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Design+ Speculative and participatory stakeholder mapping

the stakeholder engagement strategy (Figure 5). During
the prioritization process, selected stakeholders are
moved into the cone of preferred stakeholders. This cone
can ideally span across all other cones, with two, or even
with only one, depending on the organization’s strategic
decision.
The Stakeholder Mapping Cone is also designed to
predict and visualize the future projection of stakeholders’
impact in terms of values. In this case, the organization
can forecast whether a specific stakeholder will possibly,
plausibly, or probably contribute to generating awareness
and conversion in the future (or any other value identified
by the organization). The Stakeholder Mapping Cone
helps the organization make and represent the predictions.
Discussion with participants revealed that, from a logical Figure 5. The Stakeholder Mapping Cone and its four cones. Image
standpoint, awareness is created before it is converted into created by the authors with Miro (https://miro.com/).
registrations. For example, a campaign targeted at product
design students (where the main stakeholder is the design
school) is likely to create immediate awareness about the
importance of protecting their designs. However, actual
conversion into design registrations may only happen later
when the young designers have developed designs that can
be registered.
Not all stakeholders have the same opportunity to
contribute to the creation of shared values, nor do they do
so at the same time or pace. These values may be assessed
in combination or separately. In the thought experiment
discussed earlier, where the organization arranges a
demonstration on IP registration for design students ready
for graduation, the Stakeholder Mapping Cone may appear
as illustrated in Figure 6. In this scenario, IP awareness is
immediate and classified as probable, while conversion Figure 6. Example of use of the Stakeholder Mapping Cone to predict
is considered possible and projected into the future. stakeholders’ impact. Image created by the authors with Miro (https://
However, the extent to which this future materializes miro.com/).
depends primarily on specific conditions, such as the age
and design maturity of the students. 5.4. Phase 4: Identifying stakeholders through
participatory design
Additional thought experiments and what-ifs were
used to show that conversion may also be classified as The last phase of the project focused on the implementation
plausible or even probable in the near future. For example, of the Stakeholder Mapping Cone to identify stakeholders
when students are launching their first product and are and validate its usability. First, a method for identifying
committed to registering their designs within weeks or stakeholders was identified and suggested through the
months. Conversion can also be probable and immediate, cone: in participatory workshops, participants were invited
for example, a campaign organized during a show of to express their creative potential and identify as many
student’s final projects may lead them to immediately stakeholders as possible. For testing and internal validation
register their IP. Owing to its flexibility and adaptability, purposes, a participatory workshop was organized with
the Stakeholder Mapping Cone offers significant potential seven staff members (including a member of the Board
to support the organization in envisioning future scenarios of Directors and two senior managers) working with
and designing targeted strategies and actions. The last step stakeholders on a regular basis. The workshop had three
in Phase 3 involved the planning and design of the final consecutive sessions: introduction, identification, and
participatory workshop of Phase 4. mapping of stakeholders (the core session of the workshop),

Volume 2 Issue 3 (2025) 8 doi: 10.36922/DP025060011