COURSE 2 - Google PMP Certification (Week 3)

Stakeholder buy-in

The process of involving these people in decision making to hopefully reach a broader consensus on the organization's future

Project Manager

The person who plans, organizes, and oversees the whole project

Project Sponsor

The person who's accountable for the project and who ensures the project delivers the agreed upon business benefits

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?

(top right box) Box B (high influence, high interest) Explanation: As a project manager, you should prioritize the stakeholders with higher interest and influence on your team. You should closely partner with key stakeholders to reach the desired outcomes.

In your completed RACI chart, how many stakeholders are accountable for the "design the landing page" task?

-1 Explanation: Only one stakeholder should be accountable for a given task. In this case, it's the Web Manager.

What does stakeholder analysis enable project managers to do? Select all that apply.

-Build necessary partnerships Explanation: Stakeholder analysis tells you which people to include in important conversations.This is key to getting the support you need throughout the project. It also helps you know what to expect so you can avoid surprises down the road. -Avoid potential risks down the road Explanation: Stakeholder analysis can help you know what to expect as the project unfolds. It can also help you build partnerships and include the right people in important conversations.

Which two factors are determined on a stakeholder power grid? Select all that apply.

-Interest Explanation: The stakeholder power grid is a two-by-two grid used for conducting a stakeholder analysis. The power grid assigns each stakeholder a level of importance to the project using two measures: interest and influence. -Influence Explanation: The stakeholder power grid is a two-by-two grid used for conducting a stakeholder analysis. The power grid assigns each stakeholder a level of importance to the project using two measures: interest and influence.

When choosing a project team, a project manager considers required roles, team size, and which three additional factors?

-Necessary skills Explanation: Everyone on the team needs to have the right skills to do the job. If they don't have the necessary skills, the project manager should ensure that they receive timely training to avoid project delays. Beyond key skills, team members also need to be available and motivated. -Availability Explanation: Everyone on the team needs to be available to join the project. This means they are not staffed on another big project and have the time to contribute. Beyond availability, team members also need to have key skills and be motivated to complete their tasks. -Motivation Explanation: Everyone on the team needs to feel motivated to complete their assigned tasks. Motivation is a key ingredient for great work, so it's important to pick people who are excited to get involved. Beyond motivation, team members also need to be available and have key skills.

When choosing a team, consider:

-Required roles -Team size -Necessary skills -Availability -Motivation

What is it called when a project manager involves stakeholders in decision-making to reach a broader consensus?

-Stakeholder buy-in Explanation: Stakeholder buy-in helps stakeholders feel invested in the outcome of a project by involving them in decision-making.

Suggested questions for stakeholders

-What are your most important priorities/goals? -How will this initiative/project support you and your most important priorities? -What role would you like to play within this initiative/project? Here's how I plan to keep people informed; does that work for you? -What can I clarify for you? -What are your expectations? What would you like for the project to accomplish? -What would success look like for you? Who else do you recommend I reach out to about this initiative? -What information or insights do you have that might be challenging for me to find? -Where do you see me getting support for this initiative? Facing resistance? -What additional thoughts/questions do you have?

What key questions should you consider when deciding who should be consulted about a task? Select all that apply.

-Who are the subject matter experts (SMEs) for the task? Explanation: Finding out who has expert knowledge in certain areas helps you determine who should be consulted. -Who can give feedback to responsible individuals to help them complete tasks? Explanation: Finding out who can give feedback on task completion helps you determine who should be consulted.

