Project Management Stakeholder Engagement

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Questions and Answers

What is the benefit of consulting early with stakeholders?

To impose the project manager's vision immediately

To adapt the approach to fit stakeholders' needs and styles (correct)

To ensure communication is always formal

To limit feedback to only positive responses

Which strategy is recommended for engaging with stakeholders during the project?

Provide updates only at the beginning and end of the project

Demonstrate the benefits of the project to them (correct)

Communicate exclusively through formal meetings

Actively ignore their feedback to maintain control

Why is it important to seek confirmation from stakeholders throughout the project?

To avoid any communication with them until the project ends

To disregard any changes in their attitudes

To make sure only the project manager's decisions are followed

To ensure that their expectations are still being met and to adapt if necessary (correct)

What is a common challenge when working with multiple stakeholders?

Different stakeholders may have conflicting interests Signup and view all the answers

How can a project manager effectively engage stakeholders?

By actively engaging and repeating the plan, execute, and evaluate cycle Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of a requirements traceability matrix?

To link requirements to their origins and deliverables Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following techniques is NOT used for data gathering?

Voting Signup and view all the answers

What does the Project Scope Description document primarily define?

The project's business need and requested output Signup and view all the answers

Which technique is part of interpersonal and team skills in project management?

Facilitation Signup and view all the answers

What key aspect does the requirements traceability matrix help manage during a project?

Changes to the product scope Signup and view all the answers

What is one of the first steps in project scope management?

Collecting data Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a benefit of linking requirements to business objectives?

Facilitates stakeholder management Signup and view all the answers

Which method would you use for data representation in project management?

Mind mapping Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of project scope management?

Ensuring the project includes only the work that is required Signup and view all the answers

What document authorizes the existence of a project and provides authority to the project manager?

Project Charter Signup and view all the answers

What does product scope refer to?

The features and functions that characterize a product, service, or result Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT an input needed before scope management can start?

Product Launch Strategy Signup and view all the answers

What is essential for ensuring you have the correct people for scope management?

Collecting all relevant information and documentation Signup and view all the answers

Which stage in scope management involves validating the defined scope?

Define scope Signup and view all the answers

What happens if the necessary preparations for scope management are not made?

Chaos due to unclear project direction Signup and view all the answers

What is described as a stage gate in the scope management process?

Validation of scope Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) in project management?

To break down a project into manageable parts Signup and view all the answers

Which task in the provided Work Breakdown Structure has the longest duration?

Dry Concrete Signup and view all the answers

What is typically included in a functional description of a project?

Project acceptance criteria Signup and view all the answers

Which part is NOT considered a main component of a functional description?

Technical specifications Signup and view all the answers

In the Critical Path Method (CPM), what is the significance of the critical path?

It shows tasks that have no flexibility in scheduling. Signup and view all the answers

Who should be contacted when defining the scope of a project?

Daily stakeholders involved with the project's outcome Signup and view all the answers

What type of process does the Initiating Process Group encompass?

Processes required to launch a new project or phase Signup and view all the answers

In project management terminology, what does WBS stand for?

Work Breakdown Structure Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following factors is NOT part of project scope control?

Technical illiteracy Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a common name for a functional description in different industries?

Project Deliverables Sheet Signup and view all the answers

Which task directly depends on the completion of 'Place molding'?

Place concrete nets Signup and view all the answers

What is considered part of the constraints in a project's functional description?

Legal requirements Signup and view all the answers

What is the duration of the task 'Order Concrete'?

5 days Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of the project acceptance criteria?

To define metrics for project success or failure Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following tasks requires 'Place concrete nets' to be completed before it can start?

Pour Concrete Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements about a functional description is false?

It only includes technical specifications. Signup and view all the answers

To effectively control project quality, which area must be managed alongside it?

People Signup and view all the answers

What does the task 'Dry Concrete' primarily rely on?

Completion of concrete pouring Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of taking time for discussions and reviews in project scope management?

To encourage brainstorming and reflection Signup and view all the answers

Which component of the work breakdown structure (WBS) allows for cost and duration estimation?

Work package Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'scope' refer to in the context of a project?

The sum of products, services, and results to be provided Signup and view all the answers

What is specifically NOT included in a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)?

Activities Signup and view all the answers

What is a WBS dictionary used for?

To provide detailed information about deliverables and scheduling Signup and view all the answers

Why is the hierarchical nature of a WBS important?

It allows for a clearer understanding and management of project details Signup and view all the answers

What should be done to make the functional description official in project management?

Sign it off by the required stakeholders Signup and view all the answers

What is the main benefit of using decomposition in managing project scope?

It simplifies complex deliverables into manageable pieces Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Introduction to Project Management

Dries Vandevyvere, Proj3ctS BV, KU Leuven presented a course on project management.
His background includes engineering, IT, project and program management, and business mentoring.
He has consulted for companies in the IT, chemical, utilities, natural resources, and bio-pharma industries.

