PMP Referenced Question 7: Avoiding Delays in Project Charter Approval Through Stakeholder Analysis
This PMP-style scenario highlights the importance of early stakeholder engagement and influence analysis during the chartering phase. PMI emphasizes involving key players before approvals to prevent resistance and delays.
📘 Scenario
A company is interested in reducing production costs in one of its production lines. When the project charter was about to be approved, one of the key stakeholders questioned the project’s value and caused a delay in the approval.
❓ Question
What should the project manager have done to avoid this setback?
- A. Developed benchmarking
- B. Assessed feasibility and impacts
- C. Detailed the project charter
- D. Analyzed stakeholders
✅ Correct Answer: D. Analyzed stakeholders
- 👥 Stakeholder analysis is one of the **earliest actions** a project manager should take.
- 📋 Understanding who has power and influence helps avoid late objections or pushback.
- 🧩 PMI encourages involving key stakeholders **during charter development**, not after.
✔ Why Option D is Correct
A stakeholder analysis would have identified this influential stakeholder early. By engaging them during project definition, the PM could have addressed concerns, aligned value expectations, and avoided the delay in charter approval.
✖ Why Other Options Are Incorrect
- A. Benchmarking helps compare industry standards but doesn’t address stakeholder resistance.
- B. Feasibility analysis is useful but doesn’t resolve interpersonal dynamics or objections.
- C. A detailed charter is ineffective if key stakeholders aren’t aligned or consulted.
📌 Key Takeaway
Project managers should **never delay stakeholder identification and analysis**. Early engagement prevents future resistance, builds buy-in, and enables smooth charter development and approval.
Preparing for the PMP exam means mastering stakeholder management from the very start. Identifying and analyzing stakeholders before charter approval is critical to ensuring alignment, support, and timely progress.