In this guide, you will learn how to use power mapping to create more effective campaign strategies.

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What is power mapping? #

Power mapping is a strategic planning tool used by activists and organizers to identify and analyze the key stakeholders, influencers, and decision-makers who have the power to impact a particular issue or campaign. It helps in understanding the relationships, interests, and influence dynamics among these stakeholders, allowing activists to develop more effective strategies and tactics to achieve their goals.

How to create a power map? #

In a power map, individuals or organizations are typically represented as nodes or points on a grid, with lines connecting them to show relationships or influence channels. The position of each node on the map can represent its level of power or influence, while other factors like color or size can be used to indicate additional characteristics, such as their stance on the issue at hand or their potential to be influenced.

Power mapping can be an invaluable tool for activists as it helps them to:

1. Identify key players: Understand who holds power, makes decisions, and influences outcomes related to the issue they are working on.

2. Assess alliances and opposition: Identify potential allies, opponents, and neutral parties to better focus their outreach and coalition-building efforts.

3. Develop targeted strategies: By understanding the power dynamics and relationships among stakeholders, activists can create more effective strategies for engaging and influencing these actors.

4. Prioritize resources and efforts: Activists can use power mapping to allocate their time and resources more efficiently, focusing on high-impact targets and opportunities for change.

5. Monitor progress: As campaigns and initiatives evolve, updating a power map can help activists track shifts in power dynamics and relationships, allowing them to adapt their strategies accordingly.

Overall, power mapping is a valuable tool for understanding complex systems and power structures, enabling activists and change-makers to develop more effective strategies for achieving their goals.

Steps #

This tool comes with a health warning! It is quite complex, and asks people to process a lot of information at once. It is best used in a small and experienced group. Even then, be prepared to take it slow, and keep checking for shared understanding!

Amount of power

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With us ---- Neutral ---- Against us

The horizontal line represents the opinions of the different players – in agreement with you on the left, opposed to you on the right and neutral in the middle.

The vertical line represents how much power the players have – the closer to the bottom, the more power. It is important to note is that this power is specifically in relation to your goal. For example, you might think an MP had more power in general than a town councillor. However, if that councillor was on the planning committee for the project you are opposing, they have a lot more relevant power.

The first step is to map different potential targets and allies – according to how much they agree with your campaign goals, and how much practical power they have to support or thwart those goals.

The distinction between a set of people changing their opinion, and changing their level of power is crucial to the tool. For example, a sub- contractor that decided not to work for a company might not have changed their opinion at all, but they lose a lot of power to make the project happen. By contrast, if ‘the general public’ changed their opinion to support your goals more, but didn’t do anything, they wouldn’t have any extra power in relation to your goals.

The second step is to use the map to visualise what impact it might have to move one of the players. For example, if a major migrants’ rights NGO was campaigning for more humane conditions in detention centres, and you persuaded them to campaign against detention centres altogether, it might have a big impact on public opinion and other NGOs in the field.

NB: Simply looking at the power map won’t tell you which player could influence others. But when you move one piece, you can then move other pieces to help you visualise the knock on effects it might have.

External resources #

• Power Mapping and Analysis by Anita Tang

Attribution #

• Facilitating strategy planning by Seeds for Change (2021, anti-copyright)