A stakeholder list is useful, but it does not tell a project manager how people will respond to change. Some stakeholders provide resources or approvals. Others will use the product, support it or work differently after it is introduced. Their concerns deserve more than a standard update email.

Start with the impact on daily work

Ask each affected group what will change for them. Will they need training? Will an existing responsibility move to someone else? Will the new process add work before it saves time? These questions help distinguish a technical delivery problem from an adoption problem.

In PRINCE2 Version 7, people are one of the integrated elements of the method. The practical implication is that relationships and communication belong inside project management, rather than being treated as optional extras.

Use co-creation where it helps

Involve users and relevant influencers when designing products and agreeing ways of working. A fictional service team introducing a new request form could ask the staff who receive requests to test an early version. That is more useful than waiting until launch to discover that a required field is unclear.

Participation does not mean every stakeholder decides everything. Be explicit about which decisions remain with the project board and which details the team can develop together.

Make feedback part of the communication approach

Agree how stakeholders receive information, how often they receive it and how they can respond. A monthly report may suit a sponsor, while staff preparing for a process change may need a short demonstration and an opportunity to ask questions.

Check whether the message has been understood. Attendance at a meeting is not proof of agreement or readiness. Recording unresolved concerns gives the project manager something concrete to follow up.