The stakeholder classification models helps you group stakeholders based on their influence, interest, or role in a project. In the Identify Stakeholders process of project stakeholder management, various models are used to understand and organize stakeholder information.
In today’s blog post, we will discuss various classification models to group stakeholders, but first, let us explain why you need them.
Importance of Stakeholder Classification
Stakeholder classification is important because it helps project managers understand who is involved in the project and how to manage them effectively. Every stakeholder has different interests, influence, and expectations. By classifying them, project teams can plan the right approach for communication and engagement.
Stakeholder classification is important for the following reasons:
- Better Communication: It ensures the right people get the right information at the right time.
- Efficient Resource Use: It helps focus time and effort on stakeholders who have the most impact.
- Conflict Reduction: It identifies potential issues early and helps address them before they escalate.
- Clear Priorities: It shows which stakeholders need close management and which need minimal attention.
- Improved Decision-Making: It provides insight into whose opinions and approvals matter most.
By classifying stakeholders, you can create targeted strategies to meet their needs and expectations. This improves trust, reduces misunderstandings, and supports smoother project progress.
In the Identify Stakeholders process, using classification models makes engagement more structured and effective. It helps ensure that everyone’s role and influence are understood, leading to stronger collaboration and better chances of project success.
Stakeholder Classification Models
Though you have many models to classify stakeholders, we will discuss the five most popular models.
1. Grid-Based Models
Grid-based models are useful tools for classifying stakeholders in a visual and simple way. They help you understand the level of attention and communication each stakeholder needs. By placing stakeholders into categories based on different factors, project teams can plan engagement strategies more effectively.
The three common grid-based models are:
- Power/Interest Grid: Groups stakeholders by their level of power and interest.
- Power/Influence Grid: Considers a stakeholder’s power and ability to influence outcomes.
- Influence/Impact Grid: Looks at how much a stakeholder can influence the project and how much the project affects them.
The Power/Interest Grid is the most widely used. It divides stakeholders into four categories:
- High Power, High Interest – Manage closely and be involved in key decisions.
- High Power, Low Interest – Keep them satisfied without overwhelming them with details.
- Low Power, High Interest – Keep informed and engaged as needed.
- Low Power, Low Interest – Monitor with minimal effort.
This model helps ensure that resources are spent on the right stakeholders while maintaining smooth communication and strong relationships.
2. Salience Model
The salience model classifies stakeholders based on three key attributes: power, legitimacy, and urgency. It helps project managers decide who should get the most attention and involvement in a project.
The three attributes are:
- Power: The ability of a stakeholder to influence project outcomes.
- Legitimacy: The stakeholder’s rightful involvement or authority in the project.
- Urgency: How quickly the stakeholder expects action or a response.
By combining these attributes, stakeholders are grouped into categories such as dormant (only power), discretionary (only legitimacy), demanding (only urgency), dominant (power and legitimacy), dependent (legitimacy and urgency), dangerous (power and urgency), and definitive (all three).
This model helps project managers focus on the most critical stakeholders, address their concerns promptly, and maintain balanced relationships. It ensures that no important stakeholder is overlooked during the Identify Stakeholders process.
3. Stakeholder Cube
The stakeholder cube model classifies stakeholders by using three dimensions instead of just two, giving a clearer view of their position in the project. It expands on grid-based models to provide more detailed analysis.
The three dimensions are:
- Power: The stakeholder’s ability to influence the project.
- Interest: How much the stakeholder cares about the project’s outcomes.
- Attitude: Whether the stakeholder supports or opposes the project.
By combining these dimensions, project managers can better understand stakeholder priorities and plan tailored engagement strategies.
The stakeholder cube model helps identify supporters who can be engaged for stronger backing and opponents who may need careful management to reduce risks and improve project success.
4. Directions of Influences
The direction of influence model classifies stakeholders based on their impact on the project or the project’s impact on them. It helps project managers understand the flow of influence and plan engagement accordingly.
The main categories are:
- Upward: Senior management, sponsors, or executives who have authority over the project.
- Downward: Team members or specialists who work on project tasks.
- Outward: External parties like customers, suppliers, regulators, or the public.
- Sideward: Peers or other departments with similar levels of authority.
By identifying the direction of influence, project managers can adjust communication and decision-making approaches to maintain strong relationships and ensure effective stakeholder involvement throughout the project.
Summary
The stakeholder classification model helps you understand and organize stakeholders based on their role, influence, and interest. Using models like grids, the salience model, the stakeholder cube, and the direction of influence ensures better communication and engagement.
Classifying stakeholders early in the project builds trust, prevents conflicts, and guides effective decision-making, leading to stronger collaboration and a higher chance of project success.
Further Reading:
- Stakeholders in Project Management
- Identify Stakeholders in Project Management
- Stakeholder Register in Project Management
- Stakeholder Engagement: How to Manage Project Stakeholders?
- What is Stakeholder Mapping?
References:
I am Mohammad Fahad Usmani, B.E. PMP, PMI-RMP. I have been blogging on project management topics since 2011. To date, thousands of professionals have passed the PMP exam using my resources.
