If you are in the workforce, does your organization leverage enterprise-wide project management tools? What tools are being used? What advantages do you notice from the enterprise wide approach of managing projects and portfolios (over a standalone project management tool approach)? OR….If your organization does not have an enterprise-wide PPM tool, OR, if you’re not yet really embedded in the workforce, describe how your organization (or the organization you aspire to work for) would benefit by investing in such an approach.

Please read the reading parts (in the file) before writing the discussion. Discussion should be about 2 pages, and reply two other student with 50 -100 words each.

You should now have some knowledge about and maturity in using PPM tools and you have seen their value. For this Discussion:

• If you are in the workforce, does your organization leverage enterprise-wide project management tools? What tools are being used? What advantages do you notice from the enterprise wide approach of managing projects and portfolios (over a standalone project management tool approach)?
• OR….If your organization does not have an enterprise-wide PPM tool, OR, if you’re not yet really embedded in the workforce, describe how your organization (or the organization you aspire to work for) would benefit by investing in such an approach.

In either case…

• The report linked below describes the leaders in the PPM tool arena. You may use this as one reference but it is suggested to have at least one other.
  • Gartner Magic Quadrant for PPM
  • You may also refer to this “live” site from Gartner to get up-to-date 2021 information.

This is an important discussion, because as a PMO or Portfolio Manager you will very likely become engaged in discussions about if, when, and how to attain such software, from which vendor, and will need to justify its purchase!

