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Plan a concrete work block with agenda, roles, preparation, and a copyable result artifact.

Method session90-180 minWorkshop or asyncStakeholder Map

Session: Stakeholder Mapping

The plan translates the method into a concrete facilitated work block. Your inputs flow directly into the session brief and work artifact.

Derived automatically

Method session with 2-8. The plan uses the existing method logic and the runsheet.

Runsheet
Participation logic
Team round, shared work and alignment

Use the session for shared understanding. Contributions are collected visibly, assumptions are aligned, and open differences remain traceable in the artifact.

Outcome logic
Finish artifact

The session works directly toward Stakeholder Map. After the session, the artifact should be shareable, reviewable, or reusable.

  1. 1

    Phase 1: Identify stakeholders

    20 min

    Complete list: internal (teams, leaders, employees), external (customers, partners, suppliers, regulator). Role and relation to initiative per stakeholder. Hint: If fewer than 8 stakeholders, external ones are often missing. If more than 40, form groups (for example cluster clients).

    FacilitatorStakeholder Map
  2. 2

    Phase 2: Rate influence and interest

    30 min

    Rate influence (can enable or prevent success) and interest (affected, how much they care) per stakeholder on scale. Place in grid. Hint: High Power, High Interest = Manage Closely. These quadrants need special treatment. Other quadrants receive differentiated strategies.

    FacilitatorEngagement Plan
  3. 3

    Phase 3: Stance and relationship

    30 min

    Per stakeholder, add stance (supporter, neutral, skeptic, blocker) and current relationship strength (1-5). Draw relationships between stakeholders as lines. Hint: Relationship network is often decisive. A supporter connected to a blocker is a bridge. Use line notation.

    FacilitatorRisk Notes
  4. 4

    Phase 4: Strategy per stakeholder

    30 min

    For each high-priority stakeholder, define strategy: message, channel, frequency, owner. Maximum 10 actively managed stakeholders per initiative. Hint: If 30 stakeholders are "Manage Closely", prioritization is not serious. Top 10 is enough, the rest goes on watchlist.

    FacilitatorStakeholder Map
  5. 5

    Phase 5: Cadence and review

    20 min

    Fix dates. Review cadence (for example monthly). Indicators per stakeholder (for example response time, approval, escalations). Hint: Stakeholder map without ongoing maintenance ages out. Quarterly review mandatory, otherwise artifact becomes wall decoration.

    OwnerEngagement Plan
  6. 6

    Publish artifact

    10 min

    Check the artifact for completeness, define location, set version or status, and name review recipients.

    OwnerStakeholder Map
Usable artifact

Session Brief

For invitations, boards, tickets, PR descriptions, or workshop notes.

session-brief.md

Session Brief: Stakeholder Mapping

Goal

Artifact: Stakeholder Map

Working Question

Who is affected by the initiative, who influences success, and which relationship must be maintained with whom, at which frequency and message?

Context

Stakeholder list; previous communication histories; known conflicts and allies; decision structures in organization; political sensitivities.

Setup

  • Format: Method session
  • Duration: 90-180 min
  • Mode: Workshop or async
  • Participants: One facilitator; sponsor or project lead; 3-6 team members with stakeholder contact; one scribe; optional external advisor for outside perspective.
  • Owner: One facilitator
  • Participation mode: Team round, shared work and alignment
  • Outcome logic: Finish artifact

Participation Logic

Use the session for shared understanding. Contributions are collected visibly, assumptions are aligned, and open differences remain traceable in the artifact.

Outcome Logic

The session works directly toward Stakeholder Map. After the session, the artifact should be shareable, reviewable, or reusable.

Input

Whiteboard or Miro with Power-Interest Grid or Salience Model; stickies per stakeholder; template for stakeholder profile (role, interest, influence, stance, relationship); voting dots.

Preparation

Set up grid (for example Power x Interest or Salience: Power, Legitimacy, Urgency). One card per stakeholder. Rule: rating with rationale, not from the gut.

