Who Risks Percentage: Stakeholder and Resource Allocation in Project Canvas

PMBOK v8 Definition

The Project Canvas is a framework that helps project managers and teams capture, organize, and communicate essential project information in a clear and concise manner. Within this canvas, "Who Risks Percentage" refers to the allocation of resources across project dimensions, specifically addressing money (financial resources) and human (time, knowledge) components. The canvas systematically captures: stakeholders who have an interest in project success and their involvement, users who will benefit from project outcomes, risks that may occur and how to treat them, project phases, and team composition including the percentage of participants, the project manager, and other roles present in the team.

Why It Matters for the Exam

This concept frequently appears in PMI exam questions testing your understanding of how to structure and communicate essential project information using the Project Canvas. Questions typically appear in the Planning Process Group and test your ability to identify which elements belong to the Project Canvas versus other project documents. The exam often asks you to distinguish between stakeholder identification, risk treatment, and resource allocation percentages.

Key Points to Remember (for the exam)

• Main Components: The Project Canvas captures (money), human (time, knowledge), milestones, stakeholders, users, risks, project phases, and team composition
• Stakeholder Questions: "Who has an interest in the success of the project?" and "In what way are they involved in the project?"
• User Definition: Users are those who "will benefit from the outcome of the project"
• Risk Questions: "Which risks may occur during the project?" and "How do we treat these risks?"
• Team Percentage Breakdown: Captures percentage of participants, percentage of project manager, and percentage of other roles present in the team
• Lessons Learned: Included as a component of the Project Canvas for continuous improvement
• Common Confusion: The Project Canvas is NOT the same as the project charter or project management plan—it is a communication and organization tool

Typical PMI Exam Example

A project manager is starting a new software development project. Using the Project Canvas, they document that the development team consists of 60% developers, 15% testers, 10% the project manager, and 15% business analysts. They also identify end-users who will benefit from the new software and list potential risks such as technology obsolescence. This information helps the team communicate essential project details clearly.

PMI Exam Traps

• Trap: Confusing the Project Canvas with the project charter

  • Reality: The Project Canvas is a communication and organization framework, while the project charter formally authorizes the project

• Trap: Thinking "Who Risks Percentage" refers only to financial risk percentages

  • Reality: It includes both money and human resources (time, knowledge), plus stakeholder and risk information

• Trap: Assuming the Project Canvas replaces the risk register

  • Reality: The Project Canvas captures risk questions ("Which risks may occur?" and "How do we treat these risks?"), but the detailed risk register is a separate document

• Trap: Believing team percentage breakdown is optional

  • Reality: The Project Canvas explicitly requires "Percentage of who are the participants? Percentage of who is the project manager? Percentage of what other roles are present in the team?"

Important PMI Connections

Quick Review Questions

1. What are the three percentage breakdowns required in the Project Canvas team section?
2. What two questions does the Project Canvas ask about stakeholders?
3. What two questions does the Project Canvas ask about risks?
4. Who is defined as the "users" in the Project Canvas framework?
5. What are the five main resource dimensions captured in the "Who Risks Percentage" section?

PMBOK v8 Reference

Section 2.7 - Project Canvas (Figure 5-15. Project Canvas Example)