Arizona Project Management Summit 2026

Every successful project hinges on not just planning and execution, but on how well we engage and manage our stakeholders. These are the individuals or groups who can affect or be affected by our projects. Understanding their needs, expectations, and influences is crucial to navigating the complex landscapes in which we operate. Effective stakeholder management ensures smoother project execution, minimizes conflicts, and fosters a collaborative environment conducive to success.

During this interactive workshop, we will learn how to identify and categorize stakeholders effectively and develop tailored engagement strategies to manage diverse stakeholder groups. This workshop is designed to be a dynamic learning environment where we all contribute to each other’s understanding.

Learning Objectives:
1. Apply the Power-Interest Grid towards your projects to identify and categorize your stakeholders effectively.
2. Outline tailored strategies to engage diverse stakeholder groups by understanding their expectations, influence, and the best communication channels.
3. Explore techniques to communicate, negotiate and resolve conflicts with stakeholders in each category.

Discover how AI is revolutionizing project management in this insightful panel discussion, moderated by <name>. This session will explore the integration of AI to create smarter, more efficient project management solutions, enhancing everything from task automation to resource allocation and strategic planning. Expert panelists will share their perspectives on the latest AI-driven tools and techniques, followed by an interactive Q&A where attendees can gain deeper insights and practical advice on leveraging AI to drive project success. Don’t miss this opportunity to engage with leaders shaping the future of project management.

Attendees will hear from Sean Ryan, a PMI Phoenix Chapter Board Member and Faculty at ASU on what steps they can take to make themselves more competitive for PM-related employment.

Everyone has something go wrong on their projects at some point. As much as we dread it, how we communicate these problems to our stakeholders can have a greater impact on our project and long term business relationships than the problems themselves.
In this course we share our own horror stories about project failure, and share some lessons learned and tips for communicating with our stakeholders and sponsors through these issues. Do it right, and you can come out the other side with an even stronger relationship.
 
By the end of this course, you will be equipped with practical techniques for communicating project issues with your stakeholders.