The project manager received a claim from the client because the outcome delivered is not working properly. The project manager investigated the cause and realized that this deliverable was outsourced to an external provider, and was not made aware.
What primary tool would have helped the project manager identify this situation?
A communications management plan outlines how information will be communicated among stakeholders, including the project manager, team members, and external providers. This plan ensures that the project manager is kept informed about outsourced deliverables and any issues that arise, helping to prevent such situations. It includes details on the methods of communication, frequency, and responsible parties, bridging any communication gaps that might lead to unawareness of essential details.
The Problem is the PM was not made aware of the problem - Which demonstrated a communication gap in the project. The Communication Plan detailed the method of communication with team members.
After re-reading the question. I think the problem is actually refers to the PM not aware of the existence of the External Vendor (not the communication), so in this case the Stakeholder Register helps to identify the stakeholder at an earlier stage.
Answer is D
External provider - a stakeholder too!!
Had the project manager thoroughly reviewed and adhered to the Communications Management Plan, it would have likely included information about external providers or subcontractors involved in delivering specific project outcomes. It should have highlighted how communications with these external entities should be managed, including updates, reporting, and escalation processes. While the Stakeholder Register is important for understanding the various project stakeholders' interests and roles, it might not specifically detail the external provider's involvement in delivering specific project deliverables, as this information is typically more aligned with the content found in the Communications Management Plan.
A. Communications management plan Explanation: A communications management plan outlines how information will be communicated among stakeholders, including the project manager, team members, and external providers. This plan would ensure that the project manager is kept informed about outsourced deliverables and any issues that arise, helping to prevent such situations. Why not D? This contains a list of the stakeholders and information such as their level of interest and influence over the project. It could help in identifying who should be informed about certain decisions, but it is not as directly relevant to managing communication about outsourced activities as the Communications Management Plan.
d_ Risk Register. A: seem logical but issue is not related to communication but rather PM not informed about the outsourcing. PM build Risk Register by collecting data from stakeholders and other sources, hence he would have been aware for the vendor.
Since the deliverable is "outsourced" which means it is already communicated so option D is the primary tool to identify the cause of this situation
Agree on option D, question implies PM was not aware of external provider as a stakeholder.
Procurement Risk: Outsourcing inherently introduces risks. A thorough risk register would likely include entries related to: - Potential failures in vendor quality or performance - Communication or integration issues between the vendor and the internal team Risk Analysis: The risk register prompts the PM to consider how the outsourced deliverable impacts the project's overall success. It should include mitigation strategies or contingency plans for vendor-related risks. Proactive Mitigation: Identifying this risk early would have allowed the PM to implement oversight mechanisms for the outsourced work (check-ins, quality reviews, etc.), reducing the likelihood of the failure.
The stakeholder register is a document that includes information about the project's stakeholders, their interests, expectations, and level of influence. It also identifies their roles and responsibilities. In this situation, the stakeholder register would have helped the project manager identify the external provider who was responsible for the outsourced deliverable.