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Overview

The /arckit.stakeholders command performs comprehensive stakeholder analysis using a Driver → Goal → Outcome framework to understand WHO cares about the project and WHY.

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When to Use

  • Phase: Phase 2 - Stakeholder Analysis
  • Timing: BEFORE business case and requirements
  • Purpose: Establish complete traceability from stakeholder drivers through goals to measurable outcomes

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Command Usage

/arckit.stakeholders <project ID or group>

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Examples

# Analyze stakeholders for existing project
/arckit.stakeholders 001

# Focus on specific group
/arckit.stakeholders senior leadership

# Cloud migration context
/arckit.stakeholders Analyze stakeholders for cloud migration where CFO wants cost savings, CTO wants innovation, Operations is worried about downtime

# UK Government context
/arckit.stakeholders DWP benefits chatbot where Minister wants quick delivery, Civil Service wants due diligence, Citizens need accuracy

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What It Creates

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Phase 1: Identify Stakeholders

  • Internal Stakeholders: Executives, business units, technical teams, operations, compliance, security, finance
  • External Stakeholders: Regulators, customers, vendors, partners
  • Power-Interest Grid: ASCII box diagram showing engagement levels
  • Stakeholder Details Table: Power, Interest, Quadrant, Engagement Strategy
Power-Interest Grid Example: 
           HIGH INTEREST
        │
        │  Collaborate      Involve
  HIGH  │  (CEO, CTO)      (Dev Team)
  POWER ├─────────────┼─────────────
        │  Monitor         Inform
  LOW   │  (Facilities)    (End Users)
        │
           LOW INTEREST

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Phase 2: Understand Drivers

For each key stakeholder, identify underlying motivations:
Driver TypeDescriptionExample
STRATEGICCompetitive advantage, market position, innovation”Modernize tech stack to attract talent”
OPERATIONALEfficiency, quality, speed, reliability”Reduce invoice processing from 7 days to 2 days”
FINANCIALCost reduction, revenue growth, ROI”Reduce datacenter costs by £2M annually”
COMPLIANCERegulatory requirements, audit findings, risk”Achieve ISO 27001 certification”
RISKAvoiding penalties, preventing failures”Zero unplanned downtime during migration”
PERSONALCareer advancement, workload reduction”Deliver manifesto commitment for promotion”
CUSTOMERSatisfaction, retention, acquisition”Improve Net Promoter Score from 45 to 70”
Each driver includes:
  • Clear driver statement (what motivates them)
  • Context & background (why this exists)
  • Intensity: CRITICAL | HIGH | MEDIUM | LOW
  • Enablers (what would help)
  • Blockers (what would hinder)

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Phase 3: Map Drivers to Goals

Convert drivers into SMART goals: Example:
  • Driver: CFO - Reduce operational costs (FINANCIAL, HIGH)
  • Goal: G-1: Reduce invoice processing time from 7 days to 2 days by Q2 2026
    • Success Metric: Processing time (days)
    • Baseline: 7 days
    • Target: 2 days
    • Measurement Method: Daily automated reporting from finance system
    • Dependencies: Finance system API access
    • Risks: Data quality issues in legacy system

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Phase 4: Map Goals to Outcomes

Define measurable business outcomes: Example:
  • Goal: G-1: Reduce processing time from 7 days to 2 days
  • Outcome: O-1: 30% operational efficiency increase measured by transactions per FTE
    • KPI: Transactions processed per FTE per month
    • Current Value: 500 transactions/FTE/month
    • Target Value: 650 transactions/FTE/month (+30%)
    • Measurement Frequency: Monthly
    • Business Value: £2M annual cost savings (CFO satisfied)
    • Timeline: Q2 2026 (Target), Q3 2026 (Validated)
    • Leading Indicators: Processing time reduction (measured daily)
    • Lagging Indicators: Headcount reduction, cost savings (measured quarterly)

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Phase 5: Traceability Matrix

Complete Stakeholder → Driver → Goal → Outcome traceability:
StakeholderDriverGoalOutcome
CFOD-1: Reduce costs (FINANCIAL, HIGH)G-1: Reduce processing time 7d → 2dO-1: 30% efficiency increase, £2M savings
CTOD-2: Modernize stack (STRATEGIC, HIGH)G-2: 80% cloud workloads by 2026O-2: 50% faster time-to-market
OperationsD-3: Minimize downtime risk (RISK, CRITICAL)G-3: Zero unplanned downtimeO-3: 99.95% uptime maintained

