A stakeholder rarely performs the same role in a project. For instance, a resident who is informed during planning becomes a co-designer of a rain garden, and an empowered caretaker once built. Effective engagement matches the level of influence offered to each group to the decision at hand and the phase of work.
Engagement operates at five levels of increasing influence: (1) inform, which is a one-way communication that builds awareness and accountability; (2) consult, meaning inviting feedback and concerns, but subsequently decisions stay with the project team; (3) involve, which means that stakeholders contribute to developing ideas and options; (4) collaborate, in which stakeholders are partners in co-design, and in sharing responsibility for the proposed solutions; (5) empower, where decision-making is delegated and builds long-term ownership. These are strategic choices, and it does not mean that every project must cover all these steps in the presented order. The right level depends on the phase, the stakeholder group, and the extent to which influence the decision that can be accommodated. The table below shows the engagement intensity across the NBS lifecycle.
| Function | Engagement levels | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Political commitment | Inform, consult | Shared narrative and awareness before seeking input |
| Financing | Consult, involve | Cost and benefit to commit funds |
| Catchment and spatial planning | Consult, involve | Local and cross-departmental knowledge strengthens the evidence base |
| Design | Involve, collaborate | Co-design surfaces trade-offs and grows ownership of solutions |
| Construction | Inform | Scope to influence is limited; the priority is managing expectations and trust. |
| Maintenance | Involve, collaborate | Users and local stewards sustain function over the asset’s life. |
| Learning and adapting | Collaborate, empower | Stakeholders help define success and carry the mission forward. |
Not all stakeholders’ engagement requires the same effort across the phases. Sometimes stakeholders with high influence over the project and high stakes in the outcome should lead and decide. Other times those with influence but lower stake should be kept engaged enough to keep their support; those with high stake but limited formal power should be actively involved and informed.
The stakeholder lists under each function name the mission holder (who owns the decision) and then groups all of the other stakeholders by the level of influence offered: (i) lead / decide, (ii) collaborate / co-design, (iii) inform / consult. This suggests that engagement effort is proportionate, and the one who owns the decision is focused and knows the ones being consulted.