Identify Key Stakeholders

Understand how the key stakeholders interact and influence each other

Stakeholder mapping…
• …brings alignment among team members around the organizational context of the project. It makes assumptions transparent.
• …defines the roles of people and their relationships in a “human-centered system” view.
• …provides a way of visualizing the many dynamics in play, including motivations, influences and relationships.

GOAL

Map out the stakeholders of your project

PARTICIPANTS

Designers, Business Leads, other project stakeholders

TIME NEEDED

~ 30 - 60 minutes

PHASE

Explore

Before You Start

Your team has decided on a use-case to look deeper into
A Value Heatmap is a good way to help a team evaluate generated project or use-case ideas, based on two criteria such as value (outcome) and complexity (to build it). This exercise makes it easier to visualize which ideas are worth pursuing further.

Value Heatmap

Materials you will need

Templates for Download

Templates for Virtual Collaboration

(Registration to MURAL is required)

Steps

Creating a stakeholder map includes several steps. We recommend completing them in one session.
  • 10 - 20 minutes

Identify the business user and scenario with your team

Invite people to have an open mindset to explicate all the actors in the system.

Think both internal and external stakeholders during your brainstorm session.

  • 10 - 20 minutes

Write all stakeholders down

On individual post-it notes, capture all of the relevant stakeholders that may be affected by or cause impact in the user challenge or scenario.

  • 10 - 20 minutes

Place stakeholders on the map

Place stakeholders on your stakeholder map appropriately, visually displaying their relation to the use-case scenario.

See Completed Example

Throughout the project, refer back to the map often to ensure that you are maintaining contact with all relevant parties.

You're done!

Once actors are known, the team can work on interactions and relationships between these actors. The team can also strategize how to best work with each and every stakeholder.

Add to the map as needed if the focus of the project shifts or new stakeholders are identified.