Map the people and groups who influence the success of your system. Use this early to identify champions, blockers, and those who need to be engaged. A circle of influence shows who is closest to the system, who holds the most power, and who should be prioritised in conversations. The map helps you plan engagement and build support with clarity.
How to
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Draw your circle
Place the design system team in the centre. Draw 2-3 rings radiating outwards, labelled from high to low influence.
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List stakeholders
Capture all relevant people and groups: leadership, product, design, engineering, content, QA, brand, etc.
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Place on rings
Put each stakeholder in the ring that reflects their influence over system success.
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Discuss impact
Note who can champion, who might block, and who needs more engagement.
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Capture and revisit
Document the map and use it to guide who to bring into your Interviews, System Vision workshop, Leadership Alignment, or when shaping your Business Case.