What is the purpose of the power-interest grid in stakeholder mapping?

• A. It analyzes suppliers' financial risk.
• B. It forecasts project completion times based on stakeholder demands.
• C. It helps identify stakeholders and their influence and concern to guide engagement.
• D. It assigns project responsibilities to stakeholders.

Answer: (C)

Mapping stakeholders by their influence and interest helps you tailor engagement strategy. The power-interest grid plots each stakeholder according to how much power they have to affect the project and how interested they are in its outcomes. This visualization guides how you engage with them and allocate your effort, ensuring the right people are consulted, informed, or managed closely.

In practice, stakeholders with high power and high interest should be engaged closely and managed actively; those with high power but low interest should be kept satisfied; those with low power but high interest should be kept informed and consulted; and those with low power and low interest can be monitored with minimal effort. This approach isn’t about analyzing suppliers’ financial risk, forecasting completion times, or assigning responsibilities—it's about identifying who matters and how to engage them effectively.