Week 3: Working Effectively with Stakeholders
Working effectively with stakeholders introduction
Practical advice about determining roles and responsibilities within a project is provided by the Google Coursera Project Management course. Among other techniques, stakeholder analysis is used to identify stakeholders, understand their interests, and determine their needs. It also explains who should be informed for various assigned tasks.
For instance, such an effective use of RACI charts (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed) shall assign task roles to define the role of single team members. It makes sure that every participant does his or her best to see the project through.
This course is, without a doubt, your best shot at mastering the fundamentals of assigning roles and responsibilities in project management. Ready? Let’s get started!
TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE: EVALUATING STAKEHOLDERS
1. Imagine you are a project manager for a healthcare company. When building a team for a new research project, you create a power grid to help you figure out which stakeholders to prioritize. Which box in the grid represents the stakeholders who are the key players on your team?
Stakeholder Analysis grid with Power and Interest on each axis. Stakeholder Analysis grid with Power and Interest on each axis. Box A in upper left (high power, low interest); Box B in the upper right (high power, high interest); Box C in the lower left (low power, low interest); Box D in the lower right (low power, high interest)
- Box A (high influence, low interest)
- Box D (low influence, high interest)
- Box B (high influence, high interest) (CORRECT)
- Box C (low influence, low interest)
Correct: Project managers are obligated to ensure the interests of all stakeholders, especially those with the greatest influence on the project and the most interest in it. Develop partnerships with key stakeholders so that their needs are included to facilitate collaboration and efforts toward achieving objectives.
2. What is the correct order of tasks in a stakeholder analysis?
- Determine each stakeholder’s level of interest and influence, list all the stakeholders the project impacts, and find ways to involve them.
- Find ways to involve each stakeholder, list all the stakeholders the project impacts, and determine their level of interest and influence.
- List all the stakeholders the project impacts, determine their level of interest and influence, and find ways to involve them. (CORRECT)
- List all the stakeholders the project impacts, find ways to involve them, and determine their level of interest and influence.
Correct: The first step for a project manager would be to identify his stakeholders, and their level of influence and interest in the project. Upon this, he can then decide what possible ways he can use to involve them over the project’s life cycle.
3. What does stakeholder analysis enable project managers to do? Select all that apply.
- Accurately predict project outcomes
- Select more impactful projects
- Build necessary partnerships (CORRECT)
- Avoid potential risks down the road (CORRECT)
Stakeholder analysis is excellent for spotting potential key players to involve in important conversations so that you can win their support during the whole project. You may even be able to anticipate and minimize some unexpected developments along the way.
Through stakeholder analysis, you can gain further understanding of what to expect as the work progresses on the project. This can help build some strong partnerships and ensure that you engage the right people in relevant discussions.
4. What is it called when a project manager involves stakeholders in decision-making to reach a broader consensus?
- Stakeholder mapping
- Stakeholder analysis
- Stakeholder buy-in (CORRECT)
- Stakeholder identification
Correct: Bring in stakeholder buy-in: creates ownership and commitment to the success of the project by involving stakeholders into decision making.
5. When choosing a project team, a project manager considers required roles, team size, and which three additional factors?
- Necessary skills (CORRECT)
- Motivation (CORRECT)
- Availability (CORRECT)
- Stakeholder preferences
Team members should possess the required skills for their roles in order to make a project successful; any lack in skills should be taken care of through timely training, organized by the project manager, to prevent delays. The availability of the team members is another thing that ensures that they should be motivated enough for full engagement in the project.
Motivation plays an important role in the quality of work; it needs to be understood that individuals should be selected who are ever willing to put an effort into it. In addition to the motivation, team members need to have the necessary skills and have a bit of time to focus on the project.
Team availability is fundamental for project success. Members need to have the time available to use for the project without overcommitment elsewhere, along with their skills and motivation to fulfill their responsibilities efficiently.
6. Who is the project sponsor?
- The person who will use the product produced by a project
- The person who plans, organizes, and oversees the project
- The person who is accountable for the project and ensures the project delivers the agreed-upon value to a business (CORRECT)
- The person involved in the project who has a vested interest in the project’s success
Correct: The project sponsor is responsible for producing the project outputs in time and successful output. This mainly includes getting the business value from the project. They are responsible for the overall success of the project.
