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The stakeholder mapping template and exercise guide

A printable Power-Interest Matrix canvas plus step-by-step instructions for running the exercise with your team.

This is the worksheet and facilitation guide that engagement teams use to quickly map their stakeholders. Print the Power-Interest Matrix canvas, follow the step-by-step exercise instructions, and you'll have a working stakeholder map in 15 to 30 minutes. Works as a solo desk exercise or as a team workshop with sticky notes. 

What you'll get:

  • A printable Power-Interest Matrix canvas, with four labelled quadrants (Key Players, Keep Satisfied, Keep Informed, Monitor)
  • A step-by-step instructions document for running the mapping exercise
  • 7 brainstorming questions to help identify stakeholders you might be missing
  • 4 prompts to help you determine each stakeholder's level of influence and interest
  • Designed for printing (A4, US Letter, or workshop size at 36" x 36") or digital annotation

How the exercise works:

  1. Print the canvas at your preferred size (desk size for solo work, large format for team workshops)
  2. Use the 7 brainstorming questions in the instructions to identify every stakeholder for your project
  3. Use the 4 influence and interest prompts to decide where each stakeholder belongs on the grid
  4. Place each stakeholder (or sticky note) in the matching quadrant
  5. Review with your team to make sure you haven't missed anyone or miscategorized
  6. Use the action label in each quadrant to guide your engagement approach for that group

If you want a deeper walkthrough of the exercise itself, our blog post on how to do a stakeholder mapping exercise covers it in more detail.

Download our free stakeholder mapping template

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about the stakeholder mapping template and exercise guide

Here, you can find answers to the most commonly asked questions about Jambo's stakeholder mapping template and exercise guide.

If you don't find the answer you're looking for, our friendly sales team is always here to help. You can contact us at hello@jambo.cloud.

Jambo stakeholder mapping template

Is the template editable?

The canvas is a printable PDF designed for sticky notes (in workshop settings) or digital annotation (in solo settings). It's not a fillable form or editable spreadsheet. Most teams open the PDF in their annotation tool of choice or print it at workshop size for in-person sessions.

Do I need to run this as a workshop, or can I do it on my own?

Either works. For solo work, print the canvas at A4 or US Letter size and fill it in directly. For team workshops, print at 36" x 36" and use sticky notes so stakeholders can be moved between quadrants as the conversation evolves.

What's the difference between stakeholder mapping and stakeholder identification?

Stakeholder identification is the first step (figuring out who your stakeholders are). Stakeholder mapping is the second step (categorizing them by influence and interest so you know how to engage with each one). The instructions document covers both, with brainstorming questions for the identification step.

Why the Power-Interest Matrix and not another framework?

The Power-Interest Matrix (sometimes called the Influence-Interest Grid) is the most widely used stakeholder mapping framework because it's quick to apply, easy to explain to colleagues and leadership, and produces clear engagement actions. Other frameworks (such as the Salience Model and RACI matrix) serve different purposes, but Mendelow's is the practical starting point for most engagement teams.

Can I use this template for Indigenous engagement?
The Power-Interest Matrix isn't designed for Indigenous engagement. Indigenous peoples have constitutionally protected rights that fundamentally alter the nature of engagement, so they shouldn't be categorized as stakeholders. We recommend creating a separate Indigenous engagement plan, which we cover in our beginner's guide to stakeholder engagement.

Ready to manage your mapped stakeholders properly?

Once you've mapped your stakeholders, you'll want a system to track engagement, commitments, communications, and issues for each one over time. That's what SRM (Stakeholder Relationship Management) software is built for. Book a 15-minute call to see how Jambo handles it.