A Roadmap to Cracking the PMP® Exam

Project Stakeholder Management is introduced as a new knowledge area (KA) in the PMBOK® Guide – Fifth Edition, emphasizing the importance of stakeholder engagement and managing relationships and their vital contributions toward increasing the chances of project success. The Identify Stakeholders process is now reassigned to the Project Stakeholder Management KA from the Project Communications Management KA. Furthermore, Manage Stakeholder Expectations is now renamed Manage Stakeholder Engagement and is also reassigned to the Project Stakeholder Management KA. Stakeholder Management is also reinforced with two new processes: Plan Stakeholder Management and Control Stakeholder Engagement. Consequently, a close relation is evident between Stakeholder Management and Communications Management. These changes better align the PMBOK® Guide with the Program Management Standard which already includes a Program Stakeholder Management knowledge area (KA). This new KA is a positive addition to improve the overall success of projects. Stakeholder Management is a facilitating KA compared to core KA’s such as Scope, Time, Cost, and Quality. The purpose is to focus an appropriate level of the project manager’s attention on the importance of assessing, strategizing, and obtaining the support of all individuals, groups, or organizations positively or negatively influenced by a given project’s life cycle and outcome. However, when you delve deeper, this area is venturing into the realms of some very intricate domains which are definitely outside the scope of this book and, possibly, project management. Realistically, Stakeholder Management has the potential for interaction and association with phycology, change management, motivational theory, and employee engagement to name a few. These are complex and in-depth areas to master, and if we did, we would probably be seeking a career change. Stakeholders are any individuals, groups, or organizations that can positively or negatively influence the project or be positively or negatively affected by the project. Therefore, stakeholders can potentially amount to a significant number of people depending on the scale and complexity of the project. A project is a temporary endeavor intended to bring about change in the form of a product, service, or result. The project is authorized because the proposed change is viewed as a benefit or improvement to the customer. However, some stakeholders may view this change negatively as it adversely affects their respective abilities to perform their roles and accomplish their objectives. The project manager must convey the rationale, value, and business need of the project objective to all relevant stakeholders. The project outcome may not be agreeable across all business units; however, its purpose is to accomplish a part of the overall organizational business strategy. Alternatively, the project outcome might be intended to satisfy the requirements of an external customer. Moreover, stakeholder support and engagement is critical to project success. It is the project manager’s responsibility to obtain the necessary support and manage the engagement of the stakeholders to ensure project success. Let’s simplify this so as not to discourage you from Stakeholder Management. I definitely believe the addition of this KA is a huge step in the right direction. It should persuade project managers to realize the importance of gaining stakeholder support, and the relative benefits that can be realized with regard to increasing the likelihood of project success. The associated processes also craft the strategy to identify stakeholders who are neutral toward or oppose the project and its purpose. We have all been there. If there is opposition to the project and stakeholder cooperation is not forthcoming, then the consequences can be severe. Alternatively, you can proceed with the project and hope they might come round to the idea—not going to work. Stakeholder Management provides the tools and techniques not only to identify and manage the non-supportive stakeholders, but also to retain and improve the participation of the supportive stakeholders. It assists the project manager in strategizing on how to close the gap between current and desired stakeholder engagement levels. The organizational structure will play a key role in determining the level of stakeholder perception of the project and motivation necessary to reach anticipated results. In large organizations, you may be afforded the luxury of specific qualified professionals (e.g., change management staff) with the necessary expertise to assist with this area. For the PMP exam, you need to obtain a good understanding of the four Stakeholder Management processes—no need to become a psychologist overnight. Also, recognize the interrelationships and linkage with other KAs, in particular, Communications Management. I predict that the introduction of this KA could translate into twelve to fourteen questions since it’s new, inspiring, important, and associated with four process groups. Look for a few situational questions from this KA. In my opinion, the PMBOK® Guide has presented the Stakeholder Management KA quite well. I do not think this area is overly challenging with regard to the knowledge required for the PMP exam. Also, it is far from the most difficult KA across the project management domains. With the appropriate study effort and level of preparedness, these questions should be achievable. Once you pass the PMP exam, you should try applying the knowledge gained from Stakeholder Management to your real-world projects. After all, this is one of the primary reasons for all this study effort. This is an excellent opportunity to develop and practice leadership and soft skills. The outcome may be inspiring.