According to the PMBOK Guide, a stakeholder engagement plan is a document that identifies the current and desired levels of stakeholder engagement, and the strategies and actions to increase or maintain stakeholder support throughout the project. A stakeholder engagement plan is an essential tool for managing stakeholder expectations, addressing stakeholder concerns, and resolving stakeholder conflicts. Conflicts between project stakeholders can result in delays, rework, scope changes, or even project failure. Therefore, the project manager should focus on revisiting the stakeholder engagement plan, focusing on specific overlooked stakeholders, to identify the root causes of the conflicts and the best ways to engage them. By doing so, the project manager can improve the stakeholder relationships, align the stakeholder interests, and facilitate the deliverable and output approval process. References:
PMBOK Guide, 7th edition, Chapter 8: Communications, Section 8.3: Manage Communications, pp. 126-1271
PMBOK Guide, 7th edition, Chapter 9: Stakeholders, Section 9.2: Plan Stakeholder Engagement, pp. 141-1431
PMBOK Guide, 7th edition, Chapter 9: Stakeholders, Section 9.3: Engage Stakeholders, pp. 144-1451
Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA) Handbook, Section 5: Exam Content Outline, Domain 2: Planning, Task 2.4: Develop a stakeholder engagement plan, pp. 22-232
