Influence Mapping

Influence mapping helps you see the full picture of people connected to your work – those who are affected, involved, or have influence.

It encourages teams to step back and ask:

• Who cares about this issue?
• Who holds power or decision-making authority?
• Who’s often left out but needs to be included?

By visualizing these relationships early, you can align your team, uncover hidden dynamics, and design more inclusive, informed, and empathetic solutions.

Best Practices

Balance is key. Include a wide range of people for diverse perspectives – but keep it focused and relevant.

Name roles, not groups. Don’t lump people together. Say “parent” or “small business owner” instead of “public.”

Make it visual. Use simple icons for roles, arrows for relationships, and short labels to explain connections.

Give them a voice. Add a quote or summary of what each person or group cares about to keep priorities clear.

Basic Steps

1. Define your focus. What problem, decision, or opportunity are you mapping? Set the scope early.

2. Gather a team. Bring in people with different lived experiences, roles, and perspectives.

3. List people and roles. Ask: Who’s involved, impacted, or influential? Think about individuals, community groups, agencies, staff, etc.

4. Map relationships. Use arrows to show influence, reliance, or collaboration. Label the arrows – e.g. “funds”, “relies on,” “approves.”

5. Cluster related roles. Group similar roles or communities (e.g., “frontline staff” or “families with school-aged kids”) and label them.

6. Spot gaps and plan for next steps. Identify who’s missing, who to involve next, and how to engage them. Assign follow-up actions.

Benefits

• Surfaces diverse and often overlooked perspectives
• Builds shared understanding across teams
• Guides how and when to engage people
• Focuses attention on people, not just processes or systems