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Engineering Systems Integration
stakeholder influence(s) and how to manage those influences; (3) a more thorough examination of multiple-use objectives; (4) identification and resolution
of potentially conflicting requirements; and (5) exploration of architecture
alternatives. Additionally, stakeholder analysis encourages a forum to
improve mutual understanding about issues, ideas, and solutions that represent potential stakeholders not included or perhaps not even yet considered
stakeholders. Stakeholder analysis aids discovery of new stakeholders and
their requirements. This more extensive involvement increases the longterm stability of the system’s appropriateness and applicability to changing
situations. The methodology outlined here becomes increasingly important
for systems of greater worth and complexity.
Stakeholder Analysis
Stakeholder analysis is the systematic gathering and analyzing of qualitative
information to determine whose interests should be taken into account when
developing and/or implementing a policy or program. The sheer number of
potential stakeholders that can influence system development can be quite
large. Therefore, instead of posing the question “Who should be considered
a stakeholder for a system?” an alternative question is “Who should not be
considered a stakeholder for a particular system?” Answers to these two
questions help further identify stakeholders.
Consequently, stakeholder analysis is an examination not only of the individual stakeholders but also of how their motives, interests, and values affect
system development. In conducting a stakeholder analysis, a clear purpose
must be defined in the beginning or the analysis could lose focus and direction resulting from the large quantity of stakeholder inputs.
There are five major steps in stakeholder analysis: (1) identification of potential stakeholders; (2) classification of potential stakeholders; (3) determination
of potential stakeholder and system relationships; (4) determination of key
system stakeholders; and (5) definition of stakeholder requirements.
The list of potential stakeholders begin quite naturally with the customer(s)
and user(s) who have supplied requirements for the development project.
Expanding the list by referrals is the straightforward means to complete this
first step.
The next stage in the identification process is the creation of scenarios that
require potential stakeholder interactions. These scenarios may help identify additional stakeholders overlooked during the initial brainstorming
session. The scenarios should involve aspects of the system under development. Each scenario is then adapted using events that give rise to the reason
behind the scenario. These adaptations take the form of parameter changes
related to timing, location, participants, or other pertinent factors that alter