With this guide, you'll learn how to identify your stakeholders, how to assess their interests and influence, and how to create a stakeholder map that can guide your engagement strategy.
Stakeholder mapping is the process of identifying and assessing the interests and influence of stakeholders in a project, organization, or issue. It is a critical tool for effective stakeholder engagement and can help you to:
Understand who your stakeholders are and what they want Identify potential allies and opponents Determine the best way to engage with different stakeholders Prioritize stakeholder engagement activities
The first step in stakeholder mapping is to identify your stakeholders. Your stakeholders are the individuals or groups who have an interest in your project or organization, or who are affected by your actions. Some common stakeholders include:
Customers Employees Shareholders Suppliers Regulators Community members NGOs Trade associations
Brainstorming: List all the people or groups that come to mind when you think about your project or organization. Surveys: Ask your stakeholders directly who they are and what their interests are. Research: Use publicly available information, such as news articles or government reports, to identify potential stakeholders. Once you have identified your stakeholders, you can move on to the next step in stakeholder mapping: assessing their interests and influence.
Assessing stakeholder interests and influence is the second step in stakeholder mapping. It involves evaluating each stakeholder's level of interest in your project or organization and their ability to influence its outcome. To assess stakeholder interests and influence, you can use a variety of methods, including:
Power/Interest Matrix: Plot stakeholders on a matrix based on their level of power (ability to influence) and interest (level of concern) in your project or organization. Influence/Impact Matrix: Plot stakeholders on a matrix based on their level of influence and the potential impact they could have on your project or organization. Stakeholder Interviews: Conduct interviews with stakeholders to learn more about their interests, concerns, and level of influence. Once you have assessed your stakeholders' interests and influence, you can create a stakeholder map that can guide your engagement strategy.
Creating a stakeholder map is the final step in stakeholder mapping. It involves using the information you have gathered to create a visual representation of your stakeholders and their interests and influence. There are many ways to create a stakeholder map, but some common methods include:
Spider Diagram: Create a diagram that shows the relationships between your stakeholders and your project or organization. Venn Diagram: Use a Venn diagram to show the overlapping interests of your stakeholders. Table: Create a table that lists your stakeholders and their level of interest and influence. Whichever method you choose, the key is to create a stakeholder map that is easy to understand and can guide your engagement strategy.
Stakeholder mapping is a critical tool for effective stakeholder engagement. By identifying your stakeholders, assessing their interests and influence, and creating a stakeholder map, you can better understand and manage your stakeholders, and develop a more effective engagement strategy. We hope this guide has been helpful in providing you with the knowledge and tools you need to create your own stakeholder map.