Accessibility

Actively removing any barriers that might prevent persons with disabilities from being able to access technology, information, or experiences, and leveling the playing field so everyone has an equal chance of enjoying life and being successful

Three key steps in kicking off a stakeholder analysis

1. Make a list of all the stakeholders the project impacts 2. Determine the level of interest and influence for each stakeholder 3. Assess stakeholders' ability to participate and then find ways to involve them

Key Steps in the stakeholder analysis:

1. Make a list of all the stakeholders the project impacts. When generating this list, ask yourself: Who is invested in the project? Who is impacted by this project? Who contributes to this project? 2. Determine the level of interest and influence for each stakeholder—this step helps you determine who your key stakeholders are. The higher the level of interest and influence, the more important it will be to prioritize their needs throughout the project. 3. Assess stakeholders' ability to participate and then find ways to involve them. Various types of projects will yield various types of stakeholders—some will be *active stakeholders* with more opinions and touchpoints and others will be *passive stakeholders*, preferring only high-level updates and not involved in the day-to-day. That said, just because a stakeholder does not participate as often as others does not mean they are not important. There are lots of factors that will play a role in determining a stakeholder's ability to participate in a project, like physical distance from the project and their existing workload.

Pro tip: You might want to form a steering committee during some projects.

A steering committee is a collection of key stakeholders who have a high level of power and interest in a project. A steering committee can influence multiple departments within the organization, which means that they have the potential to release a greater number of resources to the project manager.

Project Manager Explanation:

Although all team members are responsible for their individual parts of the project, the project manager is responsible for the overall success of the team, and ultimately, the project as a whole. A project manager understands that paying close attention to team dynamics is essential to successfully completing a project, and they use team-building techniques, motivation, influencing, decision-making, and coaching skills, to keep their teams strong. Project managers integrate all project work by developing the project management plan, directing the work, documenting reports, controlling change, and monitoring quality. In addition, project managers are responsible for balancing the scope, schedule, and cost of a project by managing engagement with stakeholders. When managing engagement with stakeholders, project managers rely on strong communication skills, political and cultural awareness, negotiation, trust-building, and conflict management skills.

Secondary Stakeholder Explanation:

An example of a secondary stakeholder might be the project's point of contact in legal. While the project outcome might not affect them directly, the project itself would impact their work when they process the contract. Each project will have a different set of stakeholders, which is why it's important for the project manager to know who they are, what they need, and how to communicate with them.

Stakeholders

Anyone involved in the project who has a vested interest in the project's success

In the RACI model, which role offers insights or expertise to help others complete project tasks?

Consulted Explanation: Stakeholders who are consulted are advisors or subject matter experts who help others complete tasks.

*interviewing Stakeholders* What are your expectations for the project?

Director of Product: I'm busy with too many projects to be involved day-to-day. But beyond our main project goals, I hope it sets us up to expand to more cities and helps fund new initiatives.

*interviewing stakeholders* And where do you think I'll get support? Meet resistance?

Director of Product: We have some excited customers—they've been asking for this for a while. Our investors are supportive, but more cautious. You should meet with our Landscape Designer. I know they're on your team, but they might have some concerns.

Team Members Explanation:

Every successful team needs strong leadership and membership, and project management is no exception! Project team members are also considered primary stakeholders, since they play a crucial role in getting the job done. Your team members will vary depending on the type, complexity, and size of the project. It's important to consider these variables as you select your project team and begin to work with them. Remember that choosing teammates with the right technical skills and interpersonal skills will be valuable as you work to meet your project goals. If you are not able to select your project team, be sure to champion diversity and build trust to create harmony within the team.

RACI Chart

Helps to define roles and responsibilities for individuals or teams to ensure work gets done efficiently *R*esponsible *A*ccountable *C*onsulted *I*nformed

Interest

How much are the needs of the stakeholder affected by the project operations and outcomes For example, Office Green's human resources department may not have as much interest in the product launch as a sales department does.

In a RACI chart, which type of participation refers to people who need to know about final decisions or that a task is complete?

Informed There are four types of participation described in a RACI chart: responsible, accountable, consulted, and informed. Those who are informed need to know about final decisions or that a task is complete.

*interviewing stakeholders* What can I clarify for you? Do you have concerns?

Landscape/Web Designer: I understand how Plant Pals supports our overall business goals, but I worry how my role might change if Office Green shifts from general landscaping to potted plants.

