Stakeholder Mapping Matrix Template

What it is

A stakeholder mapping matrix helps you systematically identify who matters to your project or initiative, understand their power and interest levels, and determine how to engage them effectively. It moves you beyond generic “stakeholder lists” to strategic prioritisation based on influence, interest, and current position.

The most common model uses a Power/Interest grid, but this template also includes support level analysis to help you understand not just who matters, but where they currently stand.

When to use it

Use stakeholder mapping when:

Launching projects or initiatives that require buy-in from multiple groups
Planning change management communications where resistance is likely
Navigating complex organisational politics or decision-making processes
Developing advocacy or public affairs strategies
Managing issues where different groups have conflicting interests
Preparing for major announcements that affect different audiences differently

Don’t use stakeholder mapping for:

Simple projects with obvious, limited stakeholders (overcomplicated approach)
Crisis situations requiring immediate action (no time for systematic mapping)
Situations where stakeholder positions are well-established and unchanging

Inputs needed

Before you start, gather:

Project/initiative context: What are you mapping stakeholders for? Be specific.
Organisational knowledge: Who holds formal power? Who has informal influence?
Stakeholder intelligence: What do you already know about positions, interests, concerns?
Engagement history: Have you worked with these stakeholders before? What happened?
Decision-making process: How will decisions actually be made on this project?

The template

Part 1: Stakeholder Identification

List all individuals and groups who:

Have decision-making power over this project/initiative
Will be affected by outcomes (positively or negatively)
Can influence others’ opinions or decisions
Have formal roles in approval or implementation
Control resources you need
Could create obstacles if opposed

Stakeholder name/group	Role/position	Why they matter
[Name/title]	[Their formal role]	[Influence they have or how they’re affected]

Part 2: Power & Interest Analysis

Power (ability to influence outcomes):

High: Can approve/block, controls budget, has formal authority
Medium: Influences decision-makers, controls some resources, has expertise
Low: Limited formal authority, but may have opinion or be affected

Interest (level of concern about this project):

High: Directly affected, strong opinions, actively engaged
Medium: Affected but not critically, some opinions, may engage
Low: Tangentially affected, indifferent, unlikely to engage

Stakeholder	Power	Interest	Quadrant
[Name]	High/Med/Low	High/Med/Low	[See grid below]

Power/Interest Grid:

                High Power,          │    High Power,
                Low Interest         │    High Interest
                (KEEP SATISFIED)     │    (MANAGE CLOSELY)
            ─────────────────────────┼─────────────────────
                Low Power,           │    Low Power,
                Low Interest         │    High Interest
                (MONITOR)            │    (KEEP INFORMED)
                                     │
            Low Interest ────────────► High Interest

Quadrant meanings:

Manage Closely: Your priority stakeholders—high engagement, regular communication, involve in decisions
Keep Satisfied: Important to keep positive but don’t need constant updates—provide summaries, check in at key milestones
Keep Informed: Care about this work but can’t influence it much—regular updates, opportunities to provide input
Monitor: Minimal engagement required—monitor for shifts in position, but don’t invest heavy resources

Part 3: Support Level Analysis

For your high-power and high-interest stakeholders, assess current position:

Stakeholder	Current position	Their interests/concerns	Evidence
[Name]	Champion / Supporter / Neutral / Sceptic / Blocker	[What do they care about?]	[What tells you this?]

Position definitions:

Champion: Actively advocates for your project; uses influence to support
Supporter: Generally positive; will approve/support when asked
Neutral: No strong position yet; could move either direction
Sceptic: Concerns or doubts; needs convincing
Blocker: Opposed; will use influence to prevent/delay

Part 4: Engagement Strategy

Stakeholder	Engagement approach	Communication frequency	Key messages/focus	Owner
[Name]	[1-1 meetings, working group, etc.]	[Weekly, monthly, at milestones]	[What they need to hear]	[Team member responsible]

Engagement approaches by quadrant:

Manage Closely (high power, high interest):

One-to-one meetings at key decision points
Involvement in planning or advisory groups
First to hear about developments
Channels: Direct conversation, dedicated briefings

Keep Satisfied (high power, low interest):

Summary updates at key milestones
Opportunity to raise concerns, but not detailed involvement
Channels: Email updates, brief presentations

Keep Informed (low power, high interest):

Regular progress updates
Forums or Q&As for input
Channels: Newsletters, group briefings, intranet

Monitor (low power, low interest):

Passive information sharing
Alert system if position changes
Channels: General comms, public updates

Part 5: Risks & Mitigation

Risk	Related stakeholder(s)	Impact if occurs	Mitigation strategy
[e.g., Key blocker convinces others to oppose]	[Name]	[e.g., Project delayed 6+ months]	[e.g., Early engagement to understand concerns, find compromise]

AI prompt

Base prompt

I need to create a stakeholder mapping matrix for [PROJECT/INITIATIVE/CHANGE].