7. Which two factors are determined on a stakeholder power grid? Select all that apply.
- Interest (CORRECT)
- Influence (CORRECT)
- Impact
- Input
Correct: Stakeholder Power grid is a two-by-two matrix in stakeholder analysis. It analyzes the relevance of each stakeholder to the project along the two key dimensions of interest and their extent of influence.
8. What key questions should you consider when deciding who should be accountable for a task? select all that apply.
- Who might delegate the task to another team member? (CORRECT)
- Which department manages the work?
- Who should perform the work?
- Who should review the work to confirm it is complete? (CORRECT)
PROJECT INITIATION: STARTING A SUCCESSFUL PROJECT WEEKLY CHALLENGE 3
1. Who is responsible for overseeing the scope, schedule, budget, and quality of a project?
- Project manager (CORRECT)
- Project sponsor
- Product lead
- Primary stakeholders
2. Does the project sponsor fund the project?
- Yes. The project sponsor plays a vital leadership role, which always includes funding the project.
- No. The project sponsor plays a vital leadership role but does not fund the project.
- Sometimes. The project sponsor plays a vital leadership role, which sometimes includes funding the project. (CORRECT)
Correct: The understanding of project success is maintained in order to ensure that the entire team is on the same foundation with regard to the goal of the project.
3. Which of the following people are likely to be primary stakeholders in a project? Select all that apply.
- Business competitors
- The project sponsor (CORRECT)
- The project team (CORRECT)
- The project client (CORRECT)
4. Which responsibilities belong to project team members?
- Report project findings and progress to the project sponsor
- Oversee the scope, schedule, budget, and quality of a project
- Use technical expertise and interpersonal skills to complete day-to-day tasks (CORRECT)
- Making sure the project fulfills its objective and supports the overall business strategy
5. Fill in the blank: Stakeholder analysis is the process of identifying stakeholders and grouping them by _____.
- talents and skills
- availability and participation
- seniority and experience
- interest and influence (CORRECT)
6. Which of the following activities are steps in a stakeholder analysis? Select all that apply.
- List the stakeholders impacted by the project (CORRECT)
- Determine which stakeholders should be excluded from the project
- Assess each stakeholder’s reputation and level of experience
- Assess each stakeholder’s level of interest and influence (CORRECT)
7. What does the acronym RACI stand for?
- Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed (CORRECT)
- Responsible, Accountable, Considered, Informed
- Responsible, Accountable, Considered, Interested
- Responsible, Appeased, Consulted, Interested
8. In what two ways do RACI charts help project managers communicate effectively with stakeholders?
- Reduce the number of people who need to communicate
- Reveal which stakeholders have the greatest interest in the project
- Map out each person’s roles and responsibilities (CORRECT)
- Eliminate confusion and overlapping work at the task level (CORRECT)
9. As a project manager, you make considerations when building a team. You decide how many people need to be on the team, what expertise each member will need to complete their tasks, and if they have a personal incentive to work on the project. What else should you consider when building a team?
- Team member availability (CORRECT)
- Team member communication preferences
- Whether the project has a strong business case
- Degree of stakeholder engagement
10. As a project manager, you’re prioritizing stakeholders with a power grid. One stakeholder has low power and high interest. What level of engagement should the team have with the stakeholder?
- Show consideration (CORRECT)
- Manage closely
- Meet their needs
- Monitor
11. Which of the following responsibilities does project management include?
- Apply technical expertise to execute the project’s day-to-day tasks
- Sign off on budget and resources
- Ensure that the business meets its overall objectives
- Oversee the scope, schedule, budget, and quality of a project (CORRECT)
12. Does the project sponsor fund the project?
- Yes. The project sponsor plays a vital leadership role, which always includes funding the project.
- No. The project sponsor plays a vital leadership role but does not fund the project.
