BCS Professional Certificate in Stakeholder Engagement Training

The ability to engage with a wide range of stakeholders has become an increasingly important competence in many roles - in particular, project management, business analysis and IS consultancy. This course covers the essential frameworks and principles associated with effective stakeholder engagement during business change projects and programmes.

Key areas of the course include:

• Understanding stakeholders
• Communication
• Working with stakeholder groups
• Facilitated workshops - introduction
• Rapport
• Creative problem-solving
• Managing expectations
• Negotiation
• Managing conflict
• Examination on the afternoon of day 2

Please do note that the course timetable is designed to include coverage of new content up to around mid-afternoon on day 2. Delegates should be prepared to spend around 1 -2 hours per evening on homework and revision activities. This may include activities set by the instructor as appropriate.

Target Audience

This certification is relevant for anyone wishing to gain an understanding of the key concepts and techniques required to work effectively with stakeholders.

The certification will be of benefit to anyone responsible for engaging with stakeholders on business change projects, in particular business analysts and project managers.

Note that if you are intending to work towards the BCS Advanced Diploma in Business Analysis then you must already have the International Diploma in Business Analysis. Please also see the Advanced Diploma in Business Analysis Certification path

Prerequisites for Stakeholder Engagement

• It is recommended that delegates should have completed, or have knowledge to the level of, the BCS International Business Analysis Diploma or the BCS Solutions Development Diploma, before attempting this course
• It is useful to have some practical experience of projects and working with stakeholders.

Prerequisites for including this course as part of the Advanced Diploma in Business Analysis

This course is one of the 4 BCS professional certificates offered by QA which can be combined and lead to the Advanced Diploma in Business Analysis.

If you are planning to work towards obtaining the Advanced Diploma then you must already hold the BCS International Diploma in Business Analysis and further evidential criteria, see below for details.

How do you obtain the Advanced Diploma?

Anyone who holds the BCS International Diploma in Business Analysis can begin working towards the BCS Advanced Diploma.
There are three elements to be achieved in order to be awarded the Advanced Diploma:

• Gain certifications in four subject areas across three skill domains
• Provide evidence of a minimum of five years' experience in business analysis
• Provide evidence of engaging with the BA community.

Exam Requirements

If you are taking a BCS exam you must bring photographic identification with you (passport, driving license or student card), as it is a BCS requirement to produce it for the invigilator prior to the exam. Failure to produce a valid form of photographic identification will result in a candidate not being able to sit the exam. For any questions about what form of identification is acceptable please contact your Account Manager or the QA Examination Administration team on 44 (0)1793 696273.

BCS allow additional time for candidates who have a disability or whose native language differs to that of the examination paper. Full details are provided in the BCS which is available to view on the BCS website. If you believe you qualify for this then please notify the Exam Administration team on the details below as early as possible. At least two weeks' notice will be required for processing this request. Delegates failing to advise QA and provide evidence when requested, may not be allowed the additional support offered via the BCS policy. QA Exam Administration can be contacted by email exam.admin@qa.com or by phone 44(0) 1793 696162.

• Identify stakeholders, understand how to manage them and plan engagement activities
• Define the communication process and listening behaviours
• Explain group formation
• Define and understand techniques for facilitating a workshop
• Understand rapport
• Explain creative problem solving and identify techniques
• Define a negotiation approach
• Explain and deal with conflict

Understanding stakeholders

• Analysing stakeholders
• Stakeholder planning and perspectives

Communication

• The communication process
• Barriers to communication
• Active listening and listening behaviours

Working with stakeholder groups

• Group development process
• Learning styles

Facilitated workshops - introduction

• The benefits of facilitated workshops
• Main workshop roles - facilitator, scribe, participants, sponsor
• Stages of a workshop
• Workshop preparation
• Conduct of the workshop
• Facilitation techniques
• Adaptability in the workshop

Rapport

• Rapport defined
• Building rapport and the importance of rapport in relationships

Creative problem solving

• A model for creative problem solving
• Techniques for generating ideas, such as mind-maps
• Stimulating creative thinking
• Edward de Bono's 'Six Thinking Hats'

Managing expectations

• Sources of expectations
• Controllable expectation creators
• Uncontrollable expectation creators
• Process for managing expectations

Negotiation

• Negotiating positions
• BATNA
• Integrative and distributive negotiation

Managing conflict

• Root causes of conflict - goals, judgements, values
• Options for conflict resolution
• Thomas-Kilmann conflict MODE instrument