Prioritizing stakeholders in project management: Application of the multicritery hierarchy analysis method - AHP

Abstract

Objective of the study: this article aims to propose a hierarchy of criteria for the classification of stakeholders in Information Technology (IT) projects. Methodology: The prioritization method used is the AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) methodology in order to propose a ranking based on predefined criteria that may have its relevance adjusted according to the project's characteristics. Factors related to the attributes of power, legitimacy, urgency, interest, influence and impact of stakeholders in the projects were considered, investigating a sample of 53 project managers. Originality / Relevance: The use of the stakeholder approach and the AHP method provide a tool for prioritizing stakeholders in IT projects. Main results: In the evaluation of criteria that need more attention in management, it was found that stakeholders with Power, Legitimacy and Influence are the ones that usually demand more attention from project managers, thus leaving the criteria of Urgency, Interest and Impact as lower relevance. Methodological contributions: a method is presented that can be used and suitable for each project according to its environment and characteristics, making the classification of stakeholders to be customized and based on comparisons and not on perceptions. Contributions to management: refers to the improvement of the ability to classify stakeholders in IT projects, presenting a proposal to prioritize actions with the most critical stakeholders, suggesting a method for ordering that will facilitate the performance of the management team in cases of many people with a high probability of impacting or being impacted by the project.