The project kicked off on Monday. By Wednesday, three stakeholders had different understandings of the objective.
- May 26
- 2 min read
This is not an anecdote. It is the default condition of complex, multi-stakeholder identity programme advisory — and it is the single most reliable predictor of downstream failure.
A national identity assessment typically involves a ministry of interior, a civil registration authority, a passport directorate, a border management agency, an IT department, and often an international organisation providing funding or technical oversight. Each arrives with different expectations, different definitions of success, and different assumptions about what the advisory team has been asked to deliver.
If these differences are not surfaced and resolved in the first week, they compound. Interviews are interpreted through conflicting lenses. Site visit findings are weighted differently. The draft report satisfies one stakeholder and blindsides another. The final workshop becomes a negotiation rather than a validation.
The fix is not diplomatic skill, though that helps. The fix is structural.
SECOIA’s methodology requires explicit agreement — documented, signed, referenced throughout — on four things before substantive work begins: the objective of the engagement, the methodology that will be used, the criteria against which findings will be assessed and the unwavering commitment of all parties to support the undertaking. This agreement is not a formality. It is the project’s immune system against scope drift, political reinterpretation, and expectation mismatch.
Teamwork before taskwork. Alignment before analysis. Agreement before assessment.
When did your last advisory engagement achieve genuine stakeholder alignment — and how long did it hold?
SECOIA Executive Consultants Ltd is a Swiss boutique consultancy specialising in identity management, border security, biometrics, secure documents, and ePassports. The firm holds active memberships in ICAO ICBWG, ISO/IEC, and CEN standardisation bodies.
We welcome dialogue with professionals navigating these questions. Reach out through our website , arrange for a meeting or connect with us on LinkedIn.
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