Stakeholders domain — identify, analyse, engage
What you'll be able to do
Map stakeholders to a 2×2 of power and interest, then engage each quadrant the way it needs.
- Cycle: identify → analyse → engage → monitor.
- Power/interest grid: monitor / keep informed / keep satisfied / manage closely.
- Salience model: power + legitimacy + urgency.
The Stakeholders Performance Domain manages who's involved, what they care about, and how they're engaged. The cycle is identify → analyse → engage → monitor. Identification happens early (in Initiating) and continues throughout; analysis classifies stakeholders by influence, interest, and impact; engagement plans calibrate communication and influence per stakeholder.
Two analysis tools the exam tests: the power/interest grid (a 2×2 of low/high power against low/high interest, producing four engagement strategies: monitor / keep informed / keep satisfied / manage closely) and the salience model (three attributes: power, legitimacy, urgency — combinations like 'dominant' (power + legitimacy), 'definitive' (all three) are the classic stakeholders who must be engaged).
Engagement levels PMBOK names: unaware → resistant → neutral → supportive → leading. The PM compares 'current' to 'desired' engagement level for each stakeholder and plans interventions to close the gap. Most engagement issues on the exam are answered by 'engage proactively and tailor the message to the audience'.
Key points
- Cycle: identify → analyse → engage → monitor.
- Power/interest grid: monitor / keep informed / keep satisfied / manage closely.
- Salience model: power + legitimacy + urgency.
- Engagement levels: unaware → resistant → neutral → supportive → leading.
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