How the Stakeholder-Map Skill Creates Power × Interest Grids and Communication Plans

The stakeholder-map skill executes a deterministic 8-step workflow that classifies stakeholders by Power and Interest levels, populates a classic 2×2 matrix, and automatically generates detailed communication plans specifying frequency, channel, and messaging for each quadrant.

The stakeholder-map skill in the phuryn/pm-skills repository transforms project descriptions into actionable stakeholder management documents using pure markdown-based automation. This tool generates Power × Interest grids and concrete communication strategies without external API calls, processing all logic within its skill definition files.

Understanding the Stakeholder-Map Skill Architecture

The skill operates entirely within the repository's markdown-based framework. According to pm-execution/skills/stakeholder-map/SKILL.md, the implementation uses static templates and deterministic logic rather than machine learning models.

Key components include:

• Command interface defined in pm-execution/commands/stakeholder-map.md
• Classification logic and quadrant definitions in SKILL.md (lines 26-35)
• Predefined interaction strategies for each matrix quadrant

Step-by-Step Workflow for Power × Interest Grid Generation

The skill follows a rigid sequential process to transform inputs into stakeholder management artifacts.

Input Handling and Stakeholder Identification

The skill accepts free-form text descriptions or uploaded artifacts such as organizational charts. When invoked via /stakeholder-map [description], the skill checks for file uploads first; if present, it parses documents like PDFs to extract team structures before proceeding.

The skill maintains a static list of typical participants including executives, engineering, design, marketing, sales, support, legal, finance, partners, customers, and regulators. It additionally prompts users to identify "obvious" or politically sensitive stakeholders that standard templates might omit.

Binary Classification on Power and Interest Axes

Each stakeholder receives classification along two dimensions defined in the skill specification:

• Power: High or low ability to influence resources or decisions
• Interest: High or low direct impact from the project outcome

These binary classifications determine placement in the subsequent 2×2 matrix.

Building the 2×2 Power × Interest Matrix

The skill constructs a markdown table representing the classic Power × Interest grid. The quadrant definitions and recommended interaction styles are hardcoded in pm-execution/skills/stakeholder-map/SKILL.md (lines 26-30):

	High Interest	Low Interest
High Power	Manage Closely – regular 1:1s, early involvement	Keep Satisfied – periodic updates
Low Power	Keep Informed – status updates, demos	Monitor – light-touch updates

Deriving Communication Plans from Quadrant Classifications

For each quadrant, the skill automatically expands generic strategies into specific communication recommendations. According to lines 31-35 of SKILL.md, each quadrant specification includes:

• Communication frequency: Daily, weekly, monthly, or quarterly cadences
• Preferred channels: 1:1 meetings, email, Slack, dashboards, or group meetings
• Key messages: Framing strategies tailored to the stakeholder's grid position
• Risk indicators: Consequences of neglecting each stakeholder group

Generating the Communication Plan Table

The skill assembles a comprehensive markdown table with columns: Stakeholder, Role, Power, Interest, Strategy, Frequency, Channel, and Key Message. This structure appears in the final output document as shown in pm-execution/commands/stakeholder-map.md (lines 60-71).

Conflict Detection and Escalation Pathways

After populating the grid, the skill scans quadrant assignments to identify opposing interests between stakeholders. It highlights potential conflicts and appends an "Escalation Path" section to the final document, flagging areas requiring proactive relationship management. The final artifact optionally includes a RACI matrix alongside the grid and communication plan.

Practical Usage Examples

Basic Invocation from Command Line

/stakeholder-map New analytics platform launch

This command triggers the full workflow, producing a markdown document containing:

• A populated Stakeholder Grid table with typical roles
• A Communication Plan segmented by the four quadrants
• Specific recommendations for frequency, channel, and messaging

Processing Uploaded Organizational Charts

/stakeholder-map [upload org-chart.pdf]

When provided with file uploads, the skill parses the document to extract actual team names and reporting structures. It then executes steps 2-7 using the extracted data rather than generic stakeholder templates, producing a customized grid reflecting the real organizational hierarchy.

Iterative Refinement Prompts

Following initial generation, the skill offers follow-up actions:

• Drafting the first stakeholder update for the "Manage Closely" group
• Creating meeting prep briefs for high-power stakeholders
• Setting up recurring checklists for specific communication frequencies

Summary

• The stakeholder-map skill in phuryn/pm-skills generates Power × Interest grids through deterministic markdown-based logic defined in pm-execution/skills/stakeholder-map/SKILL.md
• Stakeholders are classified on binary Power and Interest axes, then mapped to four quadrants: Manage Closely, Keep Satisfied, Keep Informed, and Monitor
• Communication plans specify concrete frequencies, channels, and key messages for each quadrant, output as structured markdown tables
• The skill supports both free-form text input and uploaded file parsing (including PDFs) to customize stakeholder identification
• Built-in conflict detection flags opposing interests and provides escalation pathways, with optional RACI matrix generation

Frequently Asked Questions

What file formats does the stakeholder-map skill support for uploaded org charts?

The skill processes uploaded artifacts through a generic file-reading step capable of parsing PDFs and other document formats. When an organizational chart is uploaded, the skill extracts team names and reporting structures to replace generic stakeholder templates with actual organizational data before executing the classification workflow.

How does the skill determine which quadrant a stakeholder belongs to?

The skill assigns binary High/Low values for Power (ability to influence resources or decisions) and Interest (direct impact from the project). These classifications place stakeholders into the classic 2×2 matrix: High Power/High Interest (Manage Closely), High Power/Low Interest (Keep Satisfied), Low Power/High Interest (Keep Informed), and Low Power/Low Interest (Monitor).

Can the communication plan templates be customized?

The current implementation uses static templates defined in pm-execution/skills/stakeholder-map/SKILL.md (lines 31-35). While the skill generates specific recommendations for frequency, channel, and messaging based on quadrant placement, deep customization of the underlying templates would require modifying the SKILL.md file directly in the repository.

Does the stakeholder-map skill require external APIs or services?

No. According to the source code in phuryn/pm-skills, the stakeholder-map skill operates as a pure markdown generator. All logic resides within the repository's markdown files—specifically pm-execution/skills/stakeholder-map/SKILL.md and pm-execution/commands/stakeholder-map.md—with no external service calls required for classification or document generation.

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