Stakeholders and Generative AI
- Identifying Project Stakeholders
- The Impact of AI on Stakeholder Expectations
- Stakeholder Analysis with AI
- Engaging Stakeholders through AI-Driven Communication
- AI as a Stakeholder for Project Management?
- Ethical Considerations and Professional Responsibilities
- Key Points to Remember
- Technical Guide
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
Projects succeed if you as the project leader successfully identify and engage stakeholders, constantly communicating with them and meeting their expectations. Stakeholder management is more than just a valuable skill—it’s a necessity. Generative artificial intelligence (AI) is a precious tool in this effort. Whether you’re a novice or an experienced project manager, you can benefit by leveraging AI throughout the project delivery life cycle. AI technologies will significantly enhance productivity and efficiency, from identifying and engaging stakeholders to maintaining effective communication.
AI in Action: LML Home Improvement
For each topic, we will present a real-world use case of an AI model such as ChatGPT, in action. LML Home Improvement Inc. was founded by Luiz M. Lorenzo, originally a carpenter by trade. After a successful start in the home improvement sector, completing small projects such as building basements, rooms, and garages, Luiz sought to grow his business. He decided to move into the home construction sector. He’d heard of AI tools like ChatGPT and quickly mastered using ChatGPT at a basic level.
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Luiz needed to identify stakeholders for his new construction project in a small neighborhood in the outskirts of Acton, Massachusetts. Using a ChatGPT app on his phone, he was quickly presented with a list of eight stakeholders. He was fully aware of most of the stakeholders, such as those listed here:
Architect/designer
Subcontractors
Suppliers
Finance providers
Local government/regulators
But it was the list of stakeholders that he had not been aware of that proved to be valuable. Luiz had no experience with issues that could arise when a large project is planned. The AI models have information about projects, both small and large, and ChatGPT listed three additional stakeholders he had not considered:
Neighboring Community: Neighbors may have a stake, particularly regarding disruption during the construction process.
Real Estate Agents: Real estate agents could assess the home’s potential value.
Insurance Companies: LML Home Improvement had insurance, but the fact that AI prominently identified insurance companies got Luiz thinking about whether his insurance was sufficient.
Luiz wrote a letter to the neighboring community and informed them about the disruption. He proactively contacted a real estate agent to get ideas for designing and furnishing. Finally, Luiz increased his liability coverage after talking with his existing insurance company.
Identifying Project Stakeholders
In this section, we will consider how AI can facilitate identifying the stakeholders for any given project. Later in the chapter, we will illustrate how you can keep your stakeholders engaged by keeping them better informed, involved, and appreciated.
Understanding Stakeholders
Stakeholders. We’ve all heard the term. Let’s consult the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK):
A stakeholder is an individual, group, or organization who may affect, be affected by, or perceive itself to be affected by a decision, activity, or outcome of a project.
Basically, a stakeholder in project management is anyone interested in the project’s outcome and who is impacted by the project. These could be individuals, groups, or even organizations. Stakeholders can be internal or external to the project.
The PMBOK guide identifies eight project performance domains: groups of related activities critical for effectively delivering project outcomes. The first and possibly the most important domain is the stakeholder performance domain.
There are different kinds of stakeholders in the project environment (Figure 2.1), and they all need to be identified, rated for their impact, and managed.
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FIGURE 2.1 Stakeholders in the project environment
Throughout this book, you will see examples of the project team—developers, designers, clients, and sponsors—interacting with AI tools. This might include project management software and automation tools. In this chapter, we focus specifically on using an AI tool such as ChatGPT to streamline various aspects of the project with stakeholders.
Leveraging AI to Identify Stakeholders
Identifying stakeholders is a critical aspect of project management. So, how can you leverage AI to streamline this process?
Here’s where a tool like ChatGPT comes in handy. Its ability to quickly process large volumes of data can help identify stakeholders based on their interactions and engagements. To begin with, such language models have learned lessons from millions of projects across industries of all types. Additionally, with training, these models can analyze additional project data such as active or historic email communications and identify individuals who are involved in project-related conversations and who might be stakeholders. AI tools can delve into organizational data to identify relevant parties, depending, of course, on the training or learning documents provided. AI can identify stakeholders from various sources, including project documentation, emails, and social media. ChatGPT, for example, understands the context and frequency of these communications. These techniques can help you, as a project manager, quickly and accurately identify the relevant stakeholders.
A fictional case study can clarify this. Say you are working with Global Health Inc., a start-up in a highly digitized industry. Let’s see how AI can help you with activities associated with the stakeholder performance domain. Global Health has several email threads about the project. Consider the following prompt:
“ChatGPT, can you analyze these email threads and help me identify potential stakeholders for our project?”
I’d be happy to help, but as an AI language model, I’m unable to directly access or analyze your emails due to privacy and security concerns. However, I can guide you on how to do this analysis yourself or with a supervised AI tool that complies with your organization’s data security guidelines. Typically, you’d look for individuals frequently involved in the email conversations, those with decision-making power, and those impacted by the project.
