Salience Model (Importance) – stakeholder management based on influence, urgency, and legitimacy
The salience model is a tool used in project management to classify stakeholders based on three key factors: power, urgency, and legitimacy. It enables effective stakeholder management and setting communication priorities.
🔑 Three dimensions of the salience model
🏛 Power
The stakeholder's ability to influence project decisions or outcomes. Individuals with high power can either block or support the project.
⏰ Urgency
The degree to which a stakeholder requires immediate attention, often due to time constraints or risks.
✅ Legitimacy
The extent to which a stakeholder's involvement is socially or organizationally justified – essentially, how much they have the "right" to be involved.
📌 Variant:
In some adaptations, proximity is used instead of legitimacy – the extent to which a person or group is directly involved in the project work.
📐 Sample stakeholder types according to the model
| Power Level | Urgency | Legitimacy | Stakeholder Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| High | High | High | 👑 Key Stakeholder – full attention |
| High | High | Low | ⚠️ Potential Opponent – careful monitoring |
| High | Low | High | 💬 Advisor – engage periodically |
| Low | High | High | 📣 Supportive – inform and react quickly |
| Low | Low | Low | 💤 Marginal Stakeholder – monitor |
🎯 Benefits of using the salience model
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Improved relationship management: allows adapting communication style to the type of stakeholder.
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Communication prioritization: focuses the team's attention on key individuals.
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Risk reduction: identifies potential opponents before they can negatively impact the project.
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Strategic engagement: helps decide who to engage more and who less.
✅ Summary
The salience model is an effective method for classifying stakeholders, taking into account three aspects: power, urgency, and legitimacy. By applying it, you can tailor management and communication approaches, maximizing project effectiveness while minimizing conflicts and misunderstandings.
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