- Sometimes. The project sponsor plays a vital leadership role, which sometimes includes funding the project. (CORRECT)
13. Which stakeholders benefit directly (not indirectly) from a project’s success? Select all that apply.
- Secondary stakeholders (CORRECT)
- Minor players
- Key players (CORRECT)
- Primary stakeholders
14. Who uses technical and interpersonal skills to carry out day-to-day project tasks?
- Project team members (CORRECT)
- Secondary stakeholders
- Project manager
- Project sponsor
15. What is the purpose of a stakeholder analysis?
- Determine which stakeholders to exclude from a project
- Meet with stakeholders to make major project decisions
- Talk to stakeholders and learn about their interests
- Identify stakeholders and determine their involvement in a project (CORRECT)
16. What is the first step in a stakeholder analysis?
- List the stakeholders impacted by the project (CORRECT)
- Determine each stakeholder’s level of interest
- Assess each stakeholder’s ability to participate and find ways to involve them
- Determine each stakeholder’s level of influence
17. Which of the following statements are true of RACI charts? Select all that apply.
- Record the level of risk stakeholders bring to the project
- Assess each stakeholder’s ability to participate and build necessary partnerships
- Define project roles and responsibilities to ensure efficiency (CORRECT)
- Determine which stakeholders are responsible for which tasks (CORRECT)
18. In a RACI chart, which type of participation refers to people who need to know about final decisions or that a task is complete?
- Accountable
- Informed (CORRECT)
- Consulted
- Responsible
Correct: There are four types of participations under RACI: responsible, accountable, consulted, and informed. Those who fall under “informed” are required to know of final decisions or be told when a task is completed.
19. In the RACI model, which role offers insights or expertise to help others complete project tasks?
- Responsible
- Accountable
- Consulted (CORRECT)
- Informed
Correct: Consultative stakeholders will be acting as suitable senior advisors or subject matter experts who provide support and insight for making other people’s helping along their work more efficient.
20. What key questions should you consider when deciding who should be consulted about a task? Select all that apply.
- Who might delegate the work to another team member?
- Which department manages the work?
- Who can give feedback to responsible individuals to help them complete tasks? (CORRECT)
- Who are the subject matter experts (SMEs) for the task? (CORRECT)
Correct: It will allow a person to figure out whom to consult for insights and guidance during the project, and identify individuals with expertise in specific areas.
21. In your completed RACI chart, how many stakeholders are consulted for the “create a landing page mockup” task?
- 0
- 1
- 2 or more (CORRECT)
Correct: Observation: All the concerned persons, that is, the content writer, the graphic designer, or the web developer, should be consulted in the mock-up because each one has an important say in the landing page.
22. In your completed RACI chart, who is responsible for creating the landing page mockup?
- The Web Designer (CORRECT)
- The Graphic Designer
- The Web Manager
- The Web Developer
Correct: The aspect of web designing that determines the persona of the page and dictates how the patient user interacts with the web page is developing the layout.
23. Which of the following responsibilities does project management include?
- Apply technical expertise to execute the project’s day-to-day tasks
- Sign off on budget and resources
- Ensure that the business meets its overall objectives
- Oversee the scope, schedule, budget, and quality of a project (CORRECT)
24. As a project manager, you’re prioritizing stakeholders using a power grid. One stakeholder has high power and high interest. What level of engagement should the team have with the stakeholder?
- Meet their needs
- Monitor
- Show consideration
- Manage closely (CORRECT)
25. Which term refers to identifying stakeholders and grouping them by interest and influence?
- Stakeholder monitoring
- Steering Committee meeting
- Stakeholder buy-in
- Stakeholder analysis (CORRECT)
26. Which of the following responsibilities typically belong to the project manager? Select all that apply.
- Sign off on the budget
- Control change and monitor project quality (CORRECT)
- Develop the project management plan (CORRECT)
- Direct project work and report on progress to stakeholders (CORRECT)
27. Which stakeholders are indirectly impacted by a project’s success?
- Secondary stakeholders (CORRECT)
- Primary stakeholders
- Minor players
- Key players
28. Which of the following are typical responsibilities of project team members? Select all that apply.
- Take on multiple project tasks (CORRECT)
- Initiate the project
- Provide technical expertise (CORRECT)
- Carry out day-to-day project tasks (CORRECT)
29. What is the main benefit of making a RACI chart?
- Illustrates all of the potential risks and opportunities for success
- Determines which stakeholders should fill which roles during a project (CORRECT)
- Assesses each stakeholder’s ability to participate and build necessary partnerships
- Helps set SMART goals
30. As a project manager, you’re prioritizing stakeholders with a power grid. One stakeholder has high power and low interest. What level of engagement should the team have with the stakeholder?
