Influence, stakeholder mapping and visualization

Stakeholder identification, management and engagement are recognized as key project management skills; however, this is a ‘soft’ skill that requires both intuition and a strong capacity for analysis. There are few tools and methodologies to which people undertaking stakeholder management activities can turn. Highly complex problem solving activities, such as stakeholder management, can benefit from high level conceptual approaches that allow those involved to see clearly or to visualize the situation being examined. Metaphors, particularly highly visual representations of complex situations, can be very helpful in triggering simplification of complex situations to a level where understanding of the situation can yield fruitful results in moving forward to developing plans and actions. Visualization tools for stakeholder management can be of great value. Describing stakeholder visualization tools that can be used to develop a stakeholder engagement strategy can therefore raise awareness of these tools. The development and use of two such tools are described. While they are both independently useful they could be effectively combined. This prospect could reduce the chances of project failure and enhance success through having clearer pictures of stakeholder influence patterns.