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Design+ Speculative and participatory stakeholder mapping

and a final discussion to refine the identification and
mapping. After an introduction to the methodology
proposed for the workshop and the Stakeholders Mapping
Cone, participants were invited to identify stakeholders
and map them in the cone. A scenario-based workshop was
chosen to facilitate participants’ engagement. The scenario
used for the workshop is the following thought exercise:
“Amber is a young fashion designer. She just launched
her brand and found her first resellers. In classes at the
design school, a professor talked about the importance of
protecting a brand identity. Amber starts looking around
for advice on which is the best strategy to adopt.”
All participants were seated around a table, where a
printout of the cone, as shown in Figure 5, was laid out.
The research team acted as facilitators and recorded all
stakeholders identified by the participants on the cone. In
the core session of the workshop, participants used the cone
creatively and effectively to identify and map stakeholders. The
method of starting the creative process from a speculative but
realistic scenario triggered dynamic collective thinking. At
the beginning of the workshop, participants revealed a need
to get rules and guidelines, but once they understood that the
workshop should not follow a rigid script, the creative process
developed smoothly. At the end of the workshop, the cone was
populated with several stakeholders, as shown in Figure 7.
Participants identified a total of 28 potential stakeholders,
ranging from chambers of commerce and lawyers (which Figure 7. Identifying stakeholders in a participatory workshop using the
are not only probable, but also actual and established Stakeholder Mapping Cone
stakeholders) to healthy food shops, hair stylists, and yoga
clubs as possible stakeholders. The Stakeholder Mapping 5.5. Opportunities and limitations
Cone sparked creativity among participants, who identified Direct observation and final discussions among
stakeholders that otherwise would have been ignored. On participants in the participatory workshops during Phases
average, each participant identified four stakeholders. 2 and 4 revealed that all attendees actively and equally
After the final discussion, one stakeholder (“association of participated in the identification of the values underpinning
students”) moved from probable to plausible stakeholder; the identification of stakeholders and in the identification
two stakeholders (“Google” and “ChatGPT”) moved from of stakeholders. It was also observed that encouraging
plausible to probable stakeholders; and two probable participants to empathize with the subject’s perspective
stakeholders (“magazines/journalists”) were moved left in within the scenario effectively stimulated creative thinking.
the cone because participants agreed that their potential During the final workshop in Phase 4, the speculative
impact and value creation are likely to occur sooner than thought exercise involved inviting all participants to play
initially expected. the role of Amber, the young fashion designer in the

In total, 12 stakeholders have been identified as proposed scenario. They openly and freely speculated on
probable, five as plausible, and 11 as possible. The method what they would do if they were Amber. This speculative
led participants to identify stakeholders across several exercise proved effective, as evidenced by the fact that only
industries: the majority (11 stakeholders) are from three institutional and government-related stakeholders
retail, industry, and commerce; six are service providers were identified. Participants demonstrated greater
(which includes chartered professions); three represent familiarity with institutional partners and stakeholders
digital platforms and the institutional and government than with stakeholders from retail, industry, commerce,
sectors respectively, two are from the education sector and the fitness and creative sectors. Nevertheless, they
and professional organizations, respectively; and one identified more stakeholders from the latter sectors than
stakeholder is from the press and communication industry. the former.

Volume 2 Issue 3 (2025) 9 doi: 10.36922/DP025060011