TOPIC: Free PMP® Exam Sample Question

An organization has a project management office (PMO) that ensures all relevant project documents are created, and all project management processes are followed according to established best practices.

What should the project manager review first to identify stakeholders for a newly started project?

A. The business documents as a source of information about the project's stakeholders
B. The communications management plan to learn about the project's stakeholders
C. The stakeholder engagement plan to identify the management strategies and actions required to engage stakeholders effectively
D. The requirements documentation for information on potential stakeholders

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HINT: Which of the documents mentioned in the answer choices is available during the first iteration of the Identify Stakeholders process?

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Answer and Explanation:
The correct answer is A.

The business documents include the business case and the benefits management plan. Both of these documents are created during pre-project work and are available as sources of information about the project's stakeholders during the first iteration of the Identify Stakeholders process.

The business case identifies an initial list of stakeholders affected by the project. The benefits management plan may identify the individuals and groups that will benefit from the delivery of the outcomes of the project and are thus considered as stakeholders.

Among the available options, only the business documents are available as sources of relevant information during the first iteration of the Identify Stakeholders process.

Details for each option:

A. Correct. The business documents include the business case and the benefits management plan. Both of these documents are created during pre-project work and are available as sources of information about the project's stakeholders during the first iteration of the Identify Stakeholders process.

B. Incorrect. The communications management plan is a source of knowledge about the project's stakeholders. However, the communications management plan has yet to be created at the time of the first iteration of the Identify Stakeholders process. Therefore, this answer choice can be eliminated.

C. Incorrect. The stakeholder engagement plan identifies the management strategies and actions required to engage stakeholders effectively. The stakeholder engagement plan is created during project planning, which has not taken place at the initiation stage of the project.

D. Incorrect. The requirements documentation contains information on potential stakeholders. However, the requirements documentation has not been created at the time of project initiation, making this an incorrect answer.

Reference: A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK^® Guide) – Seventh Edition, Project Management Institute Inc., 2021,
2.6.1 DELIVERY OF VALUE

Process Groups: A Practice Guide, Project Management Institute Inc., 2023,
4.2 Identify Stakeholders
9 Inputs and Outputs