10 Best Stakeholder Management Courses and Certifications Online

Stakeholder management is a crucial aspect of any successful project or business. It involves identifying and engaging with individuals or groups who have a vested interest in the outcome of the project or business. Online courses can provide individuals with the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively manage stakeholders. In this article, we will explore some of the best stakeholder management courses available online. These courses cover a range of topics, including stakeholder identification, communication, analysis, and engagement strategies.

Here’s a look at the Best Stakeholder Management Courses and Certifications Online and what they have to offer for you!

10 Best Stakeholder Management Courses and Certifications Online

1. PMI-ACP Certification: Managing Stakeholder Engagement by Sorin Dumitrascu (Udemy) (Our Best Pick)

The PMI-ACP Certification: Managing Stakeholder Engagement course is the seventh in a series of eight courses in the Agile Certified Practitioner Certification Program. The course is designed for project managers, program managers, and anyone seeking efficient participation in agile projects. It is aligned with the Agile Certified Practitioner exam objectives developed by the Project Management Institute® and Certified ScrumMaster learning objectives.

The course is divided into four sections. The first section, Keeping Stakeholders Actively Involved, teaches students to classify members of a project community according to stakeholder types, distinguish strategies for ensuring stakeholder commitment, and recognize the actions that engage stakeholders throughout the stages of an agile project.

In the second section, Tools for Stakeholder Engagement, students learn to describe the concept of decision framing, use a decision gradient to lead a group in making a decision, recognize an appropriate level of knowledge sharing on an agile project, and identify strategies for gathering stakeholder feedback.

The instructor, Sorin Dumitrascu, is a trainer and project manager with over 10 years of experience. Before joining Udemy, he trained hundreds of people in a classroom environment, including civil servants, managers, project workers, and aid workers. He has managed projects in the fields of justice, corrections, regional development, and human resources development.

The course includes training videos, examples, exercises, and quizzes to help students learn all about managing stakeholder engagement. Completion of all course materials entitles students to claim five Professional Development Units (PDU’s) for PMI certification exams and to maintain their PMI certification.

Overall, the PMI-ACP Certification: Managing Stakeholder Engagement course is a comprehensive resource for individuals seeking to efficiently participate in agile projects. Students will gain knowledge on key concepts and tools for managing stakeholder engagement, as well as earn PDUs for PMI certification exams.

2. Effective Communication Skills: Stakeholder Analysis by Gordon Adelsberg (Udemy)

The Effective Communication Skills: Stakeholder Analysis course, taught by Gordon Adelsberg, focuses on the essential business communication skills needed for project success. According to the Project Management Institute (PMI), poor communication is the cause of 90% of project failures. Stakeholder management is a fundamental skill for career advancement, and a stakeholder engagement strategy is critical for project success. The course offers one PDU for PMP® continuing education.

Change management efforts require specialists or subject matter experts to sell their ideas to buyers. A good stakeholder analysis is necessary to answer questions and build stakeholder engagement, both in sales meetings and while working with customers. Technical people and subject matter experts who are frequently in front of customers can benefit from this course. The course offers the logic and process for a robust stakeholder analysis, tips to build stakeholder engagement, and a stakeholder matrix and a presentation template designed for senior management.

The course is divided into four sections: Characters, Columns, Complete, and Confirm. Additionally, a bonus Presentation section is also included. Participants will learn how to create a robust stakeholder analysis and stakeholder engagement strategy, which are essential skills for project success. The course is suitable for those who want to advance their stakeholder engagement skills and master the gold standard tool for project management, change management, and software implementation.

3. Stakeholder Management & Engagement by ELD TRAINING (Udemy)

The Stakeholder Management & Engagement course is offered by ELD TRAINING and aims to help individuals achieve better project results through effective stakeholder engagement. Stakeholder Analysis is a key technique used to identify all parties with a vested interest in a project and manage their expectations to ensure smooth progress.

Stakeholder Analysis involves identifying key stakeholders and utilizing their opinions to shape the project at an early stage. Support from powerful stakeholders can help ensure project success, and regular communication can ensure that stakeholders fully understand the project’s benefits and can actively support it when necessary. Anticipating reactions and building actions into the plan to win support is important.

The course comprises five downloadable videos, introducing stakeholders’ identification and understanding, identifying win-win outcomes, developing a stakeholder communication plan, and exploring stakeholder engagement. The course is part of a longer Results-Based Management program, and no assignments are required, with a certificate awarded upon completion.

The course content includes an overview of stakeholder analysis, the four steps involved, win-win strategies, stakeholder communication, and engagement. Understanding stakeholder engagement is essential to using resources efficiently and effectively.