Program Stakeholder Engagement is the performance domain that identifies and analyzes stakeholder needs and
manages expectations and communications to foster stakeholder support.
This section includes:
5.1 Program Stakeholder Identification
5.2 Program Stakeholder Analysis
5.3 Program Stakeholder Engagement Planning
5.4 Program Stakeholder Engagement
5.5 Program Stakeholder Communications
A stakeholder is an individual, group, or organization that may affect, be affected by, or perceive itself to be affected
by a decision, activity, or outcome of a project, program, or portfolio.
Stakeholders may be internal or external to the program and may have a positive or negative impact on the outcome
of the program. Program and project managers need to be aware of the stakeholders’ impact and level of influence to
understand and address the changing environments of programs and projects.
Stakeholders should be identified, analyzed, categorized, and monitored. Unlike program resources, not all
stakeholders can be managed directly—but their expectations can be. In many cases, external stakeholders have
more influence than the program manager, the program team, and even the program sponsor. Balancing stakeholder
interests is important, considering their potential impact on program benefits realization or the inherent conflicting
nature of those interests. People have a tendency to resist direct management when the relationship does not have
a hierarchical affiliation. For this reason, most program management literature focuses on the notion of stakeholder
engagement rather than stakeholder management.
Stakeholder engagement is often expressed as direct and indirect communication among the stakeholder and the
program’s leaders and team. Engagement with the program team may be performed by people with different roles in the
program and project teams. Stakeholder engagement, however, includes more than just communication. For example,
stakeholders can be engaged by involving them in goal setting, quality analysis reviews, or other program activities.
The primary objective is to gain and maintain stakeholder buy-in for the program’s objectives, benefits, and outcomes.
58 Section 5
Ambiguity and uncertainty are common characteristics of programs. The complexity of those environments warrants
the efforts of the program manager to understand and manage the wide stakeholder base. Figure 5-1 depicts a diverse
stakeholder environment that may shape the actions needed to manage those expectations. Mapping stakeholders is
a pivotal step to ensure successful expectation management, and in turn deliver business benefits to the organization.
Beyond the communications aspect, stakeholder engagement concerns negotiation of objectives, agreement on desired
benefits, commitment to resources, and ongoing support throughout the program.
Figure 5-1. Stakeholder Environment for Programs
Performing
Organizations
Funding
Organization
PMO
Program Steering Committee
Suppliers
Employees
Potential Customers
Individuals
Other Stakeholders
Resource Managers
Customers
Regulatory Agencies
Program
Manager
Program
Sponsor
Project
Teams
Program
Team
Project
Managers
59
The level of interest and the level of influence in the program may vary widely from stakeholder to stakeholder. A
stakeholder may be unaware of the program or, if aware, may not support it. It is the responsibility of the program
manager to expend sufficient time and energy with known stakeholders to ensure all points of view have been considered
and addressed.
The program manager interacts with stakeholders in the following ways:
uuEngages stakeholders by assessing their attitudes and interests toward the program and their change readiness;
uuIncludes stakeholders in program activities and uses communications targeted to their needs, interests,
requirements, expectations, and wants, according to their change readiness and selected organizational change
management strategy speed and scale;
uuMonitors stakeholder feedback within the context and understanding of the relationship to the program; and
uuSupports training initiatives as needed within the context of the program or related organizational structure of
the program component.
This two-way communication enables the program manager to deliver the benefits for the organization in accordance
with the program charter.
Stakeholder engagement at the program level can be challenging because some stakeholders view the program
benefits as change. People have the propensity to resist change whenever they have not directly requested it, have
not participated in creating it, do not understand the necessity for it, or are concerned with the effect of the change on
them personally. Thus, the program manager and the program team members need to understand the attitudes and the
agendas for each stakeholder throughout the duration of the program. The program manager should be the champion
for change in the organization and understand the motivations of each stakeholder who could attempt to alter the course
of the program or intentionally derail it and prevent the program from realizing one or more of its intended benefits
or outcomes. As the program evolves in this complex environment and it adapts to ensure that it delivers its intended
benefits, its strategy and plans may change. For support, the program manager also draws on the program sponsor or
sponsoring group to foster organizational conditions, through program governance, to enable the effective realization
of program benefits.
The program manager needs to bridge the gap between the current state of the organization and the desired future
state. To do so, the program manager should understand the current state and how the program and its benefits will
move the organization to the future state. Therefore, the program manager should be familiar with organizational
change management.
60 Section 5
Successful program managers utilize strong leadership skills to set clear stakeholder engagement goals for the
program team to address the change the program will bring. These goals include engaging stakeholders to assess their
readiness for change, planning for the change, providing program resources and support for the change, facilitating
or negotiating the approach to implement change, and obtaining and evaluating the stakeholders’ feedback on the
program’s progress.
5.1 PROGRAM STAKEHOLDER IDENTIFICATION
Program stakeholder identification aims to systematically identify all key stakeholders (or stakeholder groups) in the
stakeholder register. This register lists the stakeholders and categorizes their relationship to the program, their ability
to influence the program outcome, their degree of support for the program, and other characteristics or attributes the
program manager feels could influence the stakeholders’ perception and the program’s outcomes.
Table 5-1 provides an example of stakeholder categorization within a program.
Table 5-1. Stakeholder Register
The stakeholder register should be established and maintained in such a way that members of the program team
can reference it easily for use in reporting, distributing program deliverables, and providing formal and informal
communications. It should be noted that the stakeholder register may contain politically and legally sensitive information,
