
Discovery · 3.1
Why this first
The biggest implementation mistake is starting without the right people at the table. Three months in you find out Finance sees the cost-allocation rules differently, IT Security has a blocker on the SSO choice, or the shop floor finds the chosen workflow unworkable. Rework = avoidable cost. A stakeholder analysis up front prevents 80% of the standstill later.
What do you deliver?
Stakeholder list
Name, role, organisation, contact preference. Around 15-30 names for a mid-sized implementation.
Interest/power matrix
A 2×2 grid to decide who you engage actively vs who you just inform.
Engagement plan
Per stakeholder: how often, which channel, which question you ask them.
Role set for the steering group
Who sits on the steering group, who on the working group, who reviews, who signs off.
Steps
- 1Brainstorm the longlist — walk through group by group (sponsor, IT, Facility, HR, Finance, end users, external suppliers). Rather too many than too few in the first round.
- 2Plot on the interest/power matrix — how much stake does this person have in the outcome? How much influence can they exert?
- 3Decide engagement strategy per quadrant — manage actively, keep satisfied, keep informed, monitor.
- 4Schedule a 1-on-1 with every high-impact stakeholder — not as a group, not over email. In person, 30 minutes, ask their expectations and concerns.
- 5Compose the steering group — 5-7 people max. Decision mandate and operational knowledge.
- 6Document in the decision log who carries ultimate responsibility per domain.
Template — Interest/power matrix
Plot everyone on this 2×2. The quadrant determines how you handle them.
High interest · low power
Keep satisfied & inform
End users, reception, cleaning team. Send regular updates, involve in UAT, make sure they feel heard.
E.g. employees, fire wardens, external suppliers
High interest · high power
Manage actively
The lead actors. 1-on-1s, steering group, co-owners of the roadmap. Without them you don't go live.
E.g. executive sponsor, head of Facility, IT lead, Finance lead
Low interest · low power
Monitor
Notice through general channels. No active engagement needed, but keep them in the loop so they're not surprised.
E.g. peripheral departments, external partners with no role
Low interest · high power
Keep satisfied
Little direct stake, but can block the project. Short updates, formal alignment.
E.g. works council / employee representation, Privacy Officer, Legal
Template — Stakeholder map (one row per person)
Copy this table into your working document and fill it in during the stakeholder identification workshop.
| Name | Role | Interest | Power | Strategy | Contact owner | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| E.g. Sara Janssen | Head of Facility | High | High | Manage actively | PM | Weekly |
| … | … | … | … | … | … | … |
Best practices
→ Really probe
A stakeholder's first answer is rarely the full story. Ask "why is that important?" three times.
→ Find the silent opponents
The loudest critics are safe — they make themselves known. The silent blockers you only discover at cutover.
→ One sponsor, no more
A shared executive sponsor = no one feels responsible. Force one name.
→ Don't forget the outside
External suppliers (catering, cleaning, security) are often missed in the stakeholder mapping. They experience the tooling the most.