This conversation highlights the critical aspect of data privacy and the role of responsible AI use in project management. Before utilizing AI tools like ChatGPT, ensure you are fully aware of and compliant with your company’s data privacy guidelines. If you’re granting AI access to your emails or manually pasting email content into ChatGPT, it’s paramount that you’re not violating any company rules or regulations. An interaction might look like this
“I have been rummaging through all these email threads for our Global Health project, and it’s making my head spin. We need to identify our stakeholders, but there are so many emails! Could you lend me a hand?”
I get where you’re coming from, and I’d be thrilled to help! Based on what we understand about the project and its correspondence and the emails you provided, I noticed a chain of emails between John Doe, the Director of Global Health Operations, and Sarah Brown, the Head of Finance, deep in discussing the project’s budget.
There are also multiple threads where Mike Green, a Regional Director, juggles resources and timelines with the project team.
There are also emails from Emily White, a Senior Analyst, voicing concerns and sharing insights about how the project might unfold.
Now, what could you infer from this?
John Doe, the Operations Director, is likely to be one of your key stakeholders. He’s right in the thick of things, especially regarding financial decisions.
Sarah Brown is equally crucial. As the person holding the purse strings, she’s a stakeholder who would significantly influence the project’s financial standing.
And let’s remember Mike Green. His input as a Regional Director in project planning and resource allocation suggests that he’s an operational stakeholder who can directly influence project execution.
Emily White, too, deserves a mention. She might not have a managerial role, but as a Senior Analyst, her insights about the project’s impact make her a stakeholder to be considered.
By playing out this scenario, you can see how an AI tool can help you sift through all that data and identify your stakeholders. All four individuals could be stakeholders based on their involvement and influence. Remember, this is a simplified example, but it gives you an idea of how AI works.
Let’s see a few more prompts to ChatGPT as examples. First, a prompt to get started on the list of stakeholders:
“ChatGPT, I have a list of people I have engaged in email conversations about the Global Health website project. Can you review my emails and help me identify other key stakeholders and their role in these interactions?”
Sure, I can help you analyze the frequency and context of these interactions. However, please note that while I can provide suggestions based on data, the final decision should also consider qualitative factors like their influence, interest, and impact on the project. Here is a table that might address your needs:
| STAKEHOLDER | ROLE |
|---|---|
| John Smith | Director of Business Analysis |
| Mary King | Director of IT |
| Das Pear | Director of Marketing |
Isn’t it incredible how AI can transform the working day of a project manager? The possibilities of AI being able to scan through heaps of data to identify potential stakeholders are endless.
The beauty of AI lies in its ability to dive deeper. For instance, AI can analyze the tone, sentiment, and context of email conversations and other forms of communication. This level of analysis goes beyond just identifying who is involved to discerning how they’re involved, their potential impact, and their interest in the project.
Consider a prompt like this:
“Analyze the sentiment and context of interactions with Jane from the IT department regarding the Global Health website project. Could you provide an estimate of her potential influence and interest?”
ChatGPT will scan the data, look for patterns and contextual cues, and might respond with something like this:
Based on my analysis, Jane frequently discusses the technical aspects of the project and often proposes innovative solutions. This suggests she has considerable technical influence and seems highly invested in the project’s success. The overall sentiment of the interactions with Jane appears positive.
Now, you’ve identified a stakeholder and gained insights into her potential influence and interest. These insights can be invaluable in strategizing stakeholder engagement.
Engagement, too, can reach new heights of personalization with AI to solidify someone’s role as a stakeholder. Let’s say you ask,
“Could you draft an engaging, personalized update for Jane acknowledging her contributions and encouraging her continued involvement?”
ChatGPT might respond with a draft saying:
Dear Jane,
Just wanted to take a moment to acknowledge the remarkable work you’ve been doing on the Global Health website project. Your knack for technical problem-solving and innovative suggestions have really lit up the way forward for us. Your dedication is appreciated, and we look forward to your continued involvement.
Updating the Stakeholder List
Consider the complex dynamics of a project: multiple teams, various roles, shifting priorities, and an evolving environment. In this context, you must keep updating your stakeholder list, acknowledging that new significant participants may emerge while others may recede into the background.
AI can play a critical role in this dynamic stakeholder identification. By continuously monitoring and analyzing communications and interactions, AI can alert you to new potential stakeholders as they emerge. Here’s another hypothetical conversation with ChatGPT:
“Are there any emerging stakeholders in the Global Health website project based on the recent email communications?”
After analyzing the recent interactions, I have noticed that Alex from the Legal department has started actively participating in the discussions. Although not previously identified as a key stakeholder, Alex’s increasing involvement and legal expertise might make him a significant stakeholder moving forward.
This continuous monitoring allows you to keep your finger on the pulse of the project, ensuring that no potential stakeholder is overlooked.