4. Stakeholder Management: Goal & stakeholder identification by Sarah @ The Digital Change Manager (Udemy)

The “Stakeholder Management: Goal & Stakeholder Identification” course, instructed by Sarah at The Digital Change Manager, is designed to help individuals improve the quality of their project management by identifying and prioritizing stakeholders. The course offers a downloadable option, allowing individuals to watch all videos offline.

The course focuses on finding a personal goal and identifying relevant stakeholders. Participants will work alongside a fellow project manager who will share their experience with identifying the right stakeholders. The course offers various tools to help individuals build relationships with stakeholders and includes practice activities to further develop skills.

Upon completion, participants will have identified a meaningful goal and relevant stakeholders. The course emphasizes the importance of starting with a solid goal, as it increases the likelihood of delivering successful projects and having stakeholders support the project.

This course is intended for developers, software professionals, project managers, leaders, change management teams, and communication professionals. The course offers a paradigm shift, highlighting that work goals and stakeholders are not dictated by anyone other than the individual. It is essential to approach stakeholders in a way that aligns with personal aspirations and goals.

The course content includes an introduction, steps to get clear on next steps and target stakeholders, ways to combine goals with target stakeholders, and a conclusion. Participants will receive a certificate of completion and a small bonus from instructors Diego and Sarah. The course emphasizes the importance of applying learned skills long enough to evaluate their effectiveness.

5. Business Analysis: Master Stakeholder Profiling in 6 Steps by Roxanne Miller, CBAP (Udemy)

The Business Analysis: Master Stakeholder Profiling in 6 Steps course, instructed by Roxanne Miller, CBAP, aims to improve the ability of students to identify, plan, and negotiate for the necessary stakeholder resources for their projects through the process of stakeholder profiling. This technique can be utilized in any development environment, including agile, iterative, or waterfall, and at any stage of the development life cycle. The course is ideal for new and experienced business analysts seeking to enhance their skills for successfully engaging with stakeholders, as well as product owners and project managers who aim to better manage the engagement of stakeholder resources.

The course consists of 9 modules, 31 lectures, 2 hours and 6 minutes of videos, 10 quizzes, 3 downloadable quick-reference job aids, and a complimentary PDF of ‘Chapter 2: Involve the Right Stakeholders’ from Roxanne Miller’s book The Quest for Software Requirements. By the end of the course, students will be able to identify the stakeholders they need, apply a script to conduct stakeholder interviews, plan requirements development activities to align with resource availability, estimate time with each stakeholder, and overcome challenges with stakeholders who are bottlenecks, unavailable, inexperienced, or uncooperative.

The Stakeholder Profiling technique is suitable for projects that are already in motion, as it is never too late to engage the right stakeholders. The course aims to help students avoid missed requirements due to overlooked stakeholders, eliminate wasted time in ‘all-team’ meetings, and increase stakeholder buy-in and commitment to the requirements. The course is broken down into two parts and six steps, which include reviewing existing business models, brainstorming topics of expertise, naming potential stakeholders, surveying potential stakeholders, compiling and analyzing stakeholder surveys, and securing stakeholder resources.

The course utilizes live classroom lecture footage and frequently asked questions to help students understand the material better.

6. Stakeholder Management for Project Managers by Luciano Garagna (Udemy)

The “Stakeholder Management for Project Managers” course is designed to equip project managers with effective tools for project initiation, which can greatly increase their chances of success. This project-based course is taught by Luciano Garagna, and it focuses on the initiation phase, from the assignment of the Project Manager to the signature of the project charter. This phase is often underestimated but offers the biggest opportunities to establish solid foundations for a successful project.

Participants will learn to build a trusting relationship with their sponsor, negotiate a set of smart objectives, conduct a thorough stakeholder analysis, and write a project communication plan. The course is based on a successful training program that has been used for over 15 years by one of Garagna’s best clients.

The course consists of eight sections, including an introduction to the risks of project management, the Project Manager’s compass, thinking like a project sponsor, getting to know project stakeholders, the science of stakeholder analysis, the art of stakeholder management, the final countdown, and the course wrap-up. The course materials include templates and precise directions for applying the tools to real projects.

The course is recommended for Project Managers who want to invest in stakeholder management after learning the basics of project management. By completing this course and applying its tools to a project, participants can become part of the elite of successful Project Managers.

7. Stakeholder Engagement for Sustainability Professionals by Karina Yadav (Udemy)

The Stakeholder Engagement for Sustainability Professionals course, led by Karina Yadav, is a step-by-step guide aimed to help sustainability professionals understand the principles and process of stakeholder engagement. The course is designed to provide a structured process to stakeholder engagement that can help organizations establish a strategic and structured approach to stakeholder relations.

The course is targeted for sustainability professionals who are struggling to establish the basics of engagement and respond to increasing pressures. The course offers a logical step-by-step guide, including worksheets and checklists, that will help professionals during the engagement process. The process presented in the course can be used when conducting stakeholder engagement for the very first time or as a tool to improve current engagement practices.

