Influence and interest are convenient planning dimensions, but they are not enough. A stakeholder with limited institutional power may still hold rights, experience significant impacts or require accessible engagement.
Start by defining the issue or decision. Stakeholder maps become vague when they try to cover an entire organisation without a specific context.
Record interests, rights, impacts and representation before assigning engagement priority. Influence should never be used as a reason to ignore people who carry a disproportionate impact.
Relationship strength is useful because a high-influence stakeholder with weak trust requires a different approach from one with an established working relationship.
Treat the map as a living management record. Update it when project conditions change, new representatives emerge, grievances reveal new issues or commitments alter expectations.
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Record the assumptions used, keep source dates, preserve the original evidence, and disclose limitations when sharing a result. Where the decision is material, regulated or safety-critical, use qualified professional review.