Stakeholder Mapping

Description

Identifying stakeholders will ensure that the right people are engaged in the right way and at the right time. It ensures readiness and buy in for the proposed change, a sense of responsibility and enables the embedding of change and associated benefits. A stakeholder is anyone that can influence or is affected by the change. Stakeholder mapping can help enable you to identify the most appropriate way to engage stakeholders. Not all stakeholders want or need the same approach. The stakeholder map will inform a stakeholder management and engagement approach/plan. 

Responsibility

The Project Manager is responsible for ensuring this activity is completed. Tier 1 programmes are generally assigned a Change Manager who can take ownership of stakeholder mapping, otherwise the Project Manager should complete.

Engagement to build the stakeholder map

To build the stakeholder map, the following key people can help identify stakeholders:

  • Subject Matter Community 
  • Executive (Sponsor)
  • Senior Responsible Owner
  • Project/Programme Manager and project team 
  • Change Manager (if available)
  • Any supplier of any solution central to the change
Activity this informs
  • Identifying an approach to managing stakeholder relationships
  • Planning and designing engagement activity that addresses identified stakeholder needs

Forms & Links

Stakeholder mapping involves: 

  • Identifying all relevant stakeholders (people or groups)
  • Understanding their level of influence, interest and perspective
  • A common tool is a power-interest matrix
    • Influence is the degree to which each stakeholder can influence the change programme
    • Interest is the level of interest the stakeholder has in the change programme 
  • The following diagrams illustrate the proposed engagement based on a stakeholders position on the map
  • Stakeholder Map: PM33 Stakeholder Map Template
  • Audience Map: PM32 Audience Map Template

Approvals & Compliance Review

  • Project Working Group
  • The Project Board approve all stakeholders that are being considered and that an appropriate engagement approach is in place. Depending on the governance structure, further approval may be required.

Repeated Subsequent RIBA Stages

The stakeholder map and associated engagement approach should be reviewed at least at each RIBA stage:

  • Feasibility - RIBA Stage 1
  • Design - RIBA Stage 2 to 4
  • Delivery - RIBA Stage 5 onwards

Depending on the project nature it may be appropriate to review and validate at each RIBA stage.