TOPIC: Free PMP® Exam Sample Question

A project is six months into its nine-month projected duration. The project manager reports that the project is at least three months behind schedule because certain key stakeholders were resistant to consequential changes due to the project.

What might have been done differently during project planning to avoid this situation?

A. Better execution of the Manage Stakeholder Engagement process
B. Development of a stakeholder engagement assessment matrix
C. Creation of a comprehensive stakeholder register
D. Establishment of a more robust communications management plan

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HINT: Which among the answer choices represent activities that might be performed during the Planning Process Group?

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Answer and Explanation:
The correct answer is B.

The scenario describes a situation where the resistance of certain key stakeholders has caused the project to run behind schedule and is asking what might have been done differently during project planning. Two of the answer choices represent activities, which are not associated with the Planning Process Group, and, as a result, those responses can be eliminated. Both of the remaining answer choices represent plausible actions that may have led to better stakeholder engagement.

The actual PMP exam may present questions with more than one correct answer, and the PMP aspirant must select the 'best' answer among the potentially correct options. In this case, the development of the stakeholder engagement assessment matrix directly addresses the issue described by the question.

The stakeholder engagement assessment matrix is used as a tool during the Plan Stakeholder Engagement process and identifies key stakeholders along with their current and desired engagement level. Classifications for stakeholder engagement may include unaware, resistant, neutral, supportive, and leading.

In this scenario, certain key stakeholders were resistant to the project, which caused the project to run behind schedule. A stakeholder engagement assessment matrix is the best tool for identifying resistant stakeholders with enough influence to undermine a project.

In this case, identifying the current and desired engagement levels of the key stakeholders might have allowed the project manager to take action to address the undesirable engagement levels and prevent the stakeholder's resistance from negatively impact the project's performance.
Therefore, among the available options, the development of a stakeholder engagement assessment matrix is the best answer to the question asked.

Details for each option:

A. Incorrect. Better execution of the Manage Stakeholder Engagement process may have addressed the poor engagement levels of the key stakeholders during project execution. However, the question is asking what might have been done differently during project 'planning'. The Manage Stakeholder Engagement process is part of the Executing (not Planning) Process Group.

B. Correct. A stakeholder engagement assessment matrix is the best tool for identifying resistant stakeholders with enough influence to undermine a project. In this case, identifying the current and desired engagement levels of the key stakeholders might have allowed the project manager to take action to address the undesirable engagement levels and prevent the stakeholder's resistance from negatively impact the project's performance.

C. Incorrect. If some stakeholders were not included in the stakeholder register, it might have resulted in these stakeholders being unaware of the project and the project's outcomes. In this case, the key stakeholders were aware of the project and were resistant to the project's outcomes. Additionally, the stakeholder register is created during project initiation rather than project planning.

D. Incorrect. The communications management plan describes how, when, and by whom information about the project will be administered and disseminated. A weak communication plan may or may not have played a role in the poor engagement level of the key stakeholders described by the question. However, another answer choice directly addresses stakeholder engagement levels. Although this answer choice might arguably be correct, among the available options, it is not the 'best' response.

Reference: A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK^® Guide) – Sixth Edition, Project Management Institute Inc., 2017, Page(s) 521-522