- Monitor
- Show consideration
- Meet their needs (CORRECT)
- Manage closely
31. In your completed RACI chart, who is responsible for testing the landing page?
- The Web Developer
- The Web Manager
- The Quality Assurance Tester (CORRECT)
- The Web Designer
32. In your completed RACI chart, who is responsible for coding the landing page?
- The Quality Assurance Tester
- The Graphic Designer
- The Web Designer
- The Web Developer (CORRECT)
33. In the RACI model, which role reviews the work to confirm it is complete?
- Responsible
- Accountable (CORRECT)
- Consulted
- Informed
34. What key questions should you consider when deciding who should be informed about a task? Select all that apply.
- Which department manages the work?
- Who is affected by the outcome? (CORRECT)
- Who is invested in task completion, but not directly involved in the work? (CORRECT)
- Who are the subject matter experts (SMEs) for the task?
35. In your completed RACI chart, how many stakeholders are accountable for the “design the landing page” task?
- 0
- 1 (CORRECT)
- 2 or more
36. What role does the project manager assign to those executing project tasks?
- Project sponsors
- Secondary stakeholders
- Project managers
- Project team members (CORRECT)
37. As a project manager, you complete a stakeholder analysis and make a list of all the stakeholders. What is often the next step?
- Assign tasks to each stakeholder
- Determine the level of interest and influence for each stakeholder (CORRECT)
- Make a budget to determine how much each stakeholder should invest
- Schedule a meeting with all stakeholders
38. As a project manager, you create a chart to assign roles and responsibilities for the team. What type of chart are you creating?
- RACI chart (CORRECT)
- SBI chart
- Stakeholder analysis chart
- Team analysis chart
39. As a project manager, you have a team member who is a subject matter expert and will answer questions as needed during the execution of the project. What role will this person be assigned in a RACI chart?
- Informed
- Responsible
- Consulted (CORRECT)
- Accountable
40. As a project manager, you make a list of tasks required to complete a project. You decide on the number of team members required to complete the tasks. What is the next step to decide in building the team?
- Gauge the interest of each team member
- Assign roles for each team member (CORRECT)
- Determine the business value of the project
- Provide sponsorship for the team members
41. Which three of the following responsibilities can belong to the project sponsor? Select all that apply.
- Play a key leadership role throughout the project (CORRECT)
- Ensure that the project delivers the agreed upon value to the business (CORRECT)
- Plan and organize the project
- Fund the project (CORRECT)
- The software they are reviewing (CORRECT)
- Software developers who are knowledgeable about the product (CORRECT)
- Other new software that is in development
- Login credentials of the software users
The reviewer ought to be able to use that software plus the software developers who will provide support regarding what this information should apply towards a more considerable readership.
42. Who are likely to be secondary stakeholders on a project?
- Project sponsors
- Team members
- Project managers
- Project contractors (CORRECT)
43. What does a power grid represent when conducting a stakeholder analysis?
- A power grid determines the stakeholders’ roles based on their position on the grid
- A power grid visualizes how many tasks each stakeholder can complete
- A power grid determines out accomplishments of each stakeholder
- A power grid visualizes each stakeholder’s interest and influence in the project (CORRECT)
44. Which of the following is true of someone who is accountable in a RACI chart?
- Gives feedback according to their subject matter expertise
- Learns about tasks when they are complete
- Ensures the work gets completed (CORRECT)
