CSM Stakeholder Communication & Relations 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A software manager discovers that a key stakeholder has been receiving status reports but never reads them. What is the most appropriate response?
- Continue sending reports as documentation
- Discontinue all reporting to that stakeholder
- Schedule a meeting to understand their preferred communication format (Correct answer)
- Escalate the issue to senior management
Correct answer: Schedule a meeting to understand their preferred communication format
Understanding a stakeholder's preferred communication style and format is essential to ensuring information is actually received and acted upon.
Question 2: Which technique is BEST suited for identifying all relevant stakeholders at the start of a software project?
- Reviewing the project budget
- Conducting stakeholder brainstorming sessions with the project team (Correct answer)
- Waiting for stakeholders to self-identify
- Checking the organizational chart only
Correct answer: Conducting stakeholder brainstorming sessions with the project team
Structured brainstorming with the project team helps surface stakeholders across departments, external parties, and indirect influencers that might otherwise be missed.
Question 3: A project sponsor keeps changing requirements after each sprint review. What stakeholder management strategy should a software manager apply?
- Ignore late requests and freeze the scope immediately
- Document each change request and implement a formal change control process (Correct answer)
- Accommodate all changes to maintain sponsor satisfaction
- Transfer the sponsor to a different project
Correct answer: Document each change request and implement a formal change control process
A formal change control process captures each request, evaluates its impact, and ensures changes are approved and communicated before implementation.
Question 4: When communicating technical risks to a non-technical executive stakeholder, which approach is most effective?
- Use technical jargon to demonstrate expertise
- Present risks in terms of business impact, timelines, and costs (Correct answer)
- Avoid discussing risks to prevent unnecessary alarm
- Send a detailed technical report and request sign-off
Correct answer: Present risks in terms of business impact, timelines, and costs
Non-technical stakeholders respond best to business-oriented language that connects technical risks to outcomes they care about, such as schedule, budget, and value.
Question 5: A software manager needs to present negative project news to stakeholders. Which communication principle should guide this situation?
- Delay communication until a solution is ready
- Be transparent, timely, and present the issue alongside a mitigation plan (Correct answer)
- Share the news only with the most senior stakeholder
- Minimize the severity to reduce stakeholder concern
Correct answer: Be transparent, timely, and present the issue alongside a mitigation plan
Timely and honest communication paired with a mitigation plan maintains stakeholder trust and allows for collaborative problem-solving.
Question 6: In a stakeholder communication plan, what does 'communication frequency' refer to?
- The number of words in each message
- How often each stakeholder receives project updates (Correct answer)
- The technical channels used to send information
- The priority level of each stakeholder
Correct answer: How often each stakeholder receives project updates
Communication frequency specifies how often particular stakeholders receive updates, such as weekly status reports or monthly executive summaries.
Question 7: Which of the following best describes 'active listening' in stakeholder meetings?
- Preparing your response while the stakeholder is speaking
- Taking detailed notes without engaging with the speaker
- Fully concentrating, understanding, and responding thoughtfully to the stakeholder (Correct answer)
- Asking multiple questions simultaneously to gather information quickly
Correct answer: Fully concentrating, understanding, and responding thoughtfully to the stakeholder
Active listening involves full engagement with the speaker, including understanding their message, asking clarifying questions, and responding in a way that confirms comprehension.
CSM Stakeholder Communication & Relations 2
A software manager discovers that a key stakeholder has been receiving status reports but never reads them.
What is the most appropriate response?