Overcoming the boundaries between stakeholders for project success

Failure to identify the right stakeholder at the right stage of a project creates a likely risk the project will fail. The stakeholders are the providers of the support needed by the project, be it resources, knowledge, or consent. Not identifying may lead to incorrect assumptions and hidden barriers impacting time, cost and quality. The Stakeholder environment is usually complex and is characterized by social, structural, and mental boundaries between stakeholder groups which can change throughout the project life cycle. This is made more complex if project creates new temporary boundaries that cross established boundaries, further blurring the situation.

This session will propose using two systems thinking methodologies to assist the PM in making sense of boundaries, and to develop strategies for stakeholder engagement.

First, the session will explore the application of Wenger et al’s (2014) Landscape of Practice methodology to address cross boundary engagement. Specifically, how Wenger’s (2014, p 99) concept of the convenor can not only enable access to stakeholders but also support the PM in acquiring knowledge of the stakeholder environment.

Secondly, the session will show how Critical Systems Heuristic can assist the PM with defining and appreciating the boundaries and revealing hidden power imbalances. We’ll then use a case study to demonstrate how, by combining both methodologies, many of the challenges of boundaries between stakeholders can be overcome.

Wenger-Trayner, E., Fenton-O'Creevy, M., Hutchinson, S., Kubiak, C., & Wenger-Trayner, B. (Eds.). (2014). Learning in Landscapes of Practice: Boundaries, identity, and knowledgeability in practice-based learning (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315777122