A Stakeholder is anyone in the organization who is affected by the introduction of Agile principles and practices.

The introduction of genuine Agile principles and supporting practices will eventually impact the organizational culture in every dimension.

Stakeholders as a group, therefore, do extend way beyond the end-users of software. Everyone in the organization is a Stakeholder.

This is why we make sure everyone is invited to the beginning and ending Open Space events. In OSA, we want to make sure that everyone affected is participating. We cannot “make” this happen. What we can do is create the fertile conditions for engagement and growth to happen.

The primary way to include Stakeholders is to invite them to participate in the Open Space meetings. What they do next is up to them.

Stakeholders are the source of rich feedback. Without that, we will miss some very good opportunities for improvement.

In OSA we hold that Stakeholder feedback is essential and that invitation is the primary way to obtain it.