IT4306 · IT Project Management · Level II, Semester 4

Topic 13 — Project Stakeholder Management

Five exam-style questions and model answers built from the lecture slides and UCSC past papers (2022–2024) — for quick, focused revision.

Ref: Schwalbe, Managing IT Projects, 9th Ed. · pg. 540–553 Weight: 02 theory hours Style: Structured Question paper (Part 2)

Answers are hidden by default — test yourself first, then reveal.

1

Why is project stakeholder management important, and what are its four processes?

Definition + Process Groups
▾
3 + 4 × 3 = 15 marks

Why it matters: Stakeholder management is a critical factor in overall project success. Its core purpose is to identify all the people and/or organizations affected by the project, analyze their expectations, and effectively manage them throughout the project life cycle.

The four processes:

  • Identify Stakeholders — identify all individuals and organizations involved in or affected by the project, and determine the best way to manage each one.
  • Plan Stakeholder Management — analyze stakeholder requirements and strategize on how to engage stakeholders effectively.
  • Manage Stakeholder Engagement — communicate and work with stakeholders to satisfy their expectations.
  • Control Stakeholder Engagement — monitor stakeholder relationships and adjust strategies to keep engagement effective.
Exam tip: Past papers often ask you to map a knowledge area's processes to the four PMBOK process groups (Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring & Controlling). For Stakeholder Management the mapping is 1-to-1 in the same order as listed above.
2

What are the two types of project stakeholders? Give examples of each.

Classify + Example
▾
2 × 5 = 10 marks
  • Internal stakeholders — people or groups working directly inside the organization/project, e.g. the project sponsor and the project team.
  • External stakeholders — people or groups outside the organization who are affected by the project, e.g. customers.

When identifying stakeholders, the project team should focus on those with the most direct ties to the project, rather than trying to give equal weight to every remotely-interested party.

Common trap: A past paper T/F statement claims "there are three types of stakeholders: internal, external, and hybrid" — this is False. The textbook recognizes only two types: internal and external.
3

What is a stakeholder register, and how does the power/interest grid help manage it?

Definition + Tool
▾
3 × 4 + 3 = 15 marks

Stakeholder register: a document that includes basic information about identified stakeholders, made up of three parts:

  • Identification information — name, position, location, role, and contact details.
  • Assessment information — main expectations, potential influence, and the phase(s) of the project life cycle the stakeholder is most interested in.
  • Stakeholder classification — internal/external, supportive/neutral/resistant, and so on; this classification determines the approach used to manage the relationship.

Power/Interest grid: a useful tool for grouping stakeholders based on their level of authority (power) and their level of concern (interest) for the project's outcomes. Plotting stakeholders on this grid helps the project manager decide how much attention and what kind of engagement each stakeholder needs.

Confirmed by past paper: The 2023 paper marked "The power/interest grid is a useful tool for grouping stakeholders based on their level of authority and concern for the project's outcomes" as True — this exact definition is safe to reuse in an answer.
4

List the five stakeholder engagement levels and explain what a stakeholder management plan contains.

List + Contents
▾
5 × 2 + 10 = 20 marks

Five engagement levels (from least to most engaged):

LevelMeaning
UnawareUnaware of the project and its potential impacts.
ResistantAware of the project, but resistant to change.
NeutralAware of the project, but neither supportive nor resistant.
SupportiveAware of the project and supportive of its work and outcomes.
LeadingAware of the project and actively engaged in ensuring its success.

Stakeholder management plan — developed after stakeholders are identified, it may include (not limited to):

  • Current and desired level of engagement for each stakeholder.
  • Interrelationships between stakeholders.
  • Communication requirements for the current project phase.
  • Possible management strategies for each stakeholder.
Confidentiality note: Some information in the stakeholder management plan is sensitive (e.g. a resistant stakeholder's identity), so care must be taken over who has access to it.
5

How is stakeholder engagement measured and controlled? Are the following statements True or False?

Concept + True/False
▾
2 × 15 = 30 marks (paper style)

Managing engagement: Project success is often measured in terms of the satisfaction of each stakeholder involved. Ranking systems and matrices, such as expectation management matrices, are used to manage stakeholder engagement.

Controlling engagement: a project manager cannot directly control stakeholders — only their level of engagement. Good practice includes:

  • Setting the proper tone at the very start of the project.
  • Inviting stakeholders to actively participate in the kick-off meeting rather than simply attend it.
  • Building stakeholder-related activities (surveys, reviews, demonstrations, sign-offs) directly into the project schedule.

True/False practice (from past papers):

StatementAnswer
There are three types of stakeholders: internal, external, and hybrid.False
When identifying stakeholders, all stakeholders — however remote their interest — need to be equally focused on.False
The success of a project is not determined and measured in terms of the satisfaction of each stakeholder involved.False
The power/interest grid is a useful tool for grouping stakeholders based on authority and concern.True
Exam tip: UCSC past papers repeat these exact four statements almost verbatim — memorize the True/False status of each rather than re-deriving it under time pressure.