Stakeholders in development projects
The term 'stakeholder' refers to anyone that has an interest in a project and can influence its success.
It is important to identify stakeholders in a project as early as possible. They may include the following;
- Members of the client organisation (such as user panels, champions and department heads).
- Other user groups (such as customers, residents, occupants, and visitors).
- Neighbours and community groups.
- Funders and shareholders.
- The local authority building regulations, licensing and planning departments.
- Other statutory authorities and non-statutory consultees.
- Special interest groups such as heritage organisations and environmental bodies.
- Suppliers.
- The emergency services.
- Statutory undertakers (utilities companies).
- Insurance and warranty providers.
- investors
Stakeholders may not all have the same objectives. It is important therefore to identify areas of convergence and areas of difference between them and to manage individuals whose expectations are unlikely to be met.
A first step in considering how to interact with stakeholders can be the preparation of a stakeholder map or stakeholder matrix (see examples on the archived OGC website and Buro Happold: A Rough Guide to Stakeholder Mapping)
A stakeholder map might assess:
- The likely impact of the development on the stakeholder.
- The issues that they will have an interest in.
- Their likely position.
- Their ability to influence the development.
- Their potential impact on the project.
- Potential mitigating actions.
A stakeholder map allows a plan to be developed for how to manage the involvement of different stakeholder groups. Clearly, a stakeholder that the project will significantly impact upon, who has a strong ability to influence the development and is likely to be against it, will require a great deal of attention. This may result in the preparation of a stakeholder management plan outlining strategies for stakeholder communication and consultation.
Where the intention is to involve stakeholders in the development of the project, they should be involved early on to allow them to influence key stages such as brief development, rather than just allowing them to comment on designs after they have been completed (see the article consultation process for more information).
Stakeholders can provide useful feedback (and an indication of the likely response to a subsequent planning application), however, as they may not be experienced in building projects, and their actions may be beyond the control of the client, their involvement requires careful organisation, and a clearly understood mandate. Large or complex projects may benefit from a professional third-party facilitator to ensure that stakeholder involvement is properly managed.
A variety of communicating methods can be used to help stakeholders properly understand the project (such as 3D visualisations), and a variety of consultation methods can be adopted:
- One to one consultations.
- Meetings.
- Focus groups.
- Questionnaires.
- Exhibitions and open-days.
- Workshops.
- Websites.
- Printed materials.
- The use of specialist toolkits and games.
Stakeholder management should be an ongoing process not a one-off event, and the stakeholder map and management plan may need to be updated throughout the life of the project.
See also: Project delivery stakeholders.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
- BREEAM project delivery stakeholders.
- Champions.
- Community engagement in conservation.
- Consultation process.
- Early BREEAM stakeholder engagement.
- Interested party.
- Interface risk in construction.
- Non-statutory consultees.
- Primary stakeholder.
- Project delivery stakeholders.
- Secondary stakeholder.
- Stakeholder map.
- Stakeholder management.
- Stakeholder management: a quality perspective.
- Statutory authorities.
- Statutory undertakers.
- Third party dependencies.
- User panels.
Featured articles and news
Soil moisture content, construction and landscaping
The effects, of low and high rainfall on soil and buidlings.
Sustainability or sentimentality in the refurbishment sector.
Has the pendulum now swung too far ?
Negative impacts of political instability on projects
Expected by 64% of the respondents in nationwide survey.
BSRIA Market Intelligence Reports
World Building Automation and Control Systems (BACS) 2022
Statement of health and early intervention.
The importance of regular check-ups
And related links on DB.
Sustainable urban drainage systems SUDS
Rooflights, skylights, roof windows and Part L
Shedding some light on the new Building Regulations.
Interview with historic built environment surveyor.
Upgraded membership category now requires assessment.
The average kinetic energy of molecules
Temperature in buildings, explained on DB
Women and unequal pay in project management
Main barrier to entering the profession, new study reveals.
IHBC’s response to Parliamentary Committee
On Levelling-Up and Regeneration Bill.
Finalists for 2022 CIOB Awards revealed
Over 70 managers and organisations shortlisted for the 14 awards.
Types of building sensors on BD
From biometric to electrical current, chemical and more.
Government mandates detectors in rented homes
Changes are due to come into force on 1st October 2022.
80% of major government projects are rated red or amber
Heed advice and insight of this report IPA tells the government.
The end of the games but continued calls for action
From the Commonwealth Association of Architects.
Sustainable urban drainage systems SUDS
Comments
1) Statutory Stakeholders:
Local Authority/Historic England/HSE/Environmental Agency/GLA etc
Local authority contacted through the planning process. (eg during a request for pre-application advice meeting a request can be made for heritage and transport officer) Others contacted as required
2) Secondary Stakeholders: 20C society/Local Neighbourhood Action Groups/ Historic societies/ Local parishes etc
Key relevant groups requested and contacted by the local authority as seen relevant for input during the determination period. Meetings can be arranged individually to discuss any concerns and during the design development.
3) Others-General Public
General public includes local residents and businesses. Contacted via letter (issued by planning consultant) to notify of public consultation. Notified by local authority once the planning submission has been validated, to invite for comments during the determination period.