Stakeholders and Team Flashcards
After a PM has identified a project’s key stakeholders, how how do they expand this list of stakeholders and convert it to a comprehensive list of project stakeholders?
Seek expert judgment from the identified key stakeholders
NOT Carry out a stakeholder analysis with the identified key stakeholders.
NOT Request that the project sponsor provide the details of the remaining stakeholders
NOT Do not spend more time on identifying the non-key stakeholders.
The project manager is responsible for stakeholder identification; this cannot be delegated to the project sponsor. Identifying and analyzing the key stakeholders is not enough to ensure the success of the project. Other project stakeholders can be identified by interviewing the stakeholders who are already identified. [PMBOK7 p31-33] (Domain: People, Task 9)
Different stakeholders might require dissimilar outcomes from a project. An integral component of stakeholder management is managing these competing expectations throughout the project from initiation to closure. Which of the following management techniques can help in this situation?
Facilitation
NOT Stakeholder engagement analysis, Questionnaires, nor Expert judgment.
The project manager must use facilitation skills to arrive at a consensus toward project objectives. Scheduling regular stakeholder update meetings and engaging them throughout the project lifecycle is the ideal way to manage stakeholders’ varying expectations. [PMBOK7 p14] (Domain: People, Task 2)
The reason for a team’s poor performance has been identified as inappropriate team coordination and lack of communication. How can team-building activities help?
The objective of team-building activities is to help team members work individually and effectively.
It can be a five-minute agenda item in a status review meeting. It can be a professionally facilitated experience designed to improve interpersonal relationships. It can be informal communication and activities that help in building trust and establishing good working relationships.
[PMBOK7 p166] (Domain: People, Task 6)
When you are managing a project with offshore local consultants who have a culturally different approach to working, and you are concerned this may affect your project schedule. What is the best way to handle this situation?
Develop a communications plan to ensure that all team members understand the project schedule and dependencies
NOT Work closely with the consultants on activity duration, to ensure the project doesn’t extend beyond its deadline.
Working with project teams with resources who speak different languages, work in different shifts and come from diverse cultures requires a solid communications plan to avoid misunderstandings, conflicts, and behaviors that may be considered culturally disrespectful. The PMI Code of Ethics requires project managers to foster an atmosphere of respect and mutual cooperation. [PMI Ethics] (Domain: Business Environment, Task 1)
You have just been assigned a new project. As an Agile project leader, what should be among your first areas of focus?
How you can create a team that is cross-functional and 100% dedicated.
NOT Gather a reasonable number of high-priority user stories to kick start the project.
As an Agile project leader, first focus on how you can create a team that is cross-functional and 100% dedicated to one team. Even if it means just getting key team members to work and communicate together on a daily basis, that is a step in the right direction toward agility. [Agile Practice Guide, 1st edition, Page 47] (Domain: Process, Task 5)
Name the five conflict-resolving methods recognized and endorsed by PMI
The five conflict-resolving methods recognized and endorsed by PMI include Forcing, Smoothing, Compromising, Collaborating and Withdrawing. [PMBOK7 p29, 168, 169] (Domain: People, Task 1)
Collaborating (or Confronting/problem solving)
In resolving conflict, Confronting a conflict treats the conflict as a problem to be solved. This style of conflict resolution is used when the relationship between parties is important, and when each person has confidence in the other party’s ability to problem-solve. Collaborating involves incorporating multiple views about the conflict.
The objective is to learn about the various views and see things from multiple perspectives.
This is an effective method when there is trust among the participants and when there is time to come to consensus. A project manager may facilitate this type of conflict resolution between project team members.
[PMBOK7 p168, 169] (Domain: People, Task 1)
Compromising (or Reconciling)
In resolving conflict, compromising or reconciling entails a willingness to give and take. There are some conflicts in which all parties will not be fully satisfied. In those instances, finding a way to compromise is the best approach. This allows all parties to get something they want, and it avoids escalating the conflict. This style is often used when the parties involved have equal “power.” A project manager may compromise with a technical manager regarding the availability of a project team member to work on the project. [PMBOK7 p168, 169] (Domain: People, Task 1)
Smoothing (or Accommodating)
Smoothing and accommodating are useful when reaching the overarching goal is more important than the disagreement. This approach maintains harmony in the relationship and can create good will between the parties. This approach is also used when there is a difference in the relative authority or power of the individuals. For example, this approach may be appropriate when there is a disagreement with the sponsor. Since the sponsor outranks the project manager or project team member, and there is a desire to maintain a good relationship with the sponsor, adopting an accommodating posture may be appropriate. [PMBOK7 p168, 169] (Domain: People, Task 1)
Forcing (or Directing)
Forcing or Directing is used when there is not enough time to collaborate or problem-solve.
