# How the Stakeholder-Map Skill Creates a Communication Plan in phuryn/pm-skills

> Learn how the stakeholder map skill in phuryn/pm-skills transforms data into a communication plan. It classifies stakeholders and generates tailored frequency, channel, and messaging strategies.

- Repository: [Pawel Huryn/pm-skills](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills)
- Tags: how-to-guide
- Published: 2026-06-23

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**The stakeholder-map skill transforms raw stakeholder data into a structured communication plan by classifying individuals on Power and Interest axes, mapping them to a four-quadrant grid, and generating specific frequency, channel, and messaging recommendations for each group.**

The stakeholder-map skill in the `phuryn/pm-skills` repository automates the creation of comprehensive stakeholder communication plans through a systematic, data-driven methodology. By processing organizational inputs such as org charts or project briefs, this skill generates a Power × Interest grid and detailed communication matrix that project managers can immediately deploy in Confluence, email, or slide decks.

## Step 1: Ingest Organizational Inputs

The workflow begins in [`pm-execution/skills/stakeholder-map/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-execution/skills/stakeholder-map/SKILL.md) by gathering raw data. The skill accepts either file uploads—including org charts, project briefs, and team rosters—or textual descriptions provided via the `$ARGUMENTS` parameter. This initial ingestion establishes the complete set of individuals and groups requiring analysis.

## Step 2: Enumerate Stakeholders

The skill systematically identifies every relevant party across the organization. The standard enumeration includes executives, engineering leads, designers, marketing personnel, sales teams, support staff, legal representatives, finance departments, external partners, and end-users. This comprehensive catalog ensures no critical voices are omitted from the communication strategy.

## Step 3: Classify Power and Interest

Each stakeholder receives classification along two critical axes. **Power** represents the ability to influence decisions or allocate resources, scored as high or low. **Interest** measures the degree to which the project affects the stakeholder or their level of engagement, similarly categorized as high or low. This binary classification creates the foundation for the prioritization matrix.

## Step 4: Map to the Power × Interest Grid

The skill renders a Markdown table representing the four-quadrant Power × Interest grid:

- **High Power / High Interest**: Manage Closely
- **High Power / Low Interest**: Keep Satisfied
- **Low Power / High Interest**: Keep Informed
- **Low Power / Low Interest**: Monitor

This visualization provides immediate strategic guidance on engagement levels for each stakeholder category.

## Step 5: Define Quadrant-Specific Communication Strategies

For each quadrant, the skill generates specific tactical recommendations:

- **Communication frequency**: Daily, weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly intervals
- **Preferred channels**: 1:1 meetings, email, Slack, formal meetings, or dashboards
- **Core messaging**: Tailored framing that resonates with the stakeholder's priorities
- **Risk assessment**: Consequences of neglecting communication with this group

## Step 6: Assemble the Communication Plan Matrix

The skill constructs a structured Markdown table that operationalizes the strategy. This matrix lists each stakeholder's role, power level, interest level, assigned strategy, communication frequency, preferred channel, and key message. This deliverable serves as the single source of truth for project communications.

## Step 7: Flag Conflicts and Mitigation Strategies

The workflow identifies overlapping or competing interests among stakeholders. When conflicts are detected, the skill highlights these tensions and provides specific mitigation suggestions, enabling proactive management of potential roadblocks before they impact project delivery.

## Step 8: Generate Final Output

The final artifact is a cohesive Markdown document that combines the grid visualization, detailed matrix, and conflict analysis. This document is ready for immediate export to Confluence pages, stakeholder update emails, or presentation slides without requiring additional formatting.

## Invoking the Stakeholder-Map Skill

Users trigger the workflow through the command interface defined in [`pm-execution/commands/stakeholder-map.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-execution/commands/stakeholder-map.md). The skill accepts a project description as its primary argument.

```text
/stakeholder-map Launch of new analytics platform

```

The skill processes this input through the eight-step workflow defined in [`pm-execution/skills/stakeholder-map/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-execution/skills/stakeholder-map/SKILL.md), generating a complete communication plan document.

## Source File Structure

The implementation spans several key files in the repository:

- **[`pm-execution/skills/stakeholder-map/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-execution/skills/stakeholder-map/SKILL.md)**: Contains the core workflow definition, step-by-step instructions, grid templates, and plan table schemas
- **[`pm-execution/commands/stakeholder-map.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-execution/commands/stakeholder-map.md)**: Provides the CLI wrapper and command syntax for invoking the skill
- **[`pm-execution/README.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-execution/README.md)**: Documents the execution suite context and skill integration points
- **[`README.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/README.md)**: Repository root catalog listing all available skills including the stakeholder-map entry

## Practical Example: Rendering the Output

The generated Markdown can be programmatically converted to other formats for distribution:

```python
from markdown import markdown

# Read the generated plan

with open("stakeholder-plan.md") as f:
    content = f.read()

# Convert to HTML for email distribution

html_output = markdown(content)
send_email(
    to="stakeholders@example.com",
    subject="Project Communication Plan",
    body=html_output
)

```

## Summary

- The stakeholder-map skill in `phuryn/pm-skills` follows an eight-step deterministic workflow to generate communication plans
- Stakeholders are classified on Power and Interest axes, then mapped to a four-quadrant grid
- Each quadrant receives specific frequency, channel, and messaging recommendations
- The final output is a structured Markdown document containing a detailed communication matrix and conflict analysis
- Source definitions are maintained in [`pm-execution/skills/stakeholder-map/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-execution/skills/stakeholder-map/SKILL.md) and [`pm-execution/commands/stakeholder-map.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-execution/commands/stakeholder-map.md)

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How does the stakeholder-map skill determine communication frequency?

The skill assigns frequency based on the Power × Interest quadrant classification. High Power stakeholders receive weekly or daily touchpoints, while Low Power / Low Interest stakeholders are scheduled for monthly or as-needed updates. The specific cadence is hardcoded into the quadrant recommendations within the [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/SKILL.md) file.

### Can the stakeholder-map skill process uploaded files?

Yes, the skill accepts organizational documents including org charts, project briefs, and team rosters as input. These files supplement the textual description provided through the `$ARGUMENTS` parameter, allowing the model to extract stakeholders automatically from structured data.

### What is the difference between Power and Interest in the grid?

**Power** measures the stakeholder's ability to influence project decisions, allocate resources, or block progress. **Interest** measures how much the project outcomes affect the stakeholder or their level of engagement. A stakeholder with High Power but Low Interest requires different management tactics than one with Low Power but High Interest.

### Where are the skill definitions stored in the repository?

The core logic resides in [`pm-execution/skills/stakeholder-map/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-execution/skills/stakeholder-map/SKILL.md), which contains the eight-step workflow, grid templates, and communication matrix schemas. The command interface is defined in [`pm-execution/commands/stakeholder-map.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-execution/commands/stakeholder-map.md).