Business Analyst: What is the difference between stakeholder and user?

Stakeholder — anyone affected. User — person who uses the system.

Stakeholder:

• Anyone with interest in project.
• Can be affected by project outcomes.
• May not directly use the system.
• Includes sponsors, managers, customers.

User:

• Person who actually uses the system.
• Direct interaction with product.
• Subset of stakeholders.
• Provides usage feedback.

Key differences:

• Stakeholder — broader group.
• User — system users, subset of stakeholders.