- Carries out the work to complete the tasks
45. Who has the role of interacting with stakeholders throughout a project?
- Product lead
- Product vendor
- Project manager (CORRECT)
- Project sponsor
46. What is one of the main ways primary and secondary stakeholders can help in the planning stages of a project?
- To complete and execute tasks
- To create charts and visuals for the team
- To define project goals and outcomes (CORRECT)
- To conduct a stakeholder analysis for the project
47. What is the role of a web developer on a project to create a new website?
- Team member (CORRECT)
- Secondary stakeholder
- Project sponsor
- Primary stakeholder
48. What type of chart is a visual representation of all stakeholders in a project?
- Stakeholder analysis chart (CORRECT)
- Project task chart
- Project budget summary
- RACI chart
49. You assign someone as consulted in a RACI chart. What is their expected role in the project?
- To give feedback to the team
- To ensure all the work gets done
- To complete the tasks in the project (CORRECT)
- To know the final decision on the project
50. As a project manager, you assign someone as responsible on a RACI chart. What do you expect them to do on the project?
- Learn about tasks when they are complete
- Carry out the work to complete the tasks (CORRECT)
- Ensure the work gets completed
- Give feedback according to their subject matter expertise
51. You are creating a new team to complete a project. In order to choose the right people, what is the first task to complete?
- Make a list of people who are interested in the project
- Make a list of all team members in the company
- Make a list of stakeholders and their priorities
- Make a list of the roles required to complete the tasks (CORRECT)
52. A stakeholder needs additional time to make a decision on a project. What communication steps can a project manager make to help the stakeholder make their decision? Select all that apply.
- Hold frequent meetings with the stakeholder (CORRECT)
- Over-communicate early on (CORRECT)
- Send daily updates in progress emails (CORRECT)
- Start the work before the stakeholder makes a decision and confirm the decision later
53. Which of the following is a title given to the director responsible for the successful outcome of a project?
- The project sponsor (CORRECT)
- The team member
- The client
- The project manager
54. Which stakeholders benefit directly(not indirectly) from a project’s success? Select all that apply.
- Minor players
- Key players (CORRECT)
- Secondary stakeholders
- Primary stakeholders (CORRECT)
55. As a project manager, you have made a list of stakeholders and determined their interest and influence in a project. What is often the next step in a stakeholder analysis?
- Schedule a meeting with stakeholders to introduce the team
- Assess each stakeholder’s ability to participate and find ways to involve them (CORRECT)
- Determine each stakeholder’s level of influence
- Complete a budget analysis for the project
56. How often should communication happen with project sponsors?
- Throughout the closing phase of the project
- Only at the execution of a project
- Throughout all phases of the project (CORRECT)
- Only at the beginning and end of a project
57. When conducting a stakeholder analysis, what does influence measure?
- How much interest the stakeholder has in the project
- How much the stakeholder’s actions affect the project outcome (CORRECT)
- How many tasks the stakeholder is able to assign
- How many meetings the stakeholder participates in
58. Who is responsible for the team’s overall success and the project as a whole?
- Project sponsor
- Primary stakeholder
- Product lead
- Project manager (CORRECT)
59. What is a responsibility of the project sponsor?
- To ensure the successful completion of a project (CORRECT)
- To create the project charters and RACI charts
- To conduct meetings with the team members and assign tasks
- To complete the daily tasks of the project
60. As a project manager, you assign someone as informed on a RACI chart. What do you expect them to do on the project?
- Ensure the work gets completed (CORRECT)
- Learn about the final decision on the project
- Carry out the work to complete the tasks
- Give feedback according to their subject matter expertise
61. As a project manager creating a team, what is an important step that enables team members to complete tasks?
- Ensure all team members are friendly and nice
- Ensure all team members are able to effectively communicate with stakeholders
- Ensure each team member has the necessary skills to complete the tasks (CORRECT)
- Ensure all team members have an interest in the project
Working effectively with stakeholders conclusion
Creating a successful project depends on setting clear roles and responsibilities among all participants. Google’s Coursera course on Project Management teaches how to define roles and use RACI charts.
After this course, you will enable the communication and collaboration necessary for your team to achieve your project goals. Begin your learning journey into Coursera today!