Reference network

People who support the project or are affected by its results.

Sometimes called a reference group, a reference network is usually not a formal group, but is rather an umbrella term for people who support the project in various ways.

The reference network:

• Provides comment from a user or stakeholder perspective.
• Gives specialist support
• May do some limited work in the project.
• Keeps themselves regularly updated, passes on information and helps anchor the project.

When necessary, parts of a reference network can be organized into one or more groups e.g. a user group and a specialist network.

People can be part of the project team during their most active periods but be in the reference network the rest of the time.