Stakeholder Mapping
The beginnings of an efficient design process…
The design method I choose was Stakeholder Mapping because I have used it for prior brainstorming experiences through my Design Strategies and Textiles courses. A Stakeholder Map is a collection of people which you are designing for, or may have been involved or influenced by a particular problem. Stakeholders are critical liaisons: they are directly connected to the groups, people, and resources that will all of which will have a significant impact on the problem. This map allows individuals to utilize circle clusters as a method to determine the main stakeholders and how these stakeholders affect certain groups or individuals, as shown in the surrounding circles. Due to the multitude of surrounding circles, it is easier to hypothesize different arrangements before conducting more in-depth research. This type of mapping is also a great tool to further visualize how components do or do not connect, especially in a virtual environment. Below is a link to a mind map my group recently created for a Textiles and Apparel class which we used to further our research and is a very similar format to a Stakeholder Map. This shows that stakeholder maps can be easily adapted depending on the area of focus.
https://prezi.com/view/z0uvwk9tqPw0PN2jOdNK/
Stakeholder Mapping is my favorite method of putting my thoughts on paper and creating the best plan of action to conduct in-depth research. By laying out all the stakeholders, individuals can easily identify their interconnections. This method of mind mapping allows for quick and efficient discussion on who, within the clusters, is the most and least represented. It helps indicate what interviews are easiest to set up or whether others will take more attention and convincing. One group that my project struggled to reach was admissions. We sent multiple emails to different people and received few responses. Below is the Stakeholder Map made for class. Individuals can further their research with a Two-dimensional Matrix referenced second diagram.
Stakeholder Mapping is an entry-level phase of the design process. With that being said, it does not provide in-depth information that relates to the problem at hand. However, it is a great starting point for individuals to get their thoughts on paper and further a body of research. This tool is vital for determining a list of influential people to contact and interview within that particular system. An issue with Stakeholder Mapping is it can be biased: it is based on what people perceive and personally draw from a set of information, and can cause projects to turn in the wrong direction.
This design process is very fluid, so revisiting and revising this step occurs quite often. One thing to keep in mind while Stakeholder Mapping is to capture a diverse group of Stakeholders in order to receive a broad spectrum of opinions and ideas. Stakeholder Mapping allows my project’s group to further our research because it helped everyone understand the current situation and the future direction that must be taken next. Additionally, with all parties adding to it, we were able to further diversify the Stakeholders. This mapping process creates an environment conducive to individual and group creativity.
When using this method, it is ideal to keep an open mind and explore the internet for possible stakeholders that you were not privy to prior. Overall, Stakeholder Mapping is an extremely important tool to kickstart any design project and get your mind working toward possible interviews, problems, and whitespaces.