Stakeholder Analysis

  One of the keys to successful enterprise architecture (EA) implementation is the support offered by important stakeholders. Stakeholders are those with an interest in a given project. There are varying degrees of stakeholder involvement, which may be described as being in the following groups: • Key Players—These are the most important stakeholders; they have a vested interest in the approach, content, and output of the EA. • Keep Satisfied—The next most significant group are those who must obtain what they need from the EA and are less concerned with the construction and specific content of the EA. • Keep Informed—This group has a need to know what is being done and how it will benefit the organization overall; they have little interest in any of the details of how the EA is developed and used. • Minimal Effort—This group has little interest in the EA and requires little attention during the EA development effort. The benefits of successfully managing stakeholders include the following: • Obtaining support from the most influential stakeholders will help ensure that they both help to shape the EA and to improve its content and products. • Influential stakeholders are in a position to allocate human and financial resources to the EA effort, making it more likely to succeed. • Ongoing communication with stakeholders ensures their understanding of the process and benefits of EA, and enables their support if needed. • Successful management allows the EA team to draw on the support of stakeholders with a positive view of the process if they need to address negative reactions or setbacks in the organization.