A workshop can appear collaborative while the most important decisions remain invisible to participants. Mapping influence helps explain who can contribute, decide and challenge a proposal.
IDEO.org's Power Mapping method examines influence and how power is shared among stakeholders. IDEO.org Design Kit — Power Mapping.
Name the real decisions
For a cultural-character project, distinguish creative input, commercial approval and rights-related authority. Participation in a discussion does not automatically confer approval power.
Make the process understandable
Explain how contributions will be considered and what happens when stakeholders disagree. Keep unresolved responsibilities visible before asking participants to invest substantial effort. A clear participation plan supports a more honest design process and reduces the chance that feedback is mistaken for a promise to produce every suggested feature.
Source reviewed 25 October 2026. Interpretation and original diagrams: PLUSHIP / Qunhe. Examples are illustrative.
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