Agenda

  1. Phase 1: Identify stakeholders (20 min) Owner: Facilitator Action: Complete list: internal (teams, leaders, employees), external (customers, partners, suppliers, regulator). Role and relation to initiative per stakeholder. Hint: If fewer than 8 stakeholders, external ones are often missing. If more than 40, form groups (for example cluster clients). Output: Stakeholder Map

  2. Phase 2: Rate influence and interest (30 min) Owner: Facilitator Action: Rate influence (can enable or prevent success) and interest (affected, how much they care) per stakeholder on scale. Place in grid. Hint: High Power, High Interest = Manage Closely. These quadrants need special treatment. Other quadrants receive differentiated strategies. Output: Engagement Plan

  3. Phase 3: Stance and relationship (30 min) Owner: Facilitator Action: Per stakeholder, add stance (supporter, neutral, skeptic, blocker) and current relationship strength (1-5). Draw relationships between stakeholders as lines. Hint: Relationship network is often decisive. A supporter connected to a blocker is a bridge. Use line notation. Output: Risk Notes

  4. Phase 4: Strategy per stakeholder (30 min) Owner: Facilitator Action: For each high-priority stakeholder, define strategy: message, channel, frequency, owner. Maximum 10 actively managed stakeholders per initiative. Hint: If 30 stakeholders are "Manage Closely", prioritization is not serious. Top 10 is enough, the rest goes on watchlist. Output: Stakeholder Map

  5. Phase 5: Cadence and review (20 min) Owner: Owner Action: Fix dates. Review cadence (for example monthly). Indicators per stakeholder (for example response time, approval, escalations). Hint: Stakeholder map without ongoing maintenance ages out. Quarterly review mandatory, otherwise artifact becomes wall decoration. Output: Engagement Plan

  6. Publish artifact (10 min) Owner: Owner Action: Check the artifact for completeness, define location, set version or status, and name review recipients. Output: Stakeholder Map

Closeout

  • Update result artifact: Stakeholder Map
  • Define location, version, and review recipients.
  • Define owner, next step, and review date.
Usable artifact

Work artifact

Pre-filled starting point based on the matching template.

work-artifact.md

Stakeholder Map: Stakeholder Mapping

Working Question

Who is affected by the initiative, who influences success, and which relationship must be maintained with whom, at which frequency and message?

Context

Stakeholder list; previous communication histories; known conflicts and allies; decision structures in organization; political sensitivities.

Participants

  • Owner: One facilitator
  • Participants: One facilitator; sponsor or project lead; 3-6 team members with stakeholder contact; one scribe; optional external advisor for outside perspective.

Input

Whiteboard or Miro with Power-Interest Grid or Salience Model; stickies per stakeholder; template for stakeholder profile (role, interest, influence, stance, relationship); voting dots.

Template

Stakeholder Mapping Working Template

Goal

Identify relevant people and groups, their influence and interest, and the right engagement approach.

Context

When and for what do we use this method?

Input

Which data, observations, decisions, or materials are available?

Working area

  • Stakeholder list:
  • Influence and interest:
  • Relationships:
  • Risks and tensions:
  • Engagement strategy:

Output artifacts

  • Stakeholder map:
  • Engagement plan:
  • Risk notes:

Open questions

  • ...

Next step

Owner, date, and success signal.

Completion Check

  • Stakeholder Map is complete enough for review:
  • Location:
  • Version / status:
  • Review by:
  • Next step:

Next Step

  • Review result
  • Mark open questions
  • Schedule review or decision
Template base

Stakeholder Mapping Working Template

View templateCompact working template for Stakeholder Mapping with influence, interest, relationships, and engagement plan.
canvas

stakeholder-mapping-working-template.md

Compact working template for Stakeholder Mapping with influence, interest, relationships, and engagement plan.

Stakeholder Mapping Working Template

Goal

Identify relevant people and groups, their influence and interest, and the right engagement approach.

Context

When and for what do we use this method?

Input

Which data, observations, decisions, or materials are available?

Working area

  • Stakeholder list:
  • Influence and interest:
  • Relationships:
  • Risks and tensions:
  • Engagement strategy:

Output artifacts

  • Stakeholder map:
  • Engagement plan:
  • Risk notes:

Open questions

  • ...

Next step

Owner, date, and success signal.

Ready to use when
  • Working question, owner, and target artifact are visible.
  • The result fits Stakeholder Map.
  • Stakeholder map with date and initiative reference. Version changes to stances or relationships. For larger shifts, create new snapshot with diff to previous period.
  • Open questions are noted as follow-ups.
  • The next review or decision point is scheduled.
ProfileRunsheet