Distinguish authority from influence
A statutory role, public advocacy, ownership interest, and reported informal influence describe different relationships. Record the type before drawing the line.
Capability 01 / Actor & asset mapping
Who has the power
to change the outcome?
An organisation chart tells you who holds a title. A useful stakeholder map goes further: who makes the decision, who carries it out, and who may be affected. This fictional example shows how we examine those relationships.
Terminal AOperating access question
Inspect the connection
Port authority
- Relationship to examine
- Formal responsibility for the access procedure described in the fictional permit.
- Evidence required
- The published instrument, named office, scope of authority, and effective date.
- What remains unresolved
- Whether the procedure has been implemented at this terminal and whether another body has a separate approval role.
Select an actor to inspect the relationship. All names and connections are illustrative. Line length and position do not encode influence scores.
Every connection needs a source
Relationships need evidence
Anchor the claim in time
A board appointment or local position can change. Keep the source date, validity period, and review trigger with the relationship.
Preserve what is unknown
An unresolved relationship should remain unresolved. Visual proximity is not a substitute for proof of control, coordination, or access.
The resulting brief
Know who matters
Know what to ask
A map is the index to the reasoning. The accompanying note explains why a relationship matters and what remains uncertain.
Inspect the asset-access briefPROPOSED BRIEF CONTENTS
- Decision and institutional pathway
- Actor register with documented roles
- Relationship ledger and source references
- Asset and operating dependencies
- Unresolved claims and alternative explanations
- Questions for engagement and review horizon
Useful when the decision depends on people
For government affairs teams, the map can focus the next stakeholder conversation. For investment teams, it can help test assumptions about counterparties, authority, and implementation. It does not turn reported relationships into legal findings or imply access to the people represented.
A conversation with context
Bring us the question
that matters to you
Tell us your sector, the decision you face, and what you would need to see in a first briefing.
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