TOOLBOX: STAKEHOLDER ANALYSIS
In designing the project framework the principal stakeholders need to be involved in: •
agreeing objectives, outputs and activities;
•
determining and weighting risks (assumptions);
•
identifying indicators for measuring progress.
Stakeholders may well select different indicators. Minimally we should expect to include some of the donor's indicators, some from the main implementing agency and some from the primary stakeholders. Experience of several NGOs has shown that participatory processes using people's own indicators can generate quantifiable and time-bound indicators which relate to outputs relatively easily. Although indicators of purpose and goals are more difficult to develop in a participatory fashion, it is possible; and in fact debates with the other stakeholders on this issue have often started to show up differential objectives not only between beneficiary stakeholders but between them and the implementing agency, leading to a changed project purpose. This may need careful handling if, for instance, approval has been obtained only to appraise a project with the original purpose.