PMBOK Engaging and Analyzing Stakeholders 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A project manager is using the power/interest grid. Which quadrant should receive the MOST project management effort?
- Low power, low interest
- High power, low interest
- Low power, high interest
- High power, high interest (Correct answer)
Correct answer: High power, high interest
Stakeholders with high power and high interest should be managed closely as they have the greatest ability to influence project outcomes.
Question 2: What is the purpose of a stakeholder engagement plan?
- To document stakeholder contact information for communications
- To define strategies for engaging stakeholders effectively throughout the project (Correct answer)
- To assign project tasks to stakeholders based on expertise
- To track issue resolution times for stakeholder complaints
Correct answer: To define strategies for engaging stakeholders effectively throughout the project
The stakeholder engagement plan identifies strategies and actions to promote productive stakeholder involvement aligned with their needs.
Question 3: A project manager uses the 'directions of influence' classification to analyze stakeholders. Which stakeholder type influences the project manager directly?
- Downward — team members the PM manages
- Upward — senior management and the project sponsor (Correct answer)
- Outward — external stakeholders like vendors
- Sideward — peer project managers
Correct answer: Upward — senior management and the project sponsor
Upward stakeholders such as sponsors and senior management exert direct influence on the project manager's decisions and authority.
Question 4: Which of the following is an example of a facilitation technique used in stakeholder engagement?
- Parametric estimating
- Focus groups (Correct answer)
- Earned value analysis
- Resource leveling
Correct answer: Focus groups
Focus groups are a facilitation technique that elicit stakeholder input, attitudes, and expectations in a structured setting.
Question 5: A project is facing strong community opposition. The PM decides to hold town hall meetings. This is an example of which engagement approach?
- Keeping stakeholders satisfied by avoiding conflict
- Proactively managing stakeholder concerns through direct dialogue (Correct answer)
- Monitoring stakeholders without taking action
- Escalating stakeholder issues to senior leadership
Correct answer: Proactively managing stakeholder concerns through direct dialogue
Town hall meetings are a proactive engagement tactic that addresses stakeholder concerns through open, direct dialogue.
Question 6: Which PMBOK Knowledge Area contains the stakeholder engagement processes?
- Project Communications Management
- Project Integration Management
- Project Stakeholder Management (Correct answer)
- Project Resource Management
Correct answer: Project Stakeholder Management
Project Stakeholder Management is the dedicated knowledge area containing all four stakeholder processes: Identify, Plan, Manage, and Monitor.
Question 7: An issue log is used during which stakeholder engagement process?
- Identify Stakeholders
- Plan Stakeholder Engagement
- Manage Stakeholder Engagement (Correct answer)
- Control Scope
Correct answer: Manage Stakeholder Engagement
The issue log is both an input and output of Manage Stakeholder Engagement, used to document and track concerns raised by stakeholders.
PMBOK Engaging and Analyzing Stakeholders 5
A project manager is using the power/interest grid.
Which quadrant should receive the MOST project management effort?