To develop a Stakeholder Map (eg. shell diagram or onion diagram), first identify the levels of engagement. For example:

Layer 1: The core - Who are the stakeholders closely involved in the creation of the project (/situation/product/…)? (eg. internal project team, decision makers, consultants…)

Layer 3: The network - Who are the stakeholders who interact/work with the project? (eg. subject matter experts, external collaborators, partner organisations, suppliers, speakers…)

Layer 2: The community - Who are the stakeholders directly affected by the project, whose work/life is/will be impacted by the outcome of the project (eg. participants, users, audience)

Layer 4: The wider environment - Who are the stakeholders able to connect the project to a wider context/ecosystem and can spawn/amplify/scale its reach? (eg. media, policy makers, sector, industry, non-human entities…)

Once the layers are identified discuss, per layer:

• what is the aim for engaging with these stakeholders? how are/will they be involved?
  • (eg. collaboration, dissemination, participation, inspiration…)

• what, when and how to communicate with these stakeholders?
  • (eg. what should these stakeholders know about, which methods and communication tools to use, timing of communication)