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Power/Interest Grid

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The Power/Interest Grid is a strategic tool used in stakeholder analysis to categorize stakeholders based on their level of authority ('power') and their level of concern ('interest') regarding the project outcomes. This grid helps business analysts and project managers to prioritize stakeholder engagement efforts effectively. Stakeholders are plotted on a two-dimensional grid: the vertical axis represents power, indicating the stakeholder's ability to influence the project's execution and outcomes; the horizontal axis represents interest, indicating the stakeholder's level of concern or involvement in the project's progress. The stakeholders are thus divided into four categories: 1. **High Power, High Interest**: These stakeholders are key players who should be closely managed. They can significantly impact the project and are highly invested in its success or failure. 2. **High Power, Low Interest**: These stakeholders need to be kept satisfied. While they have the ability to influence the project, they may not desire frequent updates. It's important to maintain their satisfaction to avoid negative influence. 3. **Low Power, High Interest**: These stakeholders should be kept informed. They are interested in the project but lack the power to influence it significantly. Regular communication ensures their support and can help in grassroots advocacy. 4. **Low Power, Low Interest**: These stakeholders require minimal effort. They have limited impact and minimal interest, but basic communication ensures transparency and avoids any unforeseen issues. By using the Power/Interest Grid, project teams can allocate resources and communication efforts efficiently, ensuring that key stakeholders are engaged appropriately. It helps in developing tailored engagement strategies that address the specific needs, expectations, and influence levels of different stakeholders. In essence, the Power/Interest Grid facilitates a focused approach to stakeholder management, enhancing the likelihood of project success by effectively managing stakeholder relationships based on their power and interest levels.

Power/Interest Grid in PMI-PBA: Complete Guide

What is the Power/Interest Grid?

The Power/Interest Grid is a stakeholder analysis tool that maps stakeholders based on their level of power (ability to influence the project) and their level of interest (concern about or involvement in the project). This creates a 2×2 matrix with four quadrants that help determine appropriate engagement strategies.

Why is the Power/Interest Grid Important?

The Power/Interest Grid is crucial for business analysts and project managers because it:

• Helps prioritize stakeholders based on their influence and interest
• Guides resource allocation for stakeholder management
• Informs communication strategies tailored to different stakeholder groups
• Reduces the risk of overlooking key stakeholders
• Supports decision-making about when and how to engage specific stakeholders

How the Power/Interest Grid Works

The grid creates four quadrants:

1. High Power, High Interest (Manage Closely): These are key players who require the most attention. Engage them fully and make the greatest efforts to satisfy them.

2. High Power, Low Interest (Keep Satisfied): These stakeholders need enough attention to keep them satisfied but not so much that they become bored with your message. Focus on meeting their needs.

3. Low Power, High Interest (Keep Informed): Keep these stakeholders adequately informed, talk to them to ensure no major issues arise. They can often be very helpful with project details.

4. Low Power, Low Interest (Monitor): Monitor these stakeholders but avoid excessive communication. They require minimal effort.

Steps to Create and Use a Power/Interest Grid:

1. Identify all stakeholders
2. Assess each stakeholder's power and interest levels
3. Plot stakeholders on the grid
4. Develop appropriate engagement strategies for each quadrant
5. Update the grid as the project progresses and stakeholder positions change

Exam Tips: Answering Questions on Power/Interest Grid

• Know the quadrants thoroughly: Memorize the four quadrants and the recommended engagement strategies for each.

• Understand practical applications: Be ready to apply the grid to scenarios involving various stakeholders.

• Recognize stakeholder movements: Understand that stakeholders can move between quadrants as the project evolves.

• Connect to other techniques: Know how the Power/Interest Grid relates to other stakeholder analysis techniques like the Salience Model.

• Focus on engagement strategies: Questions often focus on how you should engage with a stakeholder based on their position in the grid.

• Apply critical thinking: Some questions may describe a stakeholder and ask you to determine which quadrant they belong in.

• Remember it's dynamic: The grid is not static—stakeholder positions change throughout the project lifecycle.

• Link to communication planning: Be able to explain how the grid influences communication frequency, format, and content.

When answering PMI-PBA exam questions about the Power/Interest Grid, carefully evaluate the stakeholder descriptions provided, consider both their power and interest levels, and select the most appropriate engagement approach based on their quadrant position.

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PMI-PBA - Stakeholder Analysis and Engagement Example Questions

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Question 1

In the Power/Interest Grid, what is the recommended strategy for stakeholders who have high power but low interest in the project?

Correct Answer: Keep satisfied through regular updates and focused engagement

In stakeholder management, the Power/Interest Grid helps determine engagement strategies based on stakeholders' levels of power and interest. For stakeholders with high power but low interest, the appropriate strategy is to 'Keep Satisfied.' These stakeholders have significant influence over the project but aren't deeply involved in day-to-day activities. The best approach is to keep them satisfied through regular, focused updates that respect their time while ensuring they remain supportive of the project. Other approaches are incorrect because: - Maintaining constant communication would be excessive for stakeholders with low interest and could potentially annoy them - Merely monitoring periodically is insufficient for high-power stakeholders who can significantly impact the project - Extensive daily engagement would be inappropriate and overwhelming for stakeholders who have shown low interest in the project The key is to find the right balance: provide enough information to keep them satisfied and maintain their support, but not overwhelm them with unnecessary details.

Question 2

In a Power/Interest Grid, stakeholders in which quadrant are typically monitored through standard project updates and basic communication methods?

Correct Answer: Low Power, Low Interest

In the Power/Interest Grid, stakeholders with Low Power and Low Interest require minimal effort and communication. These stakeholders typically receive: - Basic project updates - Standard communication methods - Minimal monitoring This is the most efficient approach as these stakeholders have limited influence and show little interest in the project. The other options are incorrect because: - High Interest stakeholders require more detailed engagement and frequent communication - Medium Power stakeholders need more active participation and management - High Power stakeholders demand significant attention and carefully structured communication strategies, even if their interest is low The key is to match communication effort with stakeholder influence and interest levels. Low Power, Low Interest stakeholders receive basic updates to stay informed while preserving project resources for more critical stakeholder relationships.

Question 3

What is the main purpose of using both 'Power' and 'Interest' dimensions in the stakeholder analysis grid?

Correct Answer: To tailor communication and engagement strategies based on stakeholder influence and involvement levels

The main purpose of using both Power and Interest dimensions in stakeholder analysis grid is to tailor communication and engagement strategies based on stakeholder influence and involvement levels. This is the most comprehensive answer as it reflects the fundamental purpose of the grid. The Power-Interest grid helps project teams: - Map stakeholders based on their authority level (Power) - Assess their level of concern in the project (Interest) - Develop appropriate engagement strategies for each quadrant - Manage relationships effectively The other options are incorrect because: - Determining documentation types is too narrow and specific; it's just one small aspect of stakeholder management - Establishing hierarchical structure misses the point of the grid's purpose, which is about engagement strategy, not organizational hierarchy - Identifying training requirements is not related to the Power-Interest grid's primary purpose, as training needs are determined by role requirements and competency gaps

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