*Interviewing stakeholders* What does project success mean to you?

Landscape/Web Designer: Ideally, Plant Pals will help us expand our business without neglecting our core offerings. I've been at Office Green since the start; I want it to succeed, but I also want to keep doing the work I love.

What is the correct order of tasks in a stakeholder analysis?

List all the stakeholders the project impacts, determine their level of interest and influence, and find ways to involve them. Explanation: First, a project manager needs to determine who their stakeholders are and understand their level of influence and interest. Then, a project manager needs to decide how to involve them in a project.

Influence

Measures how much power a stakeholder has and how much this stakeholder's actions affect the project outcome In our Office Green example, the Director of Product, who first initiated the project and oversees new products and services, has a huge amount of influence, while the vendor providing the greenery has less influence

Stakeholders

People who are interested in and affected by the project's completion and success

As a refresher...

Primary stakeholders are people who will benefit directly from the project's success, while secondary stakeholders are indirectly impacted by the project's success

Primary Stakeholders Explanation:

Primary stakeholders usually include team members, senior leaders, and customers. For example, imagine that you are a project manager for a construction company that is commissioned to build out a new event space for a local catering company. On this project, the owners of the catering company would be primary stakeholders since they are paying for the project. Another primary stakeholder could be the CEO of your construction company. If the CEO likes to be directly involved with projects for local businesses like the catering company, that would make them a primary stakeholder.

Understanding Project Role Responsbiliies

Project Manager: -Use team-building techniques -Manage the timeline -Monitor quality of work Scope accurately -Manage the budget -Plans and directs project work *Explanation: The project manager is responsible for overseeing the quality, scope, timelines, and budget of the project Project Sponsor: -Advocate for alignment with senior management -Approve budget and resources -Advise on key business decisions *The project sponsor is responsible for making key business decisions for high-level planning, and budget and resource approvals Project team member: -Possess specific expertise -Work independently and collaboratively -Contribute to individual project objectives *Explanation: The project team member is responsible for the technical expertise, individual tasks, and fulfilling business goals

Office Green Launch example:

Project Sponsor: Director of Product Team Members: Marketing Team Team Members: Website designers, landscape designers Project Manager: You Customers: Buyers Users: Employees All of the above are project stakeholders Secondary stakeholders won't play active roles throughout all phases of the project but still need to be informed as they are a component of what the project needs to succeed. For example, these include Office Green's investors, who are helping to fund the new service launch, and the Office Green receptionist, who will answer a lot of customer questions about the new service once it's launched.

*Interviewing stakeholders* How would you like to be involved in this project?

Receptionist: I know you don't need me for day-to-day planning, but I am really interested in this new part of the business. Plus, I'm sure our customers will have a lot of questions, so I want to understand how Plant Pals works.

leadership skills

Strong leadership skills help team members navigate organizational boundaries and effectively communicate with stakeholders to generate buy-in.

In your completed RACI chart, who is responsible for coding the landing page?

The Web Developer

Team Members

The people doing the work and making things happen

Users

The people that use the product produced by your project

Customers

The people who will get some value from a successfully landed project

Who is the project sponsor?

The person who is accountable for the project and ensures the project delivers the agreed-upon value to a business Explanation: A project sponsor is the person who is accountable for the project. They ensure the project delivers the agreed-upon value to the business.

Project Sponsor Explanation:

The project sponsor is another primary stakeholder. A sponsor initiates the project and is responsible for presenting a business case for its existence, signing the project charter, and releasing resources to the project manager. The sponsor is very important to the project, so it's critical to communicate with them frequently throughout all project phases. In our construction company example, the CEO could also be the project sponsor.

