PMP · Question #954
After releasing the first deliverable of the project, one of the impacted departments refused to use the system because they believe that it adds more work. What could the project manager have done…
The correct answer is D. Conducted a stakeholder analysis. To prevent stakeholder resistance to a new deliverable, a project manager should proactively conduct a thorough stakeholder analysis to identify concerns and plan engagement strategies from the project's outset.
Question
After releasing the first deliverable of the project, one of the impacted departments refused to use the system because they believe that it adds more work. What could the project manager have done to prevent this?
Options
- ADeployed a user survey
- BReviewed organizational standard policies
- CCreated an escalation plan
- DConducted a stakeholder analysis
How the community answered
(34 responses)- A12% (4)
- B3% (1)
- C6% (2)
- D79% (27)
Why each option
To prevent stakeholder resistance to a new deliverable, a project manager should proactively conduct a thorough stakeholder analysis to identify concerns and plan engagement strategies from the project's outset.
A user survey provides feedback but is typically reactive; a stakeholder analysis is proactive in identifying and planning for potential resistance.
Reviewing organizational policies is for compliance, not directly for understanding and managing user adoption challenges.
Creating an escalation plan is for managing issues once they occur, not for preventing fundamental stakeholder resistance to a project deliverable.
Conducting a stakeholder analysis involves identifying all individuals or groups impacted by the project, understanding their interests, influence, and potential for resistance. This proactive step allows the project manager to engage with the department early, address their concerns about increased workload, and potentially incorporate their feedback to ensure acceptance.
Concept tested: Stakeholder Identification and Engagement
Topics
Community Discussion
4
Mateus R.Apr 28, 2026D is correct. Think of it like building a new fence for a neighbor without asking them first; if you do not figure out who they are and what they care about beforehand, they might hate the fence and refuse to use the yard. Conducting a stakeholder analysis is how you figure out who is impacted, what their concerns are, and how much resistance they might put up before you ever hand over a deliverable. If the project manager had done this early on, they would have known the department felt overworked and could have addressed those concerns before the system was released.
Brenda K.Apr 11, 2026D is the classic stakeholder engagement answer and you should land it in under 20 seconds, then move on. The refusal to use the system traces back to a stakeholder whose concerns about added workload were never surfaced or addressed during planning. A proper stakeholder analysis would have identified this department's resistance, their impact level, and the need for targeted engagement before the deliverable ever shipped. I had this exact scenario on my exam last spring and almost talked myself into A because a user survey sounds proactive, but the question is about what should have been done during planning, not after deployment.
Bao N.Mar 29, 2026Got D on my exam last month, stakeholder analysis catches resistance early.
Viktor S.Apr 25, 2026I first leaned toward A because a survey sounds like a reasonable way to catch dissatisfaction before it happens. But the real issue here is that the PM never identified this department's concerns and resistance to extra workload in the first place. A proper stakeholder analysis would have flagged them as a group needing targeted engagement and change management, not just a generic survey sent to everyone. You have to understand who your stakeholders are and what they care about before you can address their resistance, which is why D is the answer.