Stakeholder Map Template

A stakeholder map is a type of analysis that allows you to group people by their power and interest. Stakeholder analysis helps you to plan, manage, and understand how to engage and communicate with all the key people who could have an impact on your project. 

About the Stakeholder Map template

What is stakeholder mapping?

Stakeholder mapping is a way of organizing all of the people who have an interest in your product, project, or idea in a single visual space. This allows you to easily see who can influence your project, and how each person is related to the other. 

Widely used in project management, stakeholder mapping / stakeholder analysis is typically performed at the beginning of a project. Doing stakeholder mapping early on will help prevent miscommunication, ensure all groups are aligned on the objectives and set expectations about outcomes and results. 

Why is stakeholder mapping so important? 

Imagine you’re starting on a new project and want it to be as successful as possible. Who should you involve? Who should you keep updated? Who is likely to have questions or objections? These are all important questions that can arise as a project progresses, and which may lead to a phrase being derailed or delayed. Here are three benefits of stakeholder mapping:

Define your projects well

Stakeholders aren’t just your allies – they can also deliver insights and advice that help you shape your project. When you involve a diverse group of stakeholder from the start, they will help you create the best outline and plan for your project that will set it up for success. 

Create a shared understanding

Once you understand who your stakeholders are, you can communicate early and often to develop a shared understanding of your project. If they grasp the benefits, they are more likely to support you down the line. 

Secure resources

Often, stakeholders are the ones who hold the purse strings or have the necessary influence for getting you the resources you need. A stakeholder map will help you identify these individuals more easily. 

3 examples of a stakeholder map

You can use stakeholder mapping to understand the key players who can influence your project. Here are three examples of who you might involve in different types of projects. 

Product launch (retail)

When entering a new market or launching a new product, your stakeholders might include:

• Retailers

• Suppliers

• Management

• Financial institutions 

• Business consultants

Product launch (software)

As part of the software product development process, you may involve a number of stakeholders such as:

• Product manager

• Developers

• Marketers

• Executive sponsor

• Designers

Public sector project

If you’re working in the public sector, you could have a broad range of stakeholders to work with, including:

• Business groups

• Elected representatives

• Local councils

• Courts

• Trade unions

• The media