2. Introduction
Stakeholder Mapping – first stage
of Capacity Development process
Enable stakeholders to give their
own perspectives on the
situation
Thorough stakeholder mapping is the foundation of a successful programme
Understand who is influenced
by or influencing the various
stakeholders
Highlight opportunities and constraints to potential programme
Should be as inclusive as possible
3. What is Net-Map?
Used in various contexts or
stages
Inclusive approach to working
with wide variety of people
Society / enabling environment
Individuals
Organisations
Groups
4. Step-by-step guide to using Net-Map: Preparation
What is the overarching issue?
What do you want from the process?
4. What are their goals?
• define the goals you want to
examine
Who can influence the project
or
General map of network environment
or
Specific conflict
or
Defined group
or
Who belongs to the networkTailor the framework to suit
1. Who is involved?
• having a clear issue will make this
obvious
2. How are they linked?
• define the links you want to examine
• focus on the most important links
• limit yourself to no more than 5
• make sure the links are specific
3. How influential are they?
• make sure the word influential is
culturally understood
5. Step-by-step guide to using Net-Map: Pre-test
Once you’ve established the overarching issue
Work with somebody who knows the context
Develop your own Influence Network Map
Adjust framework if required
Analyse terms to understand local appropriateness
Pre test with people similar to those you want to participate
6. Step-by-step guide to using Net-Map: Set up interview
Decide who you want to interview
Allow plenty of time: generally 1 – 2 hours minimum
Book a quiet place with
big, flat surface
Ensure you have a
second person to take
notes and record
discussion
Prepare one empty
mapping sheet for each
interview
7. Step-by-step guide to using Net-Map: Question 1
Who is involved?
Place a mapping sheet in front of interviewee
Ask them to name all individuals, groups and
organisations that can influence the issue you are examining
Capture every actor that comes to
mind on an actor card
Distribute each card on the map
Read each name out loud to
ensure all captured
• use different colours per
actor/groups of actors
• if illiterate interviewees
allocate figurine per actor
8. Step-by-step guide to using Net-Map: Question 2
How are they linked?
You will have already defined the links you want to understand
Ask your interviewee to connect the actors with arrows indicating ‘something’ – from
one actor to another
When actors exchange something then put two arrows
Start with the link that you
expect to be the least
common
Where there is more than one
exchange use two arrow heads
which are a different colour
Remember: capture links as
they are currently
Influence on Disbursing Funds
9. Step-by-step guide to using Net-Map: Question 3
How influential are they?
Ensure you have the same
understanding of the word influence
Influence = ability of actor to
influence a specific issue
Sources of influence include:
legitimate decision making capacity;
giving advice or incentives;
bending or breaking the rules
One actor figurine per actor
Allocate the right number of influence pieces
per actor: higher tower = more influence
Verbalise what you see
Encourage adjustments if required
Discuss sources and effects of influence
for all of the actors
10. Step-by-step guide to using Net-Map: Question 4 + Discuss
What are their goals?
Focus on each actor and determine which goals they
will support with interviewee
Add abbreviation or symbols
next to each actor card
Allow space for multiple
goals per each actor
Allow reflection on outcome
of exercise
You will have already defined the goals you want to examine
Discuss the result with interviewees
11. Step-by-step guide to using Net-Map: Structure
Who do you involve?
Research focus
• Interview people who know something about the issues at stake
• Use common sense to determine number of interviews eg. When no
new information emerges from interviews
Facilitating a process
• Interview people who influence or
are influenced by the issue at stake
• Continuous activity, must define
who is necessary as part of process
Will depend on your main goal: research tool or facilitate a process
• Who to include is more strategic
than need for new information
Goal might be a combination of the two
therefore keep both perspectives in mind
12. Step-by-step guide to using Net-Map: Structure
Group or individual interviews?
Sometimes useful to do a round of individual interviews first
Then bring everyone together to make a group map
• Organisational learning
• Increase group cohesion
• Understand perceptions of links
• Increase awareness of different
perspectives
Role as facilitator very important
especially if opinions differ
Tool can be used for both
Remember:
Group exercises take much longer
The bigger the group the smaller the
individual input
13. Step-by-step guide to using Net-Map: Structure
How to use the maps?
Use maps as they are for group discussion
Hand drawn maps made by different
participants can be your strongest tool
in discussions
Could also transform the
maps into computer-generated
ones
Further quantitative analysis
You will learn a lot about the issues at stake
Improve plans and activities
14. Step-by-step guide to using Net-Map: Structure
Social network analysis
Have a lot of links
Have links to people who have a lot of links
Link people who are not otherwise linked
Are able to reach everyone in the network
without going through too many intermediaries
Determines their centralityNumber of links of an actor
Degree Centrality
Eigenvector Centrality
Betweenness Centrality
Closeness Centrality
Could use network analysis software eg. VisuaLyzer
Most commonly used UCINet
or
15. In summary
• This stage is critical - try to get it right
• Use the right tool for the process – Net-Map
• Prepare properly for the mapping interviews
• Understand the context as clearly as possible
• Make sure you are clear about the overall objective of the mapping
• Invite the right people to be interviews
• Understand cultural significance of key words
• Be inclusive
• Use the outputs effectively
• for group discussions
• inputting the data into network analysis software for further analysis
