In Project Communications Management, what is the main objective of the Manage Stakeholders process?

Introduction / Context:
Manage Stakeholders, sometimes referred to as Manage Stakeholder Expectations, is a process within Project Communications Management. It focuses on engaging stakeholders, addressing their concerns, and ensuring that expectations remain realistic and aligned with project objectives. This question asks for the main objective of that process.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The process is Manage Stakeholders within Communications Management.
• We must identify its primary purpose.
• Answer choices include objectives from initiation, quality, procurement, and scope management.
• We assume PMI aligned definitions of stakeholder related processes.

Concept / Approach:
Manage Stakeholders is about ongoing communication and relationship management. It involves working with stakeholders to meet their needs, addressing issues as they arise, and fostering stakeholder engagement and support. It is different from simply identifying stakeholders or distributing information. It also does not focus on creating charters, negotiating contracts, or defining scope structures, which belong to other knowledge areas and processes.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Remember that stakeholders include anyone who can affect or be affected by the project. Step 2: Recognize that Manage Stakeholders aims to keep these individuals informed, engaged, and supportive by managing expectations and resolving issues. Step 3: Review the answer options and find the one that clearly expresses this idea of managing expectations and support. Step 4: Option a states that the goal is to manage expectations, resolve issues, and increase support, which matches the standard description of Manage Stakeholders. Step 5: Confirm that the remaining options describe objectives of charter development, quality control, procurement, or scope definition rather than stakeholder management.

Verification / Alternative check:
Consider a project where a key stakeholder becomes dissatisfied because they feel they are not being kept informed. Through the Manage Stakeholders process, the project manager would meet with this stakeholder, clarify expectations, adjust communication frequency, and address underlying concerns. The result is improved stakeholder satisfaction and support. This real world scenario aligns directly with the objective described in option a.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Creating the project charter is part of Develop Project Charter in Integration Management. Measuring product quality against specifications is done in quality control and verification processes. Negotiating and signing contracts is associated with procurement processes such as Select Sellers and Contract Administration. Defining the work breakdown structure belongs to scope definition. These objectives are important but do not represent the core goal of Manage Stakeholders.

Common Pitfalls:
Learners sometimes think stakeholder management happens only at the beginning of the project when stakeholders are identified. In reality, managing stakeholders is an ongoing effort that continues throughout the project. Another pitfall is focusing only on sending information instead of listening and addressing concerns. Manage Stakeholders emphasises two way communication and expectation management.

Final Answer:
The main objective of Manage Stakeholders is to actively manage stakeholder expectations, resolve issues, and increase stakeholder support for the project.