Lesson 1.2: Stakeholder Mapping & Engagement

Designing Meaningful Engagement

Effective stakeholder engagement requires intentional design that respects cultural norms, adapts to different audiences, and creates safe spaces for honest dialogue and community validation.

Adapting Your Approach by Stakeholder Type

Different stakeholder categories require different engagement approaches. Here's how to adapt your strategy:

graph TB
    %% ========================================
    %% START NODE
    %% ========================================

    START(["🎯 START<br/><br/>Stakeholder<br/>Identified"])

    %% ========================================
    %% FIRST DECISION: STAKEHOLDER CATEGORY
    %% ========================================

    CATEGORY{"What category?<br/><br/>Primary / Secondary / Tertiary"}

    %% ========================================
    %% PRIMARY STAKEHOLDER PATH
    %% ========================================

    PRIMARY["👥 PRIMARY<br/><br/>Direct experience<br/>with the problem"]

    P_QUADRANT{"Power-Interest<br/>Level?"}

    P_Q1["🤝 High Power<br/>High Interest<br/><br/>Partnership approach"]
    P_Q3["👂 Low Power<br/>High Interest<br/><br/>Deep listening"]

    P_FORMAT["📋 FORMATS<br/><br/>Focus groups<br/>Community meetings<br/>Home visits<br/><br/>⏱️ 60-90 min"]

    %% ========================================
    %% SECONDARY STAKEHOLDER PATH
    %% ========================================

    SECONDARY["🔍 SECONDARY<br/><br/>Influence, expertise<br/>or resources"]

    S_QUADRANT{"Power-Interest<br/>Level?"}

    S_Q1["🤝 High Power<br/>High Interest<br/><br/>Advisory role"]
    S_Q2["📊 High Power<br/>Low Interest<br/><br/>Keep satisfied"]

    S_FORMAT["📋 FORMATS<br/><br/>Expert panels<br/>Validation sessions<br/>Email updates<br/><br/>⏱️ 30-60 min"]

    %% ========================================
    %% TERTIARY STAKEHOLDER PATH
    %% ========================================

    TERTIARY["🔗 TERTIARY<br/><br/>Indirect interest<br/>broader context"]

    T_QUADRANT{"Power-Interest<br/>Level?"}

    T_Q1["📢 Strategic<br/>Updates<br/><br/>Potential partner"]
    T_Q4["👀 Monitor<br/>Only<br/><br/>Minimal effort"]

    T_FORMAT["📋 FORMATS<br/><br/>Phone/video calls<br/>Email newsletters<br/>Surveys<br/><br/>⏱️ 15-30 min"]

    %% ========================================
    %% FLOW CONNECTIONS
    %% ========================================

    START --> CATEGORY

    CATEGORY -->|"Primary"| PRIMARY
    CATEGORY -->|"Secondary"| SECONDARY
    CATEGORY -->|"Tertiary"| TERTIARY

    PRIMARY --> P_QUADRANT
    P_QUADRANT --> P_Q1
    P_QUADRANT --> P_Q3
    P_Q1 --> P_FORMAT
    P_Q3 --> P_FORMAT

    SECONDARY --> S_QUADRANT
    S_QUADRANT --> S_Q1
    S_QUADRANT --> S_Q2
    S_Q1 --> S_FORMAT
    S_Q2 --> S_FORMAT

    TERTIARY --> T_QUADRANT
    T_QUADRANT --> T_Q1
    T_QUADRANT --> T_Q4
    T_Q1 --> T_FORMAT
    T_Q4 --> T_FORMAT

    %% ========================================
    %% FESTA DESIGN SYSTEM COLORS (Light Tints)
    %% ========================================

    %% Start node - Light gray with dark text
    style START fill:#E5E7EB,stroke:#6B7280,stroke-width:3px,color:#2A2A2A,font-weight:bold

    %% Category decision - Light gold
    style CATEGORY fill:#FEF3C7,stroke:#F59E0B,stroke-width:3px,color:#2A2A2A,font-weight:bold

    %% Primary stakeholder nodes - Light green tints
    style PRIMARY fill:#D1FAE5,stroke:#10B981,stroke-width:3px,color:#2A2A2A,font-weight:bold
    style P_QUADRANT fill:#D1FAE5,stroke:#10B981,stroke-width:2px,color:#2A2A2A,font-weight:bold
    style P_Q1 fill:#D1FAE5,stroke:#10B981,stroke-width:2px,color:#2A2A2A
    style P_Q3 fill:#D1FAE5,stroke:#10B981,stroke-width:2px,color:#2A2A2A
    style P_FORMAT fill:#BBF7D0,stroke:#72B043,stroke-width:2px,color:#2A2A2A

    %% Secondary stakeholder nodes - Light leaf tints
    style SECONDARY fill:#ECFCCB,stroke:#72B043,stroke-width:3px,color:#2A2A2A,font-weight:bold
    style S_QUADRANT fill:#ECFCCB,stroke:#72B043,stroke-width:2px,color:#2A2A2A,font-weight:bold
    style S_Q1 fill:#ECFCCB,stroke:#72B043,stroke-width:2px,color:#2A2A2A
    style S_Q2 fill:#FEF3C7,stroke:#F59E0B,stroke-width:2px,color:#2A2A2A
    style S_FORMAT fill:#FEF3C7,stroke:#F59E0B,stroke-width:2px,color:#2A2A2A

    %% Tertiary stakeholder nodes - Light gray tints
    style TERTIARY fill:#F6F6F6,stroke:#9CA3AF,stroke-width:3px,color:#2A2A2A,font-weight:bold
    style T_QUADRANT fill:#F6F6F6,stroke:#9CA3AF,stroke-width:2px,color:#2A2A2A,font-weight:bold
    style T_Q1 fill:#F6F6F6,stroke:#9CA3AF,stroke-width:2px,color:#2A2A2A
    style T_Q4 fill:#F6F6F6,stroke:#9CA3AF,stroke-width:2px,color:#2A2A2A
    style T_FORMAT fill:#E5E7EB,stroke:#9CA3AF,stroke-width:2px,color:#2A2A2A

For Primary Stakeholders (Lived Experience)

Setting

Meet in comfortable, familiar spaces for them—community centers, homes, places of worship, or outdoor meeting areas. Avoid intimidating office settings.

