Tool: Stakeholder Mapping
What is it, when to use it, why is it beneficial to do so
Stakeholder mapping is a visual or analytical tool used to identify, categorise and understand the key actors - individuals, groups, and institutions - who have an interest in or influence over a system or initiative. It makes visible their roles, levels of power, influence, capacity and interest, as well as the relationships, tensions, alignments and opportunities between them. Formats range from simple influence–interest matrices to more dynamic ecosystem maps that show how resources, incentives and information flow.
Below you’ll find the tool template you can use straight away, along with a Tool Cheat Sheet to support you as you work through it. We’d love to hear how it lands in practice - feel free to share any feedback or questions with us.
It is essential because systems transformation depends on coordinated action across interdependent stakeholders. Mapping helps teams see not just who is in the system, but the relational infrastructure that shapes change: how power is distributed, where gaps or exclusions exist, and which stakeholders can increase an organisation’s leverage or capacity. In the Step-by-Step process, stakeholder mapping appears in both Step 1 (“Gain Clarity”) and Step 2 (“Find Leverage”): first to deepen system understanding and shortlist interviewees, and later to identify partners for collaboration and stress-testing the emerging challenge and solution space.