Stakeholder Mapping

Map who cares, who decides, and who can block - before you build the wrong thing for the quiet veto holder.

Key Concept

• Stakeholder mapping is listing who cares, who decides, who influences, and who can block - with how much and how often to engage.
• RACI assigns accountability; mapping finds the humans before the letters.
• Surprise blockers in week eight mean the map was never drawn - glad a thirty-minute interview round beats a month of rework.

Level 1 - Recognize

Stakeholder mapping means listing who cares, who decides, who influences, and who can block.

Level 2 - Explain

Like seating chart for a wedding - know who can stop the music before you pick the playlist.

Level 3 - Use

For the next initiative, name five stakeholders, their interest level, and one message each needs this month.

Level 4 - Connect

Managing Up is the boss slice; Alignment Before Build tests whether the map agrees before build starts.

Level 5 - Create

Refresh the map when scope shifts - Change Window is when new voices legitimately join the table.

Examples

• Glad I interviewed finance before the portal scope - quiet veto on reporting almost killed launch in week six.
• Client sponsor loved the demo; IT security was never on the map - mapping them early fixed access before UAT.

Note Relationships