Stakeholder
Any person, group, or entity that can influence a project, is impacted by it, or believes they are impacted by the decisions, work, or results of a project, program, or portfolio.
Key Points
- Stakeholders can be internal or external and may have positive or negative influence.
- Identify and analyze stakeholders early and update the stakeholder register throughout the life cycle.
- Engagement strategies and tailored communications help manage expectations and influence.
- Tools like power-interest grids and stakeholder engagement assessments guide prioritization.
Example
A neighborhood association worries that a new distribution center will increase traffic. Even though they are not funding or performing the work, they are stakeholders because they believe the project could affect them, so the project manager plans regular updates and a traffic mitigation discussion.
PMP Example Question
A local community group believes your project may raise noise levels and requests monthly briefings. How should this group be categorized?
- Sponsor
- Vendor
- Stakeholder
- Functional manager
Correct Answer: C — Stakeholder
Explanation: Anyone who can influence the project, is affected by it, or believes they are affected is a stakeholder, even if they are not doing project work.
