Stakeholder Mapping

What is Stakeholder Mapping?

Stakeholder Mapping is just as it sounds. It is a visual aid or map produced when you analyze those who have a “stake” or some level of interest in your organization or project.  It gives you a bird’s eye-view of those who have influence over, interest in or are impacted by your project or business, while allowing you to quickly visually distinguish between the levels of importance these stakeholders possess.

Why use Stakeholder Mapping?

Know “what’s at stake”. In order to better understand and address the challenges or issues that may occur in your business or project, it is vital to identify the people, organizations or even aspects that are involved on any level with our business or project. This specific type of mapping allows you to do several things that can ultimately result in a better outcome for the customer and for your business/project:

• Focus on the individual or type of group in order to determine what would benefit them. 
• Prioritize what would assist those who are most invested in the project.
• View the overall picture in order to identify others who should be included on the map and also any opportunities/risks that may have been overlooked.
• Identify beneficial relationships or partnerships between the stakeholders that could resolve issues/challenges.
• Communicate complex information to the stakeholders as well as your team. 

How

Mindtools.com provides some helpful guides on how to go about analyzing whom your stakeholders are and what their influence may be. Their suggested approach is to plot on a graph their "Power of Influence" and their "Level of Interest" to give you an idea of how to manage the range of stakeholder needs.

https://www.conceptdraw.com/How-To-Guide/stakeholder-onion-diagrams

For more information:

• https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/topics/stakeholder-maps
• https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/article/map-the-stakeholders
• https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/article/stakeholder-maps-keep-the-important-people-happy
• https://www.smartsheet.com/what-stakeholder-analysis-and-mapping-and-how-do-you-do-it-effectively
• https://www.copperproject.com/2017/11/whats-stakeholder-mapping-important/
• https://www.boreal-is.com/blog/stakeholder-mapping-identify-stakeholders/
• Ten Tips for Effective Stakeholder Mapping - http://thebigrocks.com/find-em-first-thebigrocks-stakeholder-mapping/