The course has six sections, including Introduction to Course, Engagement Strategy, Stakeholder Mapping, Preparation, Engagement, Action Plan, and Future of Stakeholder Engagement. The course will provide a structured approach to stakeholder engagement and help organizations move away from the tick-box exercise and towards meaningful insights that can be implemented within the organization.

8. Change Management Fundamentals: Stakeholder Analysis by Kristen Hassan, Certified Change Management Professional (CCMP) (Udemy)

The “Change Management Fundamentals: Stakeholder Analysis” course, led by Kristen Hassan, a Certified Change Management Professional (CCMP), is designed to teach aspiring Change Managers how to conduct a thorough stakeholder analysis and develop a stakeholder engagement strategy. This course is part of a series of seven Change Management Fundamentals courses, which provide core change management skills for those interested in pursuing a career in this growing field.

The course covers the key considerations of stakeholder analysis and helps participants determine the most appropriate analysis approach for their project. The course then guides participants step-by-step through the process of conducting a stakeholder analysis, including stakeholder identification and segmentation. Participants will walk away with a stakeholder engagement strategy and the ability to apply the insights gained from the analysis to deliver ongoing value to their change initiative.

The course is a practical ‘how to’ guide that includes worksheets, templates, and real-world advice to help structure thinking and guide participants through the process. By completing the exercises, participants will have conducted their own stakeholder analysis for their change initiative.

The course is suitable for individuals who are not currently change practitioners but want to create a stakeholder analysis that provides insight into stakeholder needs. The course is divided into seven sections, including course introduction, stakeholder analysis fundamentals, stakeholder analysis approaches, identifying stakeholders, segmenting stakeholders, stakeholder engagement strategy, and maximizing the value of the stakeholder analysis.

Overall, the “Change Management Fundamentals: Stakeholder Analysis” course is a comprehensive guide for anyone interested in learning more about stakeholder analysis and developing a stakeholder engagement strategy.

9. PM – How to Write a Great Stakeholder Management Plan by Jamal Moustafaev, BBA, MBA, PMP (Udemy)

The PM – How to Write a Great Stakeholder Management Plan course, instructed by Jamal Moustafaev, BBA, MBA, PMP, is designed to educate individuals on project management responsibilities and stakeholder management. The course is based on the instructor’s 25 years of experience in project and portfolio management and is divided into four pillars of stakeholder management: identifying stakeholders, planning stakeholder engagement, managing stakeholder engagement, and monitoring stakeholder engagement.

The course begins with a brief overview of the project manager’s responsibilities and the role of the stakeholder management plan in the overall project plan. The instructor then moves on to the identification and analysis of project stakeholders, using Mendelow’s matrix to identify the most important stakeholder groups based on their power and interest in the project.

The course also covers the different types of management and communication strategies with the four different groups of stakeholders, including high power-high interest, high power-low interest, low power-high interest, and low power-low interest stakeholders. The course includes discussions on questions that can be asked during project team discussions dedicated to stakeholder categorization.

Finally, the course concludes with a step-by-step guide to creating a stakeholder register, using a real-life project as an example. The steps include the creation of the initial table, identifying management strategies, and translating these strategies into actual actions, such as including in meeting minutes, sending status reports, and inviting stakeholders to project meetings.

The course is divided into an introduction and course modules, and is intended to provide individuals with practical skills and knowledge on stakeholder management plans in project management.

10. Effective Stakeholder Engagement by Sujeet Kumar (Udemy)

The Effective Stakeholder Engagement course is designed to help professionals engage with stakeholders in an efficient and practical way. One of the main problems addressed in the course is the importance of knowing your stakeholders before engaging with them. Failure to do so can have adverse effects and can be counterproductive. The course offers solutions to this problem and assists in identifying and effectively engaging with stakeholders.

The course offers practical ways of learning about stakeholder engagement that will help professionals find the right stakeholders to engage with, effective ways to engage with them, determine who are the ‘right’ stakeholders to engage with, set up expectations from the engagement, understand the ‘art’ of the engagement, and detail the basics that need to be followed. The concepts can also be customized according to individual needs. Ultimately, successful stakeholder engagement leads to successful outcomes in the corporate world.

Upon completing the course, participants will be able to identify the ‘right’ stakeholders in their personal and professional spaces and engage with them effectively. The course was designed to cater to the needs of beginner and intermediate professionals who may have similar questions and concerns. It is hoped that participants will be able to learn from the live experiences and customize their learning to master the art of stakeholder engagement.

The course comprises of an introduction, fundamentals on identifying stakeholders, tools for stakeholder engagement, an activity to identify stakeholders, do’s & don’ts to be careful about, takeaways & summary, and a conclusion.