43 days until PMP exam – 17 September 2025
Focus Topic
Negotiation as a core skill for project managers. Reviewed how negotiation impacts scope, schedule, and resources more than formal contract management. Covered negotiation touchpoints across charters, change management, and stakeholder agreements, emphasizing the role of trust levels in shaping contract flexibility.
Key Question
How to apply principled negotiation to balance scope changes in an agile contract while maintaining stakeholder trust and avoiding cost overruns. Examined using objective criteria, focusing on interests rather than positions, and leveraging BATNA, Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement, to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes.
Practice Work
Reviewed agile contract types (T&M, outcome-based, fixed variations) and their negotiation challenges. Practiced scenario-based questions on prioritizing scope trade-offs, aligning authority boundaries, and handling conflict between competing stakeholder demands.
Condensed Podcast
Learning Points
- Project outcomes hinge on negotiated agreements, not just technical execution.
- Trust levels (reference, contract, identification, partnership) guide contract structures and flexibility.
- Principled negotiation focuses on mutual interests and objective standards rather than positional bargaining.
- Agile contracts shift scope flexibility to customers, requiring active backlog and velocity management.
- Preparation, active listening, and building strong relationships are critical to effective negotiation.