Context:
- What we're doing: [BRIEF DESCRIPTION]
- Why it matters: [ORGANISATIONAL CONTEXT]
- Key decision points: [WHAT NEEDS APPROVAL/SUPPORT]
- Timeline: [WHEN THIS IS HAPPENING]

Known stakeholders include:
- [NAME/ROLE]: [WHY THEY MATTER]
- [NAME/ROLE]: [WHY THEY MATTER]

Please create a stakeholder mapping matrix that includes:
1. Stakeholder Identification (comprehensive list with role and why they matter)
2. Power & Interest Analysis (assess each stakeholder's power and interest level, place in appropriate quadrant)
3. Support Level Analysis (for high-priority stakeholders, estimate current position and interests)
4. Engagement Strategy (recommended approach, frequency, and key messages for priority stakeholders)
5. Risks & Mitigation (stakeholder-related risks and how to address them)

Be realistic about power dynamics and political considerations. Consider both formal authority and informal influence.

Prompt variations

For organisational change:

Add: “This is a change management initiative affecting [NUMBER] people across [DEPARTMENTS]. Consider both direct impact (job changes) and indirect impact (process changes). Include union representatives, employee resource groups, and middle management.”

For external stakeholder mapping:

Add: “These are external stakeholders (customers, partners, regulators, media, community groups). Consider reputational risk, regulatory requirements, and competitive dynamics. Include both supportive and potentially oppositional groups.”

For crisis or issue management:

Add: “This is issue/crisis management for [SITUATION]. Stakeholders may have conflicting interests. Map current positions carefully and consider how positions might shift as situation develops.”

For advocacy or public affairs:

Add: “This is a policy or advocacy campaign. Map decision-makers (legislators, regulators), influencers (media, think tanks, advocacy groups), and affected parties. Consider formal legislative/regulatory process timelines.”

Human review checklist

Before using your stakeholder map, verify:

Example output

New HR System Implementation — Stakeholder Map

Context: Implementing a new performance management system affecting 2,000+ employees. Changes how reviews are conducted and documented.

Priority stakeholders (Manage Closely):

Stakeholder	Position	Key interest	Engagement
CHRO (Sponsor)	Champion	Career win, modernising HR	Weekly project meetings
CTO	Sceptic	Tech debt concerns, integration complexity	Bi-weekly tech reviews, early sight of specs
Works Council	Neutral	Employee consultation, data privacy	Monthly formal consultation

Key risk: CTO blocks technical integration due to concerns about IT team burden. Mitigation: Independent tech review to validate approach; involve CTO team in solution design; prove minimal burden with comparable implementations.

Engagement focus: Address CTO’s concerns proactively through detailed technical engagement. Maintain Works Council’s neutral-to-positive stance through transparent consultation process.

Message House — Develop stakeholder-specific messages based on their interests and concerns
Change Communications Plan — Build comprehensive change comms using stakeholder insights
FAQ Builder — Anticipate stakeholder questions and prepare approved responses
Campaign Brief — If your stakeholder engagement needs campaign-level planning

Tips for success

Map early, update often: Don’t wait until you need buy-in to understand who holds power. Map stakeholders at project inception and review monthly.

Distinguish formal and informal power: The person with the job title isn’t always the person with influence. Map both.

Evidence your position assessments: “I think they’re supportive” isn’t analysis. “They volunteered resources and advocated in the last Exec meeting” is.

Don’t make it public: Stakeholder maps describe political reality. Describing someone as a “blocker” is useful internally; devastating if they see it. Control distribution carefully.

Plan for position shifts: Stakeholders aren’t static. A supporter today might be a sceptic tomorrow if circumstances change. Monitor and adapt.

Common pitfalls

Mapping everyone equally: If you have 50 stakeholders all marked “high priority,” you haven’t prioritised. Manage closely should be a small group (5-8 maximum).

Confusing interest with importance: Someone can be very interested but have no power to influence outcomes. Don’t over-invest engagement where there’s no decision-making authority.

Assuming positions based on roles: “Finance people are always sceptics” is lazy thinking. Assess individuals based on behaviour and stated positions, not stereotypes.

Ignoring informal networks: The person who has coffee with the CEO every morning might have more influence than the VP who sees them quarterly. Map the real power structure.

One-and-done mapping: Stakeholder maps created once and never updated are fiction. Positions shift, people move roles, contexts change. Review regularly.

Stakeholder Mapping Matrix