Page 238 - Project+

whenever possible.

Managing Stakeholder Expectations and Communication

Needs

Managing stakeholder expectations concerns satisfying the needs of the stakeholders
by managing communications with them, resolving issues, improving project
performance by implementing requested changes, and managing concerns in
anticipation of potential problems.

It’s the project manager’s responsibility to manage stakeholder expectations. By doing
so, you will decrease the potential for project failure. Managing the expectations of
your stakeholders will also increase the chance of meeting the project goals because
issues are resolved in a timely manner and disruptions during the project are limited.

Stakeholders need lots of communication in every form you can provide, and their
communication preferences should be documented within the communication plan. If
you are actively engaged with your stakeholders and interacting with them, providing

project status and resolving issues, your chances of a successful project are much
greater than if you don’t do these things. Communicating with stakeholders occurs
throughout the project.

The CompTIA Project+ exam mentions specific stakeholder requirements. You can
document these requirements in your communication plan. Let’s take a brief look at
each of them.

Frequency Stakeholders may have differing requirements for project information
including the frequency in which they receive the information. Key stakeholders may

require more frequent updates than others, so note the frequency in the
communication plan.

Level of Report Detail Like frequency, the level of detail stakeholders require will
differ depending on who they are. For example, the project sponsor may need more
details on the budget than most other project stakeholders. Stakeholders who
represent a specific area of the business will want more detail about the tasks or risks
associated with their own areas.

Types of Communication Be certain to note the types of communication
stakeholders need in the communication plan. Some will want every document you
produce; others may be interested only in updated status and schedules.

Confidentiality Constraints You should pay close attention to sensitive or
confidential information and who receives it. You wouldn’t want to accidentally send a
personnel write-up, for example, to everyone on the distribution list. Other

confidential information may include contract details, financials, and company-specific
information such as trade secrets.

Tailor Communication Style Stakeholders, like project team members, may have

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