Step 3 – Develop an action plan
Identifying any obstacles to the full contribution and commitment of a stakeholder is the first step towards identifying any activities that may serve to remove these obstacles. It is therefore a good practice to identify any such obstacles during stakeholder analysis so that they can be taken into account when planning. Obstacles could include items such as:
Lack of knowledge and information;
Was not sufficiently engaged during planning and decision-making;
Has not yet been requested to participate;
Is already committed to another project or responsibility and is not available;
Cannot be made available due to expected location and duration;
Does not agree with the changes being proposed, sees the changes as a potential threat;
Does not have the requisite level of authority to be able to contribute effectively;
Does not have the requisite skills to be able to contribute effectively;
Is in conflict with other stakeholders;
Is an external provider and no formal agreement has yet been put in place;
There may be doubts about the capability, stability or availability of an external supplier, consultant or contractor.
Based on the positioning of stakeholders on the Stakeholder Map and on the obstacles that have been identified, appropriate activities can be listed and included in an action plan.