Stakeholder Matrix Maker (Power × Interest)
Know who can make or break your project before it starts. Mendelow's Power × Interest matrix plots every stakeholder by how much they can influence the project and how much they care, then auto-classifies them into four engagement strategies: Manage Closely, Keep Satisfied, Keep Informed, or Monitor. Auto-saves in your browser, exports as SVG, PNG, JSON or text.
Auto-saved in your browser's localStorage on this device only. Nothing is uploaded.
How to use this stakeholder matrix maker
- Brainstorm a wide stakeholder list first — 10-20+ people. Don't filter yet. Include the obvious ones (project sponsor, end users) plus the easy-to-forget ones (compliance, regional managers, IT security, finance, legal).
- Score each stakeholder honestly: power (1-5, how much they can move or block the project) and interest (1-5, how much they care about the outcome). Underscoring power for a silent veto-holder is the most common mistake.
- Read the quadrants for engagement strategy: high power + high interest = involve in decisions; high power + low interest = keep satisfied with crisp summary updates (don't bore them); low power + high interest = use as champions and information amplifiers; low power + low interest = monitor only.
- Add notes per stakeholder — their specific concerns, what they've said, what they need to hear. Engagement quality lives in those notes, not in the bubble position.
- Export as PNG for project kickoffs, or JSON to re-score after each major milestone — stakeholder maps go stale within months.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Power × Interest matrix?
A stakeholder analysis tool developed by Aubrey Mendelow in 1991 that plots stakeholders on two axes — their power to influence the project (vertical) and their interest in its outcome (horizontal) — into four engagement quadrants. The point: tailor your communication and involvement strategy to each quadrant instead of treating every stakeholder the same.
How are quadrants assigned?
Stakeholders with both power and interest ≥ 3 fall into 'Manage Closely' (top-right). High power but low interest (top-left) = 'Keep Satisfied' — they could derail you but don't care, so give them what they need to stay neutral. Low power but high interest (bottom-right) = 'Keep Informed' — they care, use them as champions. Both low (bottom-left) = 'Monitor' — no active investment, but check occasionally.
What if a stakeholder's power changes mid-project?
Re-plot them. Stakeholder power and interest aren't static — a manager getting promoted, a sponsor losing budget authority, a champion changing roles all shift the matrix. Revisit the grid at every major project milestone, not just at kick-off. A stakeholder map from month 1 of a 9-month project is usually wrong by month 4.
What's the difference between a stakeholder matrix and a RACI chart?
RACI (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed) describes role-per-task — who does what on each deliverable. A stakeholder matrix describes engagement-per-person — how to manage the relationship overall. Use the stakeholder matrix to plan WHO to involve and how often; use RACI to clarify responsibility WITHIN each task. They complement each other.
How do I handle politically sensitive stakeholders?
Keep the analysis offline and confidential — never share a matrix that puts named individuals in quadrants like 'Monitor' or 'Keep Satisfied'. People react badly to seeing themselves categorised. The matrix is a planning tool for the project team, not a public artefact. For shared communication, translate the quadrants into action items ('Bi-weekly summary to Finance Director') without exposing the scores.