In this scenario, one party forces their will on the other. The party forcing has more power than the other party. A forcing style may be used if there is a health and safety conflict that needs to be resolved immediately. [PMBOK7 p168, 169] (Domain: People, Task 1)
Withdrawal (or Avoiding)
Sometimes a problem will go away on its own, or sometimes discussions get heated and people need a cooling-off period. In both scenarios, withdrawing or avoiding from the situation is appropriate. Withdrawal is also used in a no-win scenario, such as complying with a requirement imposed by a regulatory agency instead of challenging the requirement. [PMBOK7 p168, 169] (Domain: People, Task 1)
When a team captures improvement ideas during retrospectives but fails to implement these during the iterations. What does PMI recommend?
Capture no more than three items to improve at each retrospective.
When there is slow or no improvement in the teamwork process, it is recommended to capture no more than three items to improve at each retrospective. Ask the servant-leader to help the team learn how to integrate those items. [Agile Practice Guide, 1st edition, Page 59] (Domain: Process, Task 7)
What form of communication is considered the most efficient?
Interactive communication is the most efficient form of communication as it requires multidirectional exchange of information.
Project team members are assigned to work part-time on a project, while they continue to work in their respective departments for the rest of the time. Is this team representative of a typical Agile team?
No; because the team members are not 100% dedicated to the project.
Agile teams are cross-functional and follow Agile approaches, but they are also supposed to be 100% dedicated to the project work. In this scenario, the project team is not 100% dedicated, which is not representative of a typical Agile team. However, it must be noted that while this condition is desirable, it sometimes cannot be met.
Parkinson’s Law
Project work is expanding to fit the time allocated to it?
What is the difference between Myers-Briggs Thinking (T) and Feeling (F)?
With Myers-Briggs, Thinking (T) makes a decision based on logical analysis and objective while Feeling (F) makes decisions based on personal values, emotions, and interpersonal considerations
What is the difference between Myers-Briggs Perceiving (P) and Judging (J)?
With Myers-Briggs, Perceiving (P) prefers a flexible, adaptable, and spontaneous approach to life while Judging (J) prefers a planned, organized, and structured approach to life.
What is the difference between Myers-Briggs Sensing (S) and Intuition (N)?
With Myers-Briggs, Sensing (S) prefers focusing on concrete facts, details, and present realities. Gathers information through direct experiences while Intuition (N) prefers focus on patterns, possibilities, and future-oriented. Focuses on the big picture and possibilities.
Student Syndrome
The team waits until the last minute of the deadline to complete their work
McClellan’s Theory of Needs
People are driven by needs of achievement, power, and affiliation
Daniel Pink’s Intrinsic Motivators
Autonomy, mastery, and purpose
Name the steps in order for the Drexler/Sibbet Team Performance Model
The Drexler/Sibbet Team Performance Model steps are: Orientation, Trust building, Goal Clarification, Commitment, Implementation, High Performance, and Renewal.
Reference: PMBOK 7, p167,
Verbal Communication
Verbal Communication
involves face-to-face meetings for immediate feedback
Interactive Communication
Interactive Communication is used for urgent and real-time communication
Salience Chart
Salience Chart is where a project manager evaluates stakeholders based on their power, urgency, and legitimacy to determine their level of attention.
Stakeholder Matrix
A Stakeholder Matrix is where a project team categorizes stakeholders based on their influence and interest to develop an engagement strategy.
Stakeholder Engagement Matrix
A Stakeholder Engagement Matrix is when a project team tracks how engaged each stakeholder is, categorizing them as unaware, resistant, neutral, supportive, or leading.
When reviewing expenses for your project with the finance department, it becomes clear there is a discrepancy between the projected, budgeted, and actual costs incurred for equipment procured from a specific vendor. This cost variance puts the project over budget by 2 percent, inclusive of reserves. After reviewing and comparing the quotes with the invoices, it is discovered that the quotes were issued in Canadian dollars while the invoices were issued in US dollars. Which of the following is the best option?
Notify the project stakeholders of the situation immediately and take responsibility for the error
NOT Dispute the charges with the vendor
Notify project stakeholders immediately and accept responsibility for the error. PMI’s code of ethics requires project managers to provide accurate and timely project information—including bad news—and to take full responsibility for all errors and omissions. Whenever there is an impact to cost, scope, or schedule, the project manager must notify the project stakeholders; once they have been notified, analysis of options to deal with the impact can be undertaken. [PMI Ethics] (Domain: Business Environment, Task 1)
You have to resolve a conflict. Your programmer has developed a new feature. The product owner is not happy as he wasn’t involved in this decision. What should you do?
Agree with the product owner and ask him how he wants to resolve the issue.
NOT Ask both parties to amicably resolve the issue.
Here the product owner is correct. The new feature shouldn’t have been developed without their consent. Now the best course of action is to ask the product owner if they would like to retain the feature or have it removed from the next release. [PMI Agile p41] (Domain: People, Task 1)