Responsible

Those doing the work to complete the task Individuals who are assigned the "responsible" role for a task are the ones who are actually doing the work to complete the task. Every task needs at least one responsible party. It's a best practice to try to limit the number of team members assigned to a task's responsible role, but in some cases, you may have more than one. A couple of questions to ask yourself when determining which person or people should be placed in the responsible role for a given task are: What department does the work fall under? Who will perform the work? Let's dig deeper into our example with Office Green. Our task is to develop price points for the project, and the Financial Analyst will complete the work for this task. Therefore, we will list "*Financial Analyst*" in the responsible role for this task in the RACI chart.

Consulted

Those giving feedback, like subject matter experts or decision makers Team members or stakeholders who are placed in the "consulted" role have useful information to help complete the task. There is no maximum or minimum number of people who can be assigned a "consulted" role, but it's important that each person has a reason for being there. Here are a few ways you can help identify who is appropriate for the role: Who will the task impact? Who will have input or feedback for the responsible person to help the work be completed? Who are the subject matter experts (SMEs) for the task? Back to the project at Office Green, we've got a "responsible" Financial Analyst and an "accountable" Head of Finance. Who else would need to provide input on the product's price points? Whose decisions and feedback will directly affect the task? The *Director of Product* will need to be consulted on the matter, as they oversee all product offerings. This person will have information about potential changes to the product and how these changes might affect price points.

Informed

Those just needing to know the final decisions, or that a task is complete Individuals who are identified as needing to be "informed" need to know the final decisions that were made and when a task is completed. It is common to have many people assigned to this category and for some team members to be informed on most tasks. Team members or stakeholders here will not be asked for feedback, so it is key to make sure people who are in this group only require status updates and do not need to provide any direct feedback for the completion of the effort. Key questions to ask yourself in order to ensure that you have appropriately captured individuals in the "informed" role are: Who cares about this task's completion? Who will be affected by the outcome? Now that you've determined who is responsible, accountable, and consulted on the Office Green project task, it is time to determine who needs to be informed about the task. Your Financial Analyst has set the price points with input from the Director of Product, and the Head of Finance has approved. You will now need to inform the *Sales Team* about the final price points, as they will need this information to sell the product.

Accountable

Those making sure the work gets done The "accountable" person is responsible for making sure the task gets done. It is important to have only one individual accountable for each task. This helps clarify ownership of the task. The accountable person ultimately has the authority to approve the deliverable of the responsible party. In order to determine who should be tagged as the accountable team member, consider: Who will delegate the task to be completed? Who will review the work to determine if the task is complete? Continuing with our Office Green example, you have assigned the "accountable" role to the *Head of Finance*. The Head of Finance has to make sure the project stays in budget and makes a profit, so they have the ultimate authority over the price points for the product. Therefore, they will need to approve the Financial Analyst's work on the task.

Defining project roles examples:

a software company has created a type of software that allows teams to communicate with each other in an instant message application. The software is purchased by corporation ABC; they are the customer. But the users are everyone within corporation ABC that will be using the instant message application every day. Stakeholders are anyone involved in the project; those who have a vested interest in the project's success. Primary stakeholders are people who expect to benefit directly from the project's completion, while secondary stakeholders play an intermediary role and are indirectly impacted by the project.

stakeholder analysis

a useful tool that project managers use to understand stakeholders' needs and help minimize hiccups during your project life cycle

Problem-solving skills

are a must for all team members, especially when it comes to large, complex projects. As a project manager, you will not be able to solve every problem for your team. At some point, they will need to use their own judgment to problem-solve and get the work done.

As a project manager *you*...

are responsible for making sure a group of people can *come together* to achieve a common goal

technical skills

are the skills specific to the task that needs to be performed For example, on the Office Green project, necessary technical skills may include indoor landscaping design for the layout of the plants within the offices and floral design of plant arranging.

Over 1 billion people in the world...

have a disability

power grid

shows stakeholder interest in the project versus their influence over the project. This four-quadrant tool helps project managers evaluate how to manage their stakeholders. It is used to determine the appropriate level of engagement required by the project team needed to gain the stakeholders' trust and buy-in.