and may have access and review restrictions placed on it by the program manager. As a result, it may be appropriate
to ensure that the stakeholder register is appropriately secured. The program manager should comply with data privacy
regulations in countries where the program operates. The stakeholder register is a dynamic document. As the program
evolves, new stakeholders may emerge or interests of current groups may shift. The program manager should monitor
the environment, and prepare and update the register as required.
Name Organizational
Position Program Role Support Level Influence Communication Other
Characteristics
Stakeholder 1
Stakeholder 2
Stakeholder 3
Director
Customer
Sr. Vice
President
Supplier
Recipient
Sponsor
Neutral
Supportive
Leading
Low
Medium
High
Email monthly
Conference
weekly
Status report
quarterly
Interests
Needs
Status—
engaged
61
Examples of key program stakeholders include but are not limited to:
uuProgram sponsor. An individual or a group that provides resources and support for the program and is
accountable for enabling success. The program sponsor is often the champion of the program.
uuProgram steering committee. A group of participants representing various program-related interests with the
purpose of supporting the program under its authority by providing guidance, endorsements, and approvals
through the governance practices. This committee may be referred to as the program governance board.
uuPortfolio manager. The person or group assigned by the performing organization to establish, balance, monitor,
and control portfolio components in order to achieve strategic business objectives.
uuProgram manager. The individual authorized by the performing organization to lead the team or teams
responsible for achieving program objectives.
uuProject manager. The person assigned by the performing organization to lead the team that is responsible for
achieving project objectives.
uuProgram team members. The individuals performing program activities.
uuProject team members. The individuals performing constituent project activities.
uuFunding organization. The part of the organization or the external organization providing funding for the program.
uuPerforming organization. The organization whose personnel are the most directly involved in doing the work of
the project or program.
uuProgram management office. A management structure that standardizes the program-related governance
processes and facilitates the sharing of resources, methodologies, tools, and techniques.
uuCustomers. The individual or organization that will use the new capabilities delivered by the program and derive
the anticipated benefits. The customer is a major stakeholder in the program’s final result and will influence
whether the program is judged to be successful or not.
uuPotential customers. The past and future customers who will be watching intently to see how well the program
delivers the stated benefits.
uuSuppliers. Product and service providers who are often affected by changing policies and procedures.
uuRegulatory agencies. A public authority or government agency responsible for setting and managing the
regulatory and legal boundaries of their local and national sovereign governments. Typically, these organizations
will set mandatory standards or requirements.
62 Section 5
uuAffected individuals or organizations. Those who perceive that they will either benefit from or be disadvantaged
by the program’s activities.
uuOther groups. Groups representing consumer, environmental, or other interests (including political interests).
Organizational support functions such as human resources, legal, administration, and infrastructure are also
considered key stakeholders.
The identification of stakeholders using the brainstorming technique aims to name stakeholders across the entire
program life cycle. The resulting stakeholder register is an essential tool leading to effective engagement.
5.2 PROGRAM STAKEHOLDER ANALYSIS
Once all major stakeholders are listed in the stakeholder register, the program manager will categorize them in order
to start analyzing them. The categorization will highlight differences in their needs, expectations, or influence. Key
information should be obtained from stakeholders in order to better understand the organizational culture, politics, and
concerns related to the program, as well as the overall impact of the program. This information may be obtained through
historical information, individual interviews, focus groups, or questionnaires and surveys. Questionnaires and surveys
allow the program team to solicit feedback from a greater number of stakeholders than is possible with interviews or
focus groups. Regardless of the technique used, key information should be gathered through open-ended questions
to elicit stakeholder feedback. From the information gathered, a prioritized list of stakeholders should be developed to
help focus the engagement effort on the people and organizations who have the most influence (positive or negative)
on the program. The program manager should establish a balance between activities related to mitigating the effect of
stakeholders who view the program negatively and encouraging the active support of stakeholders who see the program
as a positive contribution.
For complex programs, the program manager may develop a stakeholder map to visually represent the interaction
of all stakeholders’ current and desired support and influence. The map serves as a tool to assess the impact of a
change on the program community. It allows the program team to make informed decisions about how and when to
engage stakeholders, taking into account their interest, influence, involvement, interdependencies and support levels.
An alternative classification model used for stakeholder analysis is the power/interest grid. It groups stakeholders based
on their level of authority (“power”) and their level of concern (“interest”) regarding the project outcomes. Figure 5-2
presents an example of the power/ interest grid with A-H representing the placement of generic stakeholders.
63
Figure 5-2. Example Power/Interest Grid with Stakeholders
By identifying stakeholder expectations and clearly outlining key indicators and expected benefits, the program
manager creates a framework to address ongoing program activities and evolving stakeholder needs. The stakeholder
map can function as a tool to help identify the need for interactions with stakeholders. It brings to light the potential
partnerships among stakeholders and the collaboration opportunities that contribute to the success of the program. As
the need arises, the program manager can use the stakeholder map to remind teams of which stakeholders need to be
engaged at various times in the program life cycle. The overall stakeholder register and the prioritization of stakeholder
engagement activities should be regularly reviewed and updated as the work of the program progresses.
5.3 PROGRAM STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT PLANNING
The stakeholder engagement planning activity outlines how all program stakeholders will be engaged throughout
the duration of the program. The stakeholder register and stakeholder map are analyzed with consideration of the
organization’s strategic plan, the program charter, and program business case to understand the environment in which
the program will operate.
