AI Project Stakeholder Register¶
Template 30-60 minutes Easy
What this is: A structured register for identifying and managing everyone who has a stake in your AI project. Get this right early, and you'll avoid nasty surprises later.
Get the Template¶
Using the CSV
The CSV file opens directly in Excel, Google Sheets, or Numbers. Just double-click to open and start filling in your stakeholders.
How to Use This Template¶
- Brainstorm stakeholders List everyone who might care about, be affected by, or influence your AI project. Use the common stakeholders list below as a prompt. Err on the side of including too many.
- Categorise each stakeholder Assign each person to a category (Decision Maker, Expert, Impacted User, or Oversight). This helps you tailor your engagement approach.
- Map interest and influence Rate each stakeholder's interest (how much they care) and influence (how much power they have). Use the matrix to determine your engagement strategy.
- Plan your engagement Based on the matrix, decide how you'll engage each stakeholder. High influence + high interest = manage closely. Low both = minimal effort.
- Keep it alive Review monthly. Stakeholders change roles, new ones emerge, and interests shift. A stale register is worse than no register.
Worked Example¶
Example: Document Classification AI Project
Here's how a real project team filled out their stakeholder register for an AI system that classifies incoming correspondence: | ID | Name | Role | Category | Interest | Influence | Strategy | |----|------|------|----------|----------|-----------|----------| | S001 | Sarah Chen | Deputy Secretary, Service Delivery | A | High | High | **Manage Closely** - Monthly steering, approve milestones | | S002 | James Wu | CIO | A | High | High | **Manage Closely** - Weekly tech check-ins | | S003 | Maria Santos | Privacy Officer | D | High | Medium | **Keep Informed** - PIA workshops, regular updates | | S004 | Tom Bennett | Mail Room Team Lead | C | High | Low | **Keep Informed** - User testing, training lead | | S005 | Lisa Park | Union Delegate | C | High | Medium | **Keep Informed** - Workforce impact consultation | | S006 | David Kim | Enterprise Architect | B | Medium | Medium | **Consult** - Architecture review sessions | | S007 | OAIC | External Regulator | D | Low | High | **Keep Satisfied** - Formal submissions as required |
The Blank Template¶
Copy this table to start your own register:
| ID | Name | Role/Title | Organisation | Category | Interest Level | Influence Level | Engagement Strategy | Primary Contact | Notes | |----|------|-----------|--------------|----------|----------------|-----------------|---------------------|-----------------|-------| | S001 | | | | A/B/C/D | High/Med/Low | High/Med/Low | | | | | S002 | | | | | | | | | | | S003 | | | | | | | | | | | S004 | | | | | | | | | | | S005 | | | | | | | | | | | S006 | | | | | | | | | | | S007 | | | | | | | | | | | S008 | | | | | | | | | |
Stakeholder Categories¶
Use these categories to group your stakeholders:
Who: People with authority to approve, fund, or kill your project.
Examples: Executive sponsors, budget holders, steering committee members
Why they matter: Without them, nothing happens. Or everything stops.
Who: Technical and domain experts who inform requirements and validate solutions.
Examples: Data scientists, enterprise architects, policy experts, domain specialists
Why they matter: They know where the bodies are buried. They'll spot problems you can't see.
Who: People who will interact with or be affected by the AI system.
Examples: Frontline staff, citizens/customers, adjacent teams, union reps
Why they matter: If they don't adopt it, you've built nothing. If they're harmed by it, you've built a liability.
Who: Internal and external parties responsible for governance, compliance, and audit.
Examples: Privacy officers, legal, audit, ethics committees, regulators
Why they matter: They can stop you late in the game if you haven't engaged early.
Interest-Influence Matrix¶
Plot your stakeholders on this matrix to determine your engagement strategy:
quadrantChart
title Stakeholder Interest-Influence Matrix
x-axis Low Interest --> High Interest
y-axis Low Influence --> High Influence
quadrant-1 Manage Closely
quadrant-2 Keep Satisfied
quadrant-3 Monitor
quadrant-4 Keep InformedManage Closely
High Interest + High Influence
Your key players. Active engagement, involve in decisions, regular face time. These relationships require investment.
Your key players. Active engagement, involve in decisions, regular face time. These relationships require investment.
Keep Satisfied
Low Interest + High Influence
Powerful but not paying attention. Brief regularly, don't surprise them, seek input on major decisions only.
Powerful but not paying attention. Brief regularly, don't surprise them, seek input on major decisions only.
Keep Informed
High Interest + Low Influence
Care deeply but can't block you. Regular comms, address concerns, leverage as advocates and early adopters.
Care deeply but can't block you. Regular comms, address concerns, leverage as advocates and early adopters.
