Stakeholder interaction evaluation model for Agile transformation in the public-sector it environment

Abstract

This article creates and validates a Stakeholder Interaction Evaluation Model (SIEM) to evaluate and enhance stakeholder engagement during Agile transformation in a public-sector IT organization. The JSC “National Information Technologies” (NIT), the national operator of Kazakhstan’s e-government infrastructure, is the subject of the empirical case. To conform to the legal and procedural requirements of the public sector, the study presents a context-specific hybrid project management model that combines Agile methodologies with conventional plan-driven components. The study, which was based on a mixed-methods research design, used a two-phase data collection process: a pre-implementation baseline that includes surveys, stakeholder interviews, and documentary analysis, and a post-implementation phase that includes modified surveys, Jira process metrics, and retrospective analyses. Stakeholder groups were divided into three tiers according to operational proximity and strategic influence. The study employs predictive analytics to engagement-related data in addition to qualitative insights. A multiple linear regression model is introduced to forecast the effectiveness of stakeholder engagement based on metrics like sprint success rates, feedback responsiveness, and communication quality. According to the analysis, the hybrid approach enhanced project delivery consistency, role clarity, and communication effectiveness. The predictive model also detects early indicators of declining engagement, such as delayed feedback or reduced sprint completion, enabling proactive adaptation of the stakeholder strategy. The applied value of the study for Kazakhstan lies in the fact that the engagement dataset, the survey and interview instruments, the Jira metric set and the calibrated regression baseline were collected at NIT, the operator that delivers e-government projects for all state bodies, and can therefore be reused as reference values and a monitoring toolkit in similar digital projects of state bodies and quasi-public IT operators. In highly regulated IT environments, the research offers a useful, flexible framework for managing stakeholder dynamics and advancing effective digital transformation projects in the public sector.