Summary: It’s important to take time during the planning stages of a project to check in with the project’s stakeholders. These key stakeholder interviews will provide you with the guidance needed to deliver a product that not only meets but exceeds expectations. In this article, we’ll highlight the top 5 benefits of interviewing stakeholders prior to beginning a new development project.

There’s no denying it, for developers and project managers alike, stakeholders can have a somewhat looming presence throughout the duration of a project. It’s only natural, considering they are often deeply invested in the project’s outcome and can even greatly influence the development of it.

However, simply taking the time early on to interview those who have a stake in the outcome of the project can have numerous benefits.

5 Benefits of Interviewing Stakeholders

1. Craft a Cohesive Vision

Often there are a lot of key players involved in any given project. What better opportunity than the early stages to come to a common consensus on execution? Chances are there may be more than one stakeholder, so sitting down with each one and shedding light on their own unique perspective can help your team anticipate how they will each influence the process and enable you to drive alignment right from the start.

2. Set the Right Goals & Priorities

Consider this part of the research stage. Stakeholders can provide much needed context for what the success of a project will look like as they are part of the user audience. Therefore, inquiring about each stakeholder’s goals, agenda, and purpose will provide immeasurable insight in terms of delivering a satisfactory end product.

3. It Saves Time & Money

When you don’t have to rely on assumptions, you save your team from having to do time-consuming and costly rework. Having a conversation with stakeholders at the beginning is proactive and will help establish a realistic project plan and scope.

4. Collaboration

Collaboration and communication are just good business. Having a rapport with your project’s stakeholders builds trust and credibility. The relationship with stakeholders should be viewed as more of a partnership in which each side feels validated and helps drive the project forward.

5. Proactive Problem Solving

Stakeholders are a valuable asset to any project not only through their monetary support but also their ability to voice concerns and identify challenges. Interviewing them from the start is a great way to see the constraints your team may be facing and bring things to the surface now rather than later. Structure the development process like a walk-through, and allow them to aid in the decision-making process.

Not sure what to ask? Check out this article on Stakeholder Questions To Ask Before Starting the Software Development Process.

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