Monitor
Low Interest + Low Influence
Minimal effort required. General updates, don't ignore completely, watch for changes in their position.
Minimal effort required. General updates, don't ignore completely, watch for changes in their position.
Common Government AI Stakeholders¶
Use this as a checklist. Have you considered everyone?
Executive & Leadership¶
| Role | Typical Interest | Don't Forget To... |
|---|---|---|
| Secretary/Deputy Secretary | Strategic alignment, reputation risk | Get explicit support, not just absence of objection |
| Chief Information Officer | Technical feasibility, integration | Involve in architecture decisions early |
| Chief Data Officer | Data governance, quality | Engage on data strategy, not just data access |
| Chief Finance Officer | Budget, ROI, ongoing costs | Be realistic about total cost of ownership |
| Program/Portfolio Director | Dependencies, resource conflicts | Map your project against their other priorities |
Technical & Data¶
| Role | Typical Interest | Don't Forget To... |
|---|---|---|
| IT Security Team | Security controls, attack surface | Involve early; late security reviews kill timelines |
| Enterprise Architects | Standards, integration patterns | Get their blessing on your approach |
| Data Engineers | Data pipelines, quality | They know where the data problems are |
| Operations/Platform Team | Support burden, maintenance | Design for operability from day one |
| Existing System Owners | Integration, change impact | They may see your project as a threat |
Business & Policy¶
| Role | Typical Interest | Don't Forget To... |
|---|---|---|
| Business Unit Leaders | Efficiency gains, outcomes | Quantify benefits in their language |
| Policy Officers | Legislative compliance, precedent | Check for upcoming policy changes |
| Change Managers | Adoption, training needs | Involve in design, not just rollout |
| Communications Team | Messaging, stakeholder comms | Prepare them for questions |
| Procurement | Vendor management, contracts | Understand lead times and constraints |
Users & Affected Parties¶
| Role | Typical Interest | Don't Forget To... |
|---|---|---|
| Frontline Staff | Job impact, usability | Co-design with them, not for them |
| Citizens/Customers | Service quality, fairness | Test with real users, not proxies |
| Union Representatives | Workforce impact, consultation rights | Early engagement avoids formal disputes |
| Accessibility Champions | Inclusive design | Include in testing, not just review |
| Adjacent Teams | Knock-on effects | Your efficiency might be their extra work |
Oversight & Governance¶
| Role | Typical Interest | Don't Forget To... |
|---|---|---|
| Privacy Officer | PII handling, APPs compliance | Start the PIA conversation early |
| Legal Counsel | Liability, contracts, legislation | Get advice, not just sign-off |
| Internal Audit | Controls, evidence, compliance | Understand what they'll want to see |
| Ethics Committee/RAI Team | Fairness, transparency | Engage genuinely, not as box-ticking |
| External Regulators (OAIC, etc.) | Compliance with regulations | Know when formal engagement is required |
| Minister's Office | Political risk, announceables | Understand the political calendar |
Engagement Levels¶
Match your engagement approach to stakeholder needs:
| Level | What It Means | Activities | When to Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inform | One-way communication | Newsletters, reports, announcements | Low interest stakeholders |
| Consult | Gather input, you decide | Surveys, workshops, review sessions | Medium interest, need their expertise |
| Involve | Work together, input shapes outcomes | Working groups, co-design | High interest, affected by decisions |
| Collaborate | Shared decision-making | Joint governance, consensus-building | High influence, complex trade-offs |
| Empower | They have final say | Delegation, approval authority | Accountable decision makers |
Communication Preferences¶
Track how each stakeholder prefers to be engaged:
| Stakeholder | Preferred Channel | Frequency | Format Preference | Escalation Path | |-------------|-------------------|-----------|-------------------|-----------------| | | Email / Teams / In-person | Weekly / Fortnightly / Monthly | Brief / Detailed / Visual | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Stakeholder Risks¶
Identify what could go wrong with each key stakeholder:
| Stakeholder | Risk | Likelihood | Impact | Mitigation | |-------------|------|------------|--------|------------| | | Withdraws support | H/M/L | H/M/L | | | | Raises late objections | | | | | | Changes role/leaves | | | | | | Scope creep requests | | | |
Register Maintenance¶
Your register is only useful if it's current:
| Activity | Frequency | Who |
|---|---|---|
| Review stakeholder list for completeness | Monthly | Project Manager |
| Update engagement status and notes | After each interaction | Project Manager |
| Reassess interest/influence ratings | Quarterly or at milestones | Project Manager + Sponsor |
| Full register review with sponsor | Quarterly | Project Sponsor |
| Archive departed stakeholders | As needed | Project Manager |
Version History¶
| Version | Date | Author | Changes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | Initial register created | ||