Interest
Power
Low
Low
High
High
??A
??B
??H
??F
??G ??C
??E
??D
Monitor
Keep
Satisfied
Keep
Informed
Manage
Closely
64 Section 5
As part of the stakeholder analysis and engagement planning, the following aspects for each stakeholder are taken
into consideration:
uuOrganizational culture and acceptance of change,
uuAttitudes about the program and its sponsors,
uuRelevant phase(s) applicable to stakeholders specific engagement,
uuExpectation of program benefits delivery,
uuDegree of support or opposition to the program benefits, and
uuAbility to influence the outcome of the program.
This effort results in the stakeholder engagement plan, which contains a detailed strategy for effective stakeholder
engagement, based on current situation. The plan includes stakeholder engagement guidelines and provides insight on
how the stakeholders are engaged in various components of the program. The plan defines the metrics used to measure
the performance of stakeholder engagement activities. This could include measures of participation in meetings and
other communication channels, and the degree of active or passive support or resistance, and can also strive to measure
the effectiveness of the engagement in meeting its intended goal. The guidelines for stakeholder engagement should
be provided to the component projects, subsidiary programs, and other program activities under the program. The
stakeholder engagement plan provides critical information used in the development of program documentation and its
ongoing alignment as the known stakeholders change (see Section 8.1.2.2).
5.4 PROGRAM STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
Stakeholder engagement is a continuous program activity because the list of stakeholders and their attitudes and
opinions change as the program progresses and delivers benefits. One of the primary roles of the program manager
throughout the duration of the program is to ensure all stakeholders are adequately and appropriately engaged. Identifying
stakeholders, mapping their interests, and planning for stakeholder engagement directly support this process. The
stakeholder register, stakeholder map, and stakeholder engagement plan should be referenced and evaluated often,
and updated as needed.
65
Interacting and engaging with stakeholders allows the program team to communicate program benefits and
their relevance to the organization’s strategic objectives. When necessary, the program manager may utilize strong
communication, negotiation, and conflict resolution skills to help defuse stakeholder opposition to the program and
its stated benefits. Large programs with diverse stakeholders may also require facilitated negotiation sessions among
stakeholders or stakeholder groups when their expectations conflict.
To help stakeholders establish common high-level expectations for the delivery of the program’s benefits, the
program manager provides stakeholders with appropriate information contained in the program charter and program
business case, which can include an accompanying executive brief to summarize the details of the risks, dependencies,
and benefits.
The primary metrics for stakeholder engagement are positive contributions to the realization of the program’s
objectives and benefits, stakeholder participation, and frequency or rate of communication with the program team.
The program manager strives to ensure all interactions with the stakeholders are adequately logged, including meeting
invitations, attendance, meeting minutes, and action items. Program managers review stakeholder metrics regularly
to identify potential risks caused by lack of participation from stakeholders. Participation trends are analyzed and
root-cause analysis is performed to identify and address the causes of nonparticipation. The history of stakeholder
participation provides important background information that could influence stakeholder perceptions and expectations.
For example, when a stakeholder has not been actively participating, it may be that the stakeholder is confident in the
program’s direction or possibly has inaccurate expectations or has lost interest in the program. Thorough analysis
avoids incorrect assumptions about stakeholder behavior that could lead to unanticipated issues or poor program
management decisions.
As the program team works with the stakeholders, it collects and logs stakeholder issues and concerns and manages
them to closure. Use of an issue log to document, prioritize, and track issues helps the entire program team understand
the feedback received from the stakeholders. When the list of stakeholders is small, a simple spreadsheet may be an
adequate tracking tool. For programs with complex risks and issues affecting large numbers of stakeholders, a more
sophisticated tracking and prioritization mechanism may be required.
Stakeholder issues and concerns are likely to affect aspects of the program such as its scope, benefits, risks,
costs, schedule, priorities, and outcomes. Impact analysis could be used to understand the urgency and probability of
stakeholder issues and determine which issues could turn into program risks.
66 Section 5
5.5 PROGRAM STAKEHOLDER COMMUNICATIONS
Effective communications create a bridge between diverse stakeholders who may have different cultural and
organizational backgrounds, different levels of expertise, and different perspectives and interests, all of which may
impact or influence the delivery of benefits by the program. Communication is at the heart of program stakeholder
engagement. It is key to executing program endeavors and, ultimately, delivering benefits to the organization. This
critical component is a vehicle for information sharing, negotiation, and collaboration among the program team members
to drive program implementation efforts.
The program manager should actively engage stakeholders throughout the life cycle of the program, with particular
attention to those key stakeholders who are high in power and influence. A strategy can be crafted for each stakeholder
as identified in the stakeholder register (see Table 5-1). This accounts for communication requirements such as what
information should be communicated, including language, format, content, and level of detail. It can also address a
feedback loop to discuss program changes and an escalation process. The resulting communication approach targets
stakeholders’ support for the program strategy and delivery of the program benefits.
Some stakeholders are naturally curious about the program and often raise questions. These questions and their
answers should be captured and published in a way that allows multiple stakeholders to benefit from the exchange. In
many cases, the documentation may need to be formatted and presented differently for certain stakeholder audiences.
It is important that decision-making stakeholders are provided with adequate information to make the right decisions at
the right time necessary to move the program forward. The program manager should continually monitor changes and
update stakeholder engagement activities and deliverables as needed.
Communication with some stakeholders is inherent in many program management activities. These activities are
described in detail in Section 8. The program manager should constantly monitor and foster an environment where
stakeholder communication needs are met.