A business analyst (BA) was asked by the vice president (VP) to evaluate the organization's claims processing capability and recommend improvements. The VP agreed to the BA's recommended solution approach and identified an external vendor to develop the modernized claims processing system. Before contracting with the external vendor, the BA realized that the budget should be approved by the Chief Financial Officer. What was missed by the BA when performing stakeholder analysis?
The BA missed identifying the 'Decision making authority' of the stakeholders involved. In this scenario, although the VP agreed to the recommended solution approach and identified an external vendor, the approval of the budget lies with the Chief Financial Officer. Understanding who has the authority to make decisions, particularly financial ones, is crucial in stakeholder analysis to ensure that all necessary approvals are obtained in a timely manner.
Level of Power or Influence Understanding the nature of influence and the influence structures and channels within an organization can prove invaluable when seeking to build relationships and trust. Understanding the influence and attitude each stakeholder may have can help develop strategies for obtaining buy-in and collaboration. Business analysts evaluate how much influence is needed to implement a change compared to the amount of influence the key stakeholders can bring. If there is a mismatch between the influence required and the amount of influence the stakeholder has or is perceived to have, business analysts develop risk plans, responses and other strategies that might be needed to obtain the required level of support.