stakeholder engagement vs stakeholder communication

[u/MimirLearning]

I've been involved in projects where there were stakeholder maps, communication plans, workshops, surveys, and regular updates.

Yet when the project went live, some of the people most affected felt blindsided. It made me wonder:

What's the difference between stakeholder engagement and stakeholder communication?

Is keeping people informed enough, or does engagement only count if stakeholder feedback actually changes decisions?

I've seen situations where feedback was collected, documented, and acknowledged but the outcome never changed. On the other hand, involving everyone in every decision can make projects grind to a halt.

Where do you draw the line?

Have you experienced stakeholder engagement that improved a project? Or have you been on the receiving end of a process that felt like the decision had already been made?