PMP · Question #1219
A project manager just finished a meeting to identify the main stakeholders of the project. What should the project manager do next?
The correct answer is A. Analyze the stakeholders. After identifying the main project stakeholders, the project manager needs to understand their influence and interest in the project.
Question
Options
- AAnalyze the stakeholders.
- BMonitor all stakeholders.
- CKeep all stakeholders informed.
- DEngage the stakeholders.
How the community answered
(22 responses)- A82% (18)
- B5% (1)
- C5% (1)
- D9% (2)
Why each option
After identifying the main project stakeholders, the project manager needs to understand their influence and interest in the project.
Following stakeholder identification, the next logical step in stakeholder management is to analyze them. This involves understanding their interests, influence, potential impact, and involvement level, which is critical for developing an effective stakeholder engagement plan.
Monitoring stakeholders is an ongoing process that comes after identification and analysis, as you need to know who and how to monitor based on their characteristics.
Keeping stakeholders informed is part of engagement, which happens after they have been identified and analyzed to determine appropriate communication strategies.
Engaging stakeholders is a later step that builds upon the analysis, as effective engagement strategies are tailored based on stakeholder characteristics and influence.
Concept tested: Stakeholder Identification and Analysis
Source: https://www.pmi.org/pmbok-guide-standards/foundational/pmbok/identify-stakeholders
Topics
Community Discussion
6
Ola B.Mar 5, 2026A. Identify comes first, then you analyze them in the Stakeholder Analysis step to figure out their power, interest, and influence. I always tell folks to grab a stack of sticky notes and map out an actual power/interest grid on your desk so the sequence sticks in your head.
Brenda K.Mar 6, 2026Agreed on A but dont waste exam minutes visualizing sticky notes, this one is a 20-second quick win so bank it and save your clock for the scenario questions you need to flag and revisit.
Brenda K.Feb 7, 2026Saw this on my exam, flagged it, came back, A is next per stakeholder register flow.
Ola B.Feb 8, 2026A is right but the real giveaway is the stakeholder engagement assessment matrix, not the register itself - spin up a quick lab and map both side by side so you see how the register feeds into the engagement plan.
Hiroshi T.Feb 23, 2026A is correct per the PMBOK stakeholder engagement process flow. Identify Stakeholders feeds directly into Plan Stakeholder Engagement, which requires analyzing stakeholders first. D is tempting but you cannot effectively engage stakeholders before analyzing their interests, expectations, and influence levels.
Grace U.Feb 17, 2026This one showed up on my exam last week, and I almost second-guessed myself because the other options sound like things you would do eventually. The key is that Identify Stakeholders is always followed by Analyze Stakeholders, since you need to understand their interests and influence before you can meaningfully engage or inform anyone.