PMP · Question #997
A project manager regularly sends out project progress reports. However, there have been a few complaints from stakeholders who expressed that the communication does not meet their needs. What should
The correct answer is C. Analyze the communication needs of the stakeholders.. Stakeholders are complaining that project progress reports are not meeting their communication needs, despite regular distribution.
Question
A project manager regularly sends out project progress reports. However, there have been a few complaints from stakeholders who expressed that the communication does not meet their needs. What should the project manager do?
Options
- ACommunicate the project details to the stakeholders.
- BIntroduce a separate stakeholder engagement meeting.
- CAnalyze the communication needs of the stakeholders.
- DCommunicate progress more frequently to the stakeholders.
How the community answered
(49 responses)- A2% (1)
- B12% (6)
- C80% (39)
- D6% (3)
Why each option
Stakeholders are complaining that project progress reports are not meeting their communication needs, despite regular distribution.
Vaguely "communicating project details" does not specifically address the complaints about *how* current communications are failing to meet stakeholders' needs.
Introducing a separate meeting is a potential solution, but it's premature without first understanding *why* current communication methods are insufficient and what specific needs the new meeting would address.
When stakeholders express dissatisfaction with communication, the project manager's most appropriate action is to systematically analyze and understand their specific communication needs. This involves gathering feedback on preferred formats, frequency, level of detail, and channels to tailor future communications effectively and address the root cause of the complaints.
Communicating more frequently might overwhelm some stakeholders or still miss the mark on content or format, potentially exacerbating dissatisfaction, as frequency is not the only factor in effective communication.
Concept tested: Stakeholder communication planning
Source: https://www.pmi.org/pmbok-guide-standards/foundational/pmbok
Topics
Community Discussion
8
Orla P.Jun 30, 2026Confirmed C on exam last week. The complaints tell you the current reports are not hitting the mark, so you go back and analyze the communication needs before changing anything. A is a trap because just pushing more details does not fix a format or content mismatch. D is the same problem, since more frequent bad communication is still bad communication.
Ola B.Jul 1, 2026Spot on about C, and the easiest way to internalize this is to spin up a quick lab where you intentionally build a report with the wrong audience in mind, then try to fix it by just adding more columns or scheduling it daily instead of weekly, you will immediately see it still misses the mark because you never went back to the actual communication requirements.
Ola B.Jul 5, 2026Picked C on my exam last month. The instinct is to jump straight to B or D, like just adding another meeting or sending more emails will magically fix the disconnect. A is a trap because if they are already getting progress reports, they are getting details, just not the right ones. You have to analyze the stakeholder communication requirements in the communications management plan before changing the delivery method.
Luis F.Jun 22, 2026I first leaned toward D because I figured more frequent updates would solve the problem, but that would just send the same unwanted info more often. The real issue is that the current reports do not match what stakeholders actually need, so you have to figure that out before changing anything. C is correct because analyzing communication needs ties right back to the communications management plan and stakeholder engagement. Once you know what they are actually looking for, you can tailor the reports instead of just spamming them.
Lena V.Jul 5, 2026C is correct. D is the trap because more frequent bad communication is still bad communication, and A just doubles down on what is already not working. The exam wants you to analyze the stakeholder engagement plan and communication requirements before changing anything.
Ola B.Jul 8, 2026C is right but the quick way to internalize this one is to spin up a tiny stakeholder matrix in a spreadsheet, plug in engagement levels and communication prefs, and you will instantly see why analyzing the existing plan beats cranking up frequency.
Nina C.Jul 5, 2026Going with A here. If stakeholders are saying the communication does not meet their needs, the PM needs to look at the stakeholder engagement plan and make sure the right project details are actually getting to them, not just the generic progress report.
Orla P.Jul 6, 2026Actually it is C. If stakeholders are saying the communication does not meet their needs, the gap is in the communications management plan, which defines what gets sent to whom and how. The stakeholder engagement plan covers engagement strategies, not the communication delivery details themselves.