What is a stakeholder?
A stakeholder is an individual, group or organisation interested and/or potentially impacted by the outcome of a project or programme.
They can be inside or outside of the organisation leading the project. They may have views, expectations and agendas in relation to the project. They may not be aware of your project yet, for example those experiencing health inequalities, but you need to proactively engage with these groups to understand the potential impact on them.
Understanding your stakeholders levels of interest and their influence is helpful in deciding how best to work with them.
Why is stakeholder mapping important?
Effective stakeholder mapping provides several benefits:
- Getting your projects into shape – You can use the opinions of your stakeholders to help define your projects at an early stage. These stakeholders will then more likely support you, and their input can also improve the quality of your project.
- Access to wider networks – Gaining support from stakeholders can help you to access wider networks and communities where you may not have reach.
- Building understanding – By engaging your stakeholders early and often, you can ensure that they fully grasp what you’re doing and understand the benefits and challenges of your project. This means they can make better informed contributions and even advocate for the project via their own networks – working on our behalf as a trusted voice where we may not have reach.
- Surfaces issues early – Mapping your stakeholders effectively means that you can understand issues from their perspective and take steps to mitigate any risks and explore solutions before projects become too developed.
When should you undertake stakeholder mapping?
You should be aware of who you are trying to engage; who are potentially your key allies; and who might cause obstacles before you begin any project or programme.
However, this is particularly important where this is a public-facing programme or service change. Stakeholders, their levels of interest, influence, and how they feel about the project you are undertaking can change over time so it is also important to revisit your stakeholder map before you reach any key milestones.