How do you collaborate with stakeholders during problem resolution?

1 Identify the stakeholders

The first step in collaborating with stakeholders is to identify who they are and what their roles and interests are in the problem resolution. Stakeholders can include internal and external customers, users, service providers, vendors, managers, and other IT teams. You can use various tools and techniques to identify and prioritize your stakeholders, such as stakeholder analysis, RACI matrix, stakeholder map, or stakeholder register. By identifying your stakeholders, you can tailor your communication and engagement strategies to suit their needs and preferences.

2 Establish communication channels

The next step is to establish clear and consistent communication channels with your stakeholders. Communication is vital for problem resolution, as it helps you to share information, updates, feedback, and solutions with your stakeholders, and to avoid misunderstandings, confusion, and frustration. You can use various communication channels, such as email, phone, chat, video conference, or ticketing system, depending on the urgency, complexity, and frequency of the communication. You should also define the communication roles and responsibilities, such as who will send, receive, and respond to the communication, and how often and in what format.

3 Involve stakeholders in problem analysis

Another way to collaborate with stakeholders during problem resolution is to involve them in the problem analysis. Problem analysis is the process of finding the root cause, impact, and scope of the problem, and identifying possible solutions and alternatives. By involving your stakeholders in the problem analysis, you can leverage their knowledge, expertise, and perspective, and ensure that you address their needs and expectations. You can use various problem analysis techniques, such as brainstorming, fishbone diagram, 5 whys, or SWOT analysis, to facilitate stakeholder participation and input.

4 Seek feedback and approval

Once you have identified and evaluated the possible solutions and alternatives, you should seek feedback and approval from your stakeholders before implementing them. Feedback and approval are important for ensuring that your solutions are aligned with the stakeholder requirements, expectations, and satisfaction, and that they do not introduce new risks or issues. You can use various feedback and approval methods, such as surveys, polls, reviews, or sign-offs, to collect and document stakeholder opinions and decisions.

5 Implement and monitor solutions

After you have received feedback and approval from your stakeholders, you can proceed to implement and monitor the solutions. Implementation and monitoring are the stages where you execute the solutions, test their effectiveness, measure their outcomes, and verify their resolution. During these stages, you should continue to collaborate with your stakeholders by communicating the progress, status, and results of the solutions, and by addressing any issues or concerns that may arise. You should also use various tools and metrics, such as dashboards, reports, or KPIs, to track and evaluate the solutions.

6 Review and improve

The final step in collaborating with stakeholders during problem resolution is to review and improve. Review and improve are the stages where you assess the overall performance, quality, and satisfaction of the problem resolution, and identify the lessons learned, best practices, and improvement opportunities. During these stages, you should collaborate with your stakeholders by soliciting their feedback, suggestions, and recommendations, and by acknowledging their contributions and achievements. You should also use various methods and tools, such as post-mortems, retrospectives, or PDCA cycles, to document and implement the improvement actions.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?