Stakeholder and Impact Map
Who is affected, who decides, who carries the risk
- PhaseUnderstand
- Group4 to 20 people
- Time40 minutes
- SettingRoom or remote
- ExecutivesYes
What it is
A stakeholder and impact map lists everyone a change touches and places each person by two things: how much influence they have over the decision, and how much the change affects their work. It shows who must be consulted, who needs to be kept informed, and who is easily forgotten.
When to use it
At the start, before any solution is discussed. Use it when it is unclear whose work changes, or who answers for what the AI solution produces.
When to skip it
When one well-known team owns the whole process and nobody outside it is touched.
How to run it
- 5 minWrite the scope in one sentence and read it aloud.
- 10 minEveryone writes stakeholders on notes, one per note: people who use, are affected by, approve or answer for the outcome.
- 10 minPlace notes on the map: influence over the decision against impact of the change.
- 10 minMark who carries the risk if the AI solution is wrong. Circle the people who are not in the room.
- 5 minAgree the three people you will speak to next.
About 40 minutes of method time. Add ten to fifteen minutes to open and close the session.
What to watch for
Leaving out frontline leaders and the people who receive the output. Naming a department when you mean a person.
The AI lens
Add two groups most maps miss: people whose work changes without being asked, and the people accountable for what the AI solution produces.
What you leave with
A mapped list of stakeholders with risk-bearers marked, and a short list to interview.
An example
For an AI tool that drafts replies to customer emails, the map includes the agents who use it, the team leaders who approve templates, the compliance lead who answers for what customers are told, and the quality team whose review workload may grow.
How it compares
Run it before the Empathy Map. The stakeholder map decides whose voices you need. The Empathy Map then goes deep on one of them.
Related methods
Questions
What is Stakeholder and Impact Map?
A stakeholder and impact map lists everyone a change touches and places each person by two things: how much influence they have over the decision, and how much the change affects their work. It shows who must be consulted, who needs to be kept informed, and who is easily forgotten.
When should I use Stakeholder and Impact Map?
At the start, before any solution is discussed. Use it when it is unclear whose work changes, or who answers for what the AI solution produces.
How long does Stakeholder and Impact Map take and how many people do I need?
Stakeholder and Impact Map takes about 40 minutes and suits 4 to 20 people, plus a facilitator. Add ten to fifteen minutes to open and close the session.
How is Stakeholder and Impact Map different from other methods?
Run it before the Empathy Map. The stakeholder map decides whose voices you need. The Empathy Map then goes deep on one of them.
Can I run Stakeholder and Impact Map remotely or with executives?
Yes. Stakeholder and Impact Map works in the room or remotely. Remotely, put the canvas on a shared board in advance and write silently in the board, not in chat. Executives: Yes, works with executives present.