The Three-Layer Framework
Primary (directly affected), Secondary (influence), Tertiary (indirect interest).
graph TB
%% ========================================
%% YOUR PROJECT AT CENTER
%% ========================================
CORE(["🎯 YOUR PROJECT<br/><br/><strong>The Problem</strong><br/><strong>You're Addressing</strong>"])
%% ========================================
%% PRIMARY STAKEHOLDERS
%% ========================================
subgraph PRIMARY_GROUP ["👥 PRIMARY STAKEHOLDERS"]
direction TB
P_DEF["<strong>Directly Affected</strong><br/><br/>Experience the<br/>problem firsthand"]
P_PROVIDE["<strong>What They Provide</strong><br/><br/>Lived experience<br/><br/>Daily realities<br/><br/>Coping strategies<br/><br/>Cultural context"]
end
%% ========================================
%% SECONDARY STAKEHOLDERS
%% ========================================
subgraph SECONDARY_GROUP ["🤝 SECONDARY STAKEHOLDERS"]
direction TB
S_DEF["<strong>Influence & Expertise</strong><br/><br/>Power to enable<br/>or block outcomes"]
S_PROVIDE["<strong>What They Provide</strong><br/><br/>Technical expertise<br/><br/>Institutional knowledge<br/><br/>Resource access<br/><br/>Validation"]
end
%% ========================================
%% TERTIARY STAKEHOLDERS
%% ========================================
subgraph TERTIARY_GROUP ["🔗 TERTIARY STAKEHOLDERS"]
direction TB
T_DEF["<strong>Indirect Interest</strong><br/><br/>Not central but<br/>connected to issue"]
T_PROVIDE["<strong>What They Provide</strong><br/><br/>Broader context<br/><br/>Future partnerships<br/><br/>System dynamics<br/><br/>Unintended consequences"]
end
%% ========================================
%% FLOW CONNECTIONS
%% ========================================
CORE --> PRIMARY_GROUP
CORE --> SECONDARY_GROUP
CORE --> TERTIARY_GROUP
P_DEF --> P_PROVIDE
S_DEF --> S_PROVIDE
T_DEF --> T_PROVIDE
%% ========================================
%% FESTA DESIGN SYSTEM COLORS
%% ========================================
style CORE fill:#6B7280,stroke:#4B5563,stroke-width:4px,color:#fff,font-weight:bold
style PRIMARY_GROUP fill:#D1FAE5,stroke:#10B981,stroke-width:3px,color:#2A2A2A
style P_DEF fill:#BBF7D0,stroke:#10B981,stroke-width:2px,color:#2A2A2A
style P_PROVIDE fill:#BBF7D0,stroke:#10B981,stroke-width:2px,color:#2A2A2A
style SECONDARY_GROUP fill:#ECFCCB,stroke:#72B043,stroke-width:3px,color:#2A2A2A
style S_DEF fill:#FEF9C3,stroke:#72B043,stroke-width:2px,color:#2A2A2A
style S_PROVIDE fill:#FEF9C3,stroke:#72B043,stroke-width:2px,color:#2A2A2A
style TERTIARY_GROUP fill:#FEF3C7,stroke:#F59E0B,stroke-width:3px,color:#2A2A2A
style T_DEF fill:#FDE68A,stroke:#F59E0B,stroke-width:2px,color:#2A2A2A
style T_PROVIDE fill:#FDE68A,stroke:#F59E0B,stroke-width:2px,color:#2A2A2A
Understanding the Three Layers
The same person can sit in different layers, project by project.
Primary Stakeholders
Who They Are
No amount of research replicates their lived experience.
What They Provide
Lived Experience
Daily reality and barriers you can't see from outside.
Solution Feasibility
What's been tried, and what would work.
Cultural Context
Norms and sensitivities that shape success.
Community Dynamics
Trusted leaders and how information flows.
Examples by Sector
- Health: Patients, family caregivers, at-risk populations like pregnant women
- Education: Students in and out of school, parents, youth who dropped out
- Economic Development: Unemployed youth, small business owners, informal traders
- Environment: Farmers, fishing communities, residents of affected areas
Engagement Approach
How to Engage Primary Stakeholders
Listen with open-ended questions, without imposing your framework. Meet them somewhere familiar.
Secondary Stakeholders
Who They Are
They may not feel the problem directly, but their knowledge shapes your approach.
What They Provide
Technical Expertise
Specialist insight on the problem and its solutions.
Institutional Knowledge
What's worked before.
Access to Resources
Funding, permissions, or partnerships your project needs.
Credibility & Validation
Endorsement that strengthens your proposal.
Examples by Sector
- Health: Healthcare providers, community health workers, clinic managers
- Education: Teachers, administrators, ministry officials, curriculum developers
- Economic Development: Employers, training providers, microfinance institutions
- Environment: Extension workers, environmental scientists, local officials
Engagement Approach
How to Engage Secondary Stakeholders
Hold structured conversations and share your preliminary Problem Tree. Position them as partners, not judges.
Tertiary Stakeholders
Who They Are
They sit outside your immediate focus, but may matter more later.
What They Provide
Broader Context
Wider system dynamics that might intersect your work.
Future Partnerships
Collaborators who may matter more later.
Unintended Consequences
Effects on adjacent issues or populations.
Network Connections
Introductions within broader networks.
Examples Across Sectors
- Media covering your issue occasionally
- Academic researchers studying adjacent problems
- International NGOs in similar areas, different regions
- Officials in adjacent government departments
Engagement Approach
How to Engage Tertiary Stakeholders
Send updates and consult occasionally. Save intensive time for primary and key secondary stakeholders.
The Same Person Can Play Different Roles
Context-Dependent Categorization
A community health worker is:
- Primary for a project improving health worker training
- Secondary for a maternal health project (expertise, not a patient)
- Tertiary for an education project (through school health programs)
Categorize in relation to your specific problem, not general community assumptions.
What's Next?
Next, map their power and interest to plan engagement.
Ready to Map Power & Interest?
The four-quadrant framework.