Format

Open-ended conversations, focus groups, community meetings. Use formats that feel natural and encourage storytelling.

Questions

Exploratory and experience-based. Ask them to teach you about their reality. Avoid technical jargon.

Tone

Respectful, curious, non-judgmental. Position yourself as learner, not expert.

Duration

Allow sufficient time for full expression. Don't rush. Some cultures value longer conversations that build rapport.

Follow-up

Share back how their input influenced your thinking. Build ongoing relationships, not extractive one-time consultations.

For Secondary Stakeholders (Expertise/Power)

Setting

Professional environments or their preferred locations. Respect their workspace and scheduling constraints.

Format

Structured interviews, expert consultations, advisory meetings. Can be more formal and agenda-driven.

Questions

Can be more direct and analytical. Share your preliminary Problem Tree and seek specific feedback and validation.

Tone

Professional but collaborative. Position as partners in refining analysis, not judges evaluating your work.

Duration

Respectful of their time constraints. Be prepared with focused questions and clear objectives.

Follow-up

Professional updates on progress and outcomes. Acknowledge their contributions in reports and presentations.

For Tertiary Stakeholders (Broader Context)

Setting

Flexible based on their availability and preference. Phone or video calls often work well.

Format

Brief consultations, informational meetings, surveys. Keep it concise and focused.

Questions

Focused on their specific expertise or perspective. Don't ask them to comment on everything.

Tone

Informational and efficient. Appreciate their time without imposing unnecessary burden.

Duration

Concise and focused. 15-30 minutes is often sufficient.

Follow-up

Periodic updates as appropriate. Include them in general stakeholder communications.

Question Design Principles

The questions you ask shape the insights you receive. Effective questions are open-ended, exploratory, and genuinely curious.

✅ Effective Questions (Open-ended, Exploratory)

"Can you describe what this challenge looks like in your daily life?"

Opens space for rich, contextual description without imposing your framework.

"In your experience, what are the main barriers people face?"

Leverages their expertise while allowing them to identify what matters most.

"What approaches have you seen work well? What hasn't worked?"

Learns from history without defending your preliminary ideas.

"If you could change three things about this situation, what would they be?"

Reveals priorities and desired outcomes in their own words.

"Who else do you think we should be talking to about this?"

Expands your stakeholder network through trusted referrals.

❌ Ineffective Questions (Leading, Confirmatory)

"Don't you think that X is the main problem here?"

Leading question that pressures agreement instead of exploring their perspective.

"Would you support our approach to address Y?"

Asks for validation before you've listened to their insights and concerns.

"How important is Z to you?" (without context)

Imposes your priorities without understanding their framework for importance.

"Do you agree that our analysis is correct?"

Seeks confirmation instead of refinement and deeper understanding.

Cultural Considerations and Best Practices

Respect Cultural Norms

Effective engagement requires cultural sensitivity and adaptation:

  • Research appropriate meeting protocols - Learn about greetings, seating arrangements, gift-giving customs, and conversation norms before engaging
  • Consider gender, age, and social dynamics - Understand how these factors affect who speaks, who defers to whom, and who might need separate conversations
  • Use appropriate languages and communication styles - Engage in languages stakeholders are comfortable with, not just what's convenient for you
  • Respect religious or cultural scheduling - Avoid meeting during prayer times, religious holidays, or harvest seasons when communities are busy

Build Trust Through Transparency

Authentic engagement requires honesty and clarity about your intentions:

Explain Who You Are

Be clear about your organization, your role, and why you're asking questions. Don't obscure your affiliations or motives.

Be Honest About Commitments

Only make promises you can keep. Be upfront about what you can and cannot commit to doing.

Explain How Information Will Be Used

Tell stakeholders how their input will influence project design and who will have access to their feedback.

Acknowledge Limitations

Admit when you don't know something or when your current understanding is limited. This builds credibility.

Create Safe Spaces

For honest dialogue, stakeholders need to feel psychologically and physically safe:

  • Ensure confidentiality when discussing sensitive topics - Be clear about when information will be anonymized and when it won't
  • Be aware of power dynamics that might inhibit honest sharing - A community member may not criticize a government official's program if that official is present
  • Consider separate conversations with different groups if needed - Youth might speak more freely without elders present, or women without men
  • Address concerns about information use - Some communities have experienced extractive research where outsiders take information but provide no benefit

What's Next?

Now that you understand engagement strategies and question design, you're ready to implement a systematic approach. The Step-by-Step Guide walks you through the complete process from stakeholder identification through integration of insights.

Ready for the Implementation Framework?

Follow the detailed 5-phase, 14-step process to systematically plan and execute your stakeholder engagement strategy.

Step-by-Step Guide → Download Templates →