Course Content

Course objectives include understanding projects, project management processes, trends (Agile & Hybrid), tools, techniques, frameworks, practical advice, problem-solving, and collaboration/teamwork.
Materials covered slides, supplemental articles, blog posts, exercises, and a lexicon.
Course content is divided into sections: Introduction, Stakeholders, change & scope management, estimation, scheduling & resources, risks, progress & Agile, and the exam.

Course Scope

Part 1: Introduction including what a project is, how project management works, why it matters, stakeholder management, change management, communication, and team motivation. Scope management included how to define scope and how to manage scope.
Part 2: Estimating, scheduling, and resources. Includes techniques for reliable project estimates, proper resource scheduling, and relevant project scheduling.
Part 3: Section covers risks, progress and the approach to agile in project management.

Exam

The exam is closed-book.
It includes open-ended questions and multiple choice questions.
Understanding the core concepts and application in real-life situations is emphasized.

Agenda

The agenda covers introduction (what is a project?, its management and why it matters), stakeholder management, change management with communication, team motivation, scope management, how to define and manage scope, and wrap-up and Q&A.

What is a Project?

A project is a temporary endeavor designed for producing a unique product, service or result with a defined beginning and end.
It's often time-constrained and/or constrained by funding or staffing to achieve agreed-upon unique goals and objectives and bring about beneficial change or added value.

Project Life Cycle

Shows a graphical illustration of how the project proceeds: Starts with planning and organizing, then goes into the execution of project work/monitoring and adjusting accordingly, and finally closes.
- Project cost and staffing level rise and fall
- Influence of stakeholders, project uncertainty, risk
Includes Project Charter, Project plan and deliverables.

Project Management Methods

Various methods are presented like classic (water fall), PRINCE2, PMBOK, Kanban, XP, Agile (Scrum, Waterscrumfall), SCRUMBAN, CCPM, and Lean.

PM Methods overview

Shows a comparison between classic (waterfall) and Agile (Scrum) project management methods, using flowcharts to illustrate their different approaches to the planning, analysis, building, and testing phases.

The Triple Constraint / Iron Triangle

Shows the trade-offs between quality, scope, time, and budget in a project. The three criteria are not independent.

What is Project Management?

Project management involves the application of processes, methods, tools, skills, knowledge, and experience to accomplish specific project objectives.

Who is the Project Manager?

A project manager's core soft skills include leadership, motivation, teamwork, integrity, attention to detail, problem-solving, delegation, change management, and being an effective organizer.

The Project Management Process

Project preparation, project execution, and project closure are presented as the three stages in a project's life cycle.
Business idea through project preparation to project charter to project execution and finally project closure.

Budget Management During the Project

Project Charter provides a high-level cost estimate. Detailed work package-level estimates are then created and updated. Cost & time control tracks planned vs. actual costs/completion times. Change management accounts for any changes to the budget and/or planning time.

Stanish Group - CHAOS Report

Summarizes factors contributing to project success (good sponsors, teams, and places) and project failure.

Top factors in failed projects

Incomplete requirements, lack of user involvement, lack of resources, unrealistic expectations, lack of executive support, changing requirements/specifications, lack of planning, lack of IT management, and technical illiteracy are among the top ten project failures.

Top five factors in successful projects

Top factors in successful projects are: user involvement, executive management support, clear statement of requirements, proper planning, and realistic expectations.

Stakeholder Management (Overview)

Definitions and considerations for different levels of stakeholders, stakeholder management plan, analyzing stakeholder impact, stakeholder engagement, and addressing stakeholder challenges.

Stakeholder Engagement

Awareness of potential stakeholder impacts. Different stakeholders react in different ways, including being unaware, resistant, neutral, supportive, or leading in their reactions to the project.

Challenges with Stakeholders

Common challenges relating to stakeholder engagement, including: distractions related to too many ongoing projects, a global workforce, cultural differences, resistance to change in the VUCA world, and clarity on stakeholder and project roles & impact.

Hints & Tips for Starting a Project and Managing Stakeholders

Practical advice for initial stakeholder management, and how to adapt throughout the project life cycle.

Scope definition & Management

Scope is defined by the output and deliverables of the project; important elements include the business needs, collection of data, define scope, validate it, and control scope.

Validation of Scope

Scope validation involves the formalization of acceptance criteria for the complete project scope.

Control of Scope

Scope Control focuses on managing changes to the project scope, procedures and steps for formal (RfC, scope change procedure) and informal scope control (creep or goldplating) are discussed.

Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

A breakdown structure of all parts of a project. It gives a list of the deliverables and workpackages for the project.

WBS Dictionary

Documents that provide detailed deliverable and scheduling information about each WBS component.

Agile: 4 Values & 12 Principles

Agile Manifesto, and principles for agile product development are highlighted.

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Description

Test your knowledge on stakeholder engagement strategies and the importance of early consultations in project management. This quiz will cover techniques for effective communication, the role of requirements traceability, and common challenges faced when managing multiple stakeholders.