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Phase 6: Conflict Analysis

Identify Conflicts:
  • CFO wants speed (cost savings start sooner) vs Operations wants slow careful migration (minimize risk)
  • CTO wants innovation (new technologies) vs Security wants proven solutions (reduce attack surface)
Resolution Strategies:
  • Prioritize: Choose one stakeholder’s need over another based on power/importance
  • Compromise: Find middle ground (e.g., phased approach - quick wins first, critical apps later)
  • Phase: Satisfy both but at different times (MVP for speed, Phase 2 for quality)
  • Innovate: Creative solution that satisfies both (e.g., automated testing for speed AND quality)
Decision Authority: Reference RACI matrix for who decides

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Phase 7: Engagement Plan

For each stakeholder:
  • Messaging: Address their specific drivers
  • Communication Frequency: Weekly, monthly, quarterly
  • Channels: Email updates, dashboard, town halls
  • Change Impact: How this affects them (positive, neutral, negative)
  • Resistance Risk: High, medium, low
  • Role: Champion (advocate), Fence-sitter (neutral), Resister (blocker)

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Phase 8: Governance (RACI Matrix)

DecisionResponsibleAccountableConsultedInformed
Technology SelectionCTOCEOSecurity, OpsAll staff
Budget ApprovalCFOCEOFinance teamStakeholders
Go-Live DecisionOps ManagerSROTesting, SecurityEnd users

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UK Government Specific Context

For UK Government projects, the command identifies specific drivers:
StakeholderTypical Drivers
MinisterDeliver manifesto commitment, respond to parliamentary questions (POLITICAL)
Permanent SecretaryEnsure proper governance, avoid NAO criticism (RISK/ACCOUNTABILITY)
Service DeliveryReduce call center volume, improve citizen experience (OPERATIONAL)
Digital/TechnologyModern architecture, attract digital talent (STRATEGIC)
CitizensFast accurate answers, accessible service (USER)
ICOData protection compliance, transparency (REGULATORY)
TreasuryValue for money, spending controls (FINANCIAL)
UK-Specific Outcomes:
  • Ministerial dashboard metrics for parliamentary questions
  • NAO audit readiness
  • GDS service assessment pass rate
  • Technology Code of Practice compliance
  • User satisfaction on GOV.UK

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Output File

Creates: projects/{project}/ARC-{PROJECT_ID}-STKE-v1.0.md Contains:
  • Executive Summary
  • Power-Interest Grid (ASCII)
  • Stakeholder Catalog (detailed profiles)
  • Driver Analysis (by category)
  • Driver → Goal Mapping
  • Goal → Outcome Mapping
  • Complete Traceability Matrix
  • Conflict Analysis & Resolutions
  • Engagement & Communication Plan
  • RACI Matrix
  • Risk Register (stakeholder-related risks)

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Dependencies

Stakeholder analysis informs:
Downstream ArtifactHow Stakeholders Are Used
RISK (Risk Register)Every risk MUST have owner from RACI matrix
SOBC (Business Case)Every benefit MUST trace to stakeholder goal
REQ (Requirements)High-priority drivers get MUST requirements
DATA (Data Model)Data owners assigned from RACI matrix
Engagement PlanCommunication tailored to drivers

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Quality Checks

A good stakeholder analysis:
  • ✅ Identifies all stakeholders with power or interest (don’t miss hidden influencers)
  • ✅ Digs into underlying motivations (not surface-level wants)
  • ✅ Shows clear Driver → Goal → Outcome traceability chains
  • ✅ Quantifies everything possible (metrics, timelines, costs)
  • ✅ Acknowledges conflicts honestly and proposes pragmatic resolutions
  • ✅ Identifies synergies that create stakeholder alignment
  • ✅ Provides actionable communication and engagement strategies
  • ✅ Includes governance and decision rights

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Next Steps

After stakeholder analysis:
  1. Review with SRO to validate stakeholders and drivers
  2. Run /arckit.risk to create risk register (uses RACI matrix for risk owners)
  3. Run /arckit.sobc to build business case (uses stakeholder goals as benefits)
  4. Run /arckit.requirements to create requirements (aligned to high-priority drivers)

Risk Management

Create risk register with stakeholder risk owners

Business Case

Build SOBC from stakeholder goals

Requirements

Align requirements to stakeholder drivers

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Example Outputs

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