Stakeholder Management and Communication
Communicate all aspects of IT strategic planning with stakeholders, including key individuals in the IT function, and business unit heads. Manage stakeholder expectations, engagement, and sponsorship.
Improvement Planning
Practices-Outcomes-Metrics (POM)
Representative POMs are described for Stakeholder Management and Communication at each level of maturity.
- 1Initial
- Practice
- Start to communicate IT plans at least on an ad hoc basis to stakeholders based on individual requests that are made.
- Outcome
- Some stakeholders may start to become aware of IT strategies or priorities.
- Practice
- The extent of stakeholder influence of IT Strategic Planning is through their need to deliver specific system and/or application related programmes.
- Outcome
- Some discussion between the IT function and its customers over priorities for IT investment may occur.
- Practice
- Start to manage stakeholder communication at departmental level.
- Outcome
- Informed stakeholders are more likely to participate in IT Strategic Planning.
- 2Basic
- Practice
- Communicate to some stakeholders (e.g. circulation to executive board, finance, HR) even if this is reactive and using few formalized templates.
- Outcome
- There will be gaps in the message coverage.
- Metric
- # emails/reports to inform wider organizations of strategic intent and progress.
- Practice
- Hold a combination of both informal and formal discussions and meetings between the key stakeholders and those charged with IT Strategic Planning.
- Outcome
- Stakeholders who seek to influence IT strategy will receive a hearing, but it is likely that only the key stakeholders will be canvassed for their input.
- Metric
- # of meetings of staff from the IT function to discuss and review Strategic Planning.
- Practice
- Achieve engagement of key stakeholders in IT Strategic Planning and their sponsorship of resulting projects, even if this is primarily through the informal efforts of individuals.
- Outcome
- Quality of interpretation of stakeholder input is improving but may remain inconsistent in areas, due to the lack of a standard process for capturing that input.
- Metric
- # of resources assigned to stakeholder relationship management.
- 3Intermediate
- Practice
- Establish a formal, bi-directional communication protocol.
- Outcome
- Both the IT function and some other business units are better informed on each other's plans and underlying rationale.
- Metric
- # emails/reports to inform wider organizations of strategic intent and progress.
- Practice
- Formally canvas stakeholders for their input to IT Strategic Planning, and record their input.
- Outcome
- Business orientation of IT strategic plans is enhanced through involvement of well informed business stakeholders in IT strategy development.
- Metrics
- # of meetings of IT function staff to discuss and review Strategic Planning.
- Formal SP meetings actually held vs. planned (# & %).
- Practice
- Embed the role of stakeholders in the IT Strategic Planning work plan.
- Outcome
- The transparent and consistent gathering and documentation of stakeholder inputs improves the efficiency of the business requirements gathering process.
- Metrics
- # of resources assigned to stakeholder relationship management.
- Internal stakeholders actually contributing to Strategic Planning vs. expected to contribute (# & %).
- 4Advanced
- Practice
- Communicate regularly with all stakeholders on IT strategic plans.
- Outcome
- Issues of contention or misunderstandings get resolved during the planning stage rather than later, at greater cost, during development.
- Metric
- # emails/reports to inform wider organizations of strategic intent and progress.
- Practice
- Gather stakeholder input through regular and structured reviews of the published strategy artefacts.
- Outcome
- The IT strategic plan better represents stakeholder views and there is increased stakeholder ownership of the plan.
- Metrics
- # of meetings of IT function staff to discuss and review Strategic Planning.
- Formal SP meetings actually held vs. planned (# & %).
- # of meetings of other business unit & IT function staff to discuss and review Strategic Planning.
- Practice
- Ensure the engagement of stakeholders is managed jointly by the IT function and other business units.
- Outcome
- Stakeholder participation in IT strategic plan development and on going plan realization improves.
- Metrics
- # of resources assigned to stakeholder relationship management.
- Internal stakeholders actually contributing to Strategic Planning vs. expected to contribute (# & %).
- 5Optimized
- Practice
- Communicate widely the IT strategic plans to the business ecosystem via the same channels and using the same formats as the business strategic plan.
- Outcome
- IT strategic plans are understood in the business context by all stakeholders, just like the manufacturing strategy, the marketing strategy or other functional strategies.
- Metric
- # emails/reports to inform relevant stakeholders of strategic intent and progress.
- Practice
- Ensure key stakeholders and IT function management jointly drive IT Strategic Planning.
- Outcome
- A single, integrated strategic plan replaces separate business and IT strategic plans.
- Metrics
- # of meetings of IT function staff to discuss and review Strategic Planning.
- Formal SP meetings actually held vs. planned (# & %).
- # of meetings of other business units & IT function staff to discuss and review Strategic Planning.
- Practice
- Implement clearly defined planning processes to prescribe and oversee the roles of all parties incorporating those in the business ecosystem, involved in IT Strategic Planning.
- Outcome
- All parties understand their roles and responsibilities in relation to IT Strategic Planning, and risks of conflict or dysfunctional behaviour are reduced.
- Metrics
- # of resources assigned to stakeholder relationship management.
- Internal stakeholders actually contributing to Strategic Planning vs. expected to contribute (# & %).
- External stakeholders actually contributing to Strategic Planning vs. expected to contribute (# & %).