Understand key stakeholders for your next project
Not to be dramatic, but the team you work with can make the difference between a project that thrives…and a project filled with miscommunication and delays. But, identifying key stakeholders isn’t complicated — and with our stakeholder map template, it’s a piece of cake. This template helps minimize confusion on who is who, clarifies responsibilities, and catalyzes a transition from strangers to collaborators.
Stakeholder mapping can help your internal and external teams work better together, helping the 66% of knowledge workers who aren’t happy with how their teams work together get back onboard. Use this template to identify stakeholders and strategize the level of involvement that each stakeholder will have.
What is a stakeholder map?
A stakeholder map is a visual representation of the people, groups, or organizations that are working directly and actively on a project, product, or idea. It's a tool that helps identify key stakeholders to understand their influence and develop a strategy for managing them.
Even if a project team is on the smaller side, roles, responsibilities, and everything in between can get a little complicated. So, stakeholder maps, along with RACI charts, can help clear up confusion from the start so your team can get to work faster.
What are stakeholder maps used for?
Stakeholder mapping tools clarify relationships and help in decision-making by showing how different stakeholders impact or are impacted by the project's outcomes. You can also use a stakeholder map to improve communication, facilitate collaboration, and keep each member of your team accountable for their piece of work.
A stakeholder map template helps you:
Identify key players who will actually move the need on your projects
Create better communication channels that will get stuff done
See where resources should go to help the most people
Stakeholder map example
Need inspiration as you’re building your map? Here’s a stakeholder map example to help you out.
How to use Mural’s stakeholder map template
Step 1: Identify your stakeholders
List all the relevant team members and groups that will be involved in your project. Then, categorize them as internal or external stakeholders.
Step 2: Map influence and interest
Create a matrix with two axes: influence (or power) and interest. Then group your stakeholders accordingly. Group them into quadrants:
High influence/high Interest: Actively engage.
High influence/low Interest: Keep satisfied.
Low influence/high Interest: Keep informed.
Low influence/low Interest: Provide status updates as needed.
Step 3: Develop an engagement strategy
Create a communication strategy for each quadrant:
For high influence/high interest stakeholders, develop a strategy for regular engagement, collaboration, and decision-making involvement.
For high influence/low interest stakeholders, focus on periodic updates and addressing any specific concerns to maintain their support.
For low influence/high interest stakeholders, use informational updates and open channels for feedback to keep them engaged.
For low influence/low interest stakeholders, limit engagement but monitor for any shifts in their influence or interest.
Tips for using a stakeholder mapping template
Gather the data you need: Don’t go into your stakeholder map blind; research your stakeholders and use what you learn to build a robust map.
Be realistic when determining levels of interest and influence: People are busy, so make sure you’re putting the right stakeholders in the right places so you can keep your project moving.
Remember that this is a living document: Stakeholder positions may shift over time, so ensure your template is easy to update as the project evolves.
The purpose of stakeholder mapping is to identify and understand the various individuals, groups, or organizations that are affected by or have an interest in a particular project or initiative. Stakeholder mapping helps to identify key stakeholders and their relationships to one another, and is often used in the early stages of a project to inform stakeholder engagement and decision-making.
By creating a stakeholder map, project teams can gain a better understanding of the interests, needs, and priorities of different stakeholders, and develop strategies for engaging with them effectively throughout the project lifecycle. Ultimately, stakeholder mapping helps to ensure that projects are designed and implemented in a way that takes into account the needs and perspectives of all stakeholders, and that stakeholders are kept informed and engaged throughout the process.
Identify stakeholders: The first step in stakeholder mapping is to identify all the individuals, groups, or organizations that have an interest in or may be impacted by the project or initiative. This includes internal and external stakeholders, such as employees, customers, partners, investors, regulators, and community members.
Analyze stakeholders: Once stakeholders have been identified, the next step is to analyze their level of interest in and influence over the project or initiative. This can be done using various tools and techniques, such as stakeholder interviews, surveys, or social network analysis. The goal is to gain a better understanding of stakeholders' needs, expectations, and priorities, as well as their potential impact on the project.
Categorize stakeholders: Based on the analysis, stakeholders can be categorized into different groups, such as primary, secondary, or tertiary stakeholders, or high, medium, or low priority stakeholders. This helps to prioritize stakeholders and determine the appropriate level of engagement and communication for each group.
Develop a stakeholder engagement plan: Finally, based on the stakeholder analysis and categorization, a stakeholder engagement plan can be developed. This plan should outline how the project team will engage with stakeholders throughout the project lifecycle, including the communication channels, messages, and frequency of engagement. The goal is to ensure that stakeholders are informed, consulted, and involved in decision-making in a way that is appropriate to their level of interest and influence.
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