An organization’s stakeholders have a vested interest in all of the company’s decisions. When it comes to updating important assets, such as a company’s website, the participation of stakeholders can make or fail a project. Stakeholder meetings are vital for better aligning the feedback of these key members. 

Photo by Jason Goodman on Unsplash

Let’s take a closer look at who these folks are and why these meetings are so important as part of a project.

Who Is A Stakeholder?

Let’s continue with the previous scenario and imagine your company is planning to revamp its website. Individuals that pay for the venture or work directly with the website are typically considered stakeholders in this situation. Here is a list of potential “stakeholder” responsibilities based on the type of organization:

• Director
• Deputy Director
• Chief Information, Financial, Executive Officer
• Project/Program Manager
• Marketing Manager
• Marketing Analyst
• Comptroller
• Commissioner
• Analyst (most likely the person(s) working with the site)

Types Of Stakeholder Meetings

Kick-off Meeting

The kick-off meeting is the first significant stakeholder meeting. It is used to explain the project’s objective, goals, and scope and includes all important stakeholders. It provides a formal approach for the project team to introduce themselves and explain what to expect during the course of the project. This covers how involved each stakeholder will be or how much communication they may expect as a result of their involvement. The core team may only meet once in a while to go over major updates. However, there may be a weekly team that meets to make incremental judgments regarding the website as it evolves.

Stakeholder Interviews

In general, your stakeholder interview questions should include information about the client’s goals/perceptions, messaging and customer engagement, content, administration, and vision. Here are a few examples of standard stakeholder interview questions:

• In your opinion, what are the three main reasons people visit your site?
• In the new site, are you hoping to enhance visitor interaction and feedback? 
• What are the three most important things your department wants to be accessible and visible on its new website?  
• How do you envision your department in five years?

How Many Stakeholder Meetings Should Take Place During A Project?

There is no correct or incorrect answer to this question. Every project is different. Each project brings its own set of obstacles. The goal is to only conduct necessary interviews when they are required. Too many may cause a lack of concentration, but too few may result in larger, more expensive adjustments to the site later in the project. Assessing the needs as thoroughly as feasible aids in determining the appropriate number of meetings to hold.

A stakeholder meeting might include the following items on the agenda:

• Project timeline
• Milestone tracker
• Milestone status
• Top Action Items such as the carbon disclosure project (CDP)
• Issues & Risks

This list is intended to contain only high-level objects. The goal of these discussions, once again, is to stay focused while simultaneously limiting risk. You should ensure that this occurs throughout the project’s duration.