In this article about ‘Influence, stakeholder mapping and visualization’, Walker, Shelley and Bourne describe two methods for visualizing stakeholders. One metaphorical, one abstract, both aimed at (1) defining risks and (2) engagement with potentially supportive stakeholders. The more abstract tool basically helps identifying and describing (a) the scale, and scope of the influence and (b) the degree of the impact. The metaphorical tool basically helps identifying stereotypical charcteristics.
Most important lesson: these tools seem to help engage the group dialogue, although it stays a bit foggy exactly how and to what extent visualizing a stakeholder map makes an impact to group behavior.
