Strategy

Ecosystem Mapping

Map your product or service's ecosystem. Visualize actors, stakeholders, and their interactions. This reveals complexity and pinpoints where you can make impactful changes.

Duration
1 hour
Group Size
4-10
Category
Strategy
Difficulty
Easy
Energy
Medium

Objectives

The goals are to understand the system, identify stakeholders and their relationships, discover leverage points, and reveal dependencies.

Outcomes


  • Mapped ecosystem.

  • Visualized relationships.

  • Understood context.

Step-by-Step Instructions


  1. Center Definition (5 minutes):


  • Place your product/service at the center of the board.

  • Define the ecosystem's boundaries.

  • Agree on the level of detail.

  • Gather stakeholder information.


  1. Actor Mapping (20 minutes):


  • Identify all actors:

  • Direct users/customers

  • Indirect beneficiaries

  • Partners and suppliers

  • Competitors

  • Regulators/governance

  • Influencers

  • Place each actor on the map, radiating from the center. Size indicates importance.


  1. Relationship Mapping (20 minutes):


  • Draw lines connecting related actors.

  • Use different line styles for:

  • Information flows (dotted)

  • Money/value flows (solid)

  • Dependencies (arrows)

  • Collaborations (double lines)

  • Label significant relationships. Note the direction and nature of exchanges.


  1. Analysis & Insights (15 minutes):


  • Observe patterns. Identify clusters. Find gaps. Spot leverage points. Highlight complexities. Document insights.

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Facilitator Tips

Start simple. Add complexity gradually. Mapping everything at once creates chaos. Use color-coding consistently (e.g., blue for customers, red for competitors). Sticky notes allow rearranging. This exercise often reveals unexpected connections. It's great for strategic planning and partnership identification. It can be overwhelming. Manage the scope. Consider mapping specific sub-systems. Update regularly as the ecosystem evolves. Photo documentation is essential.

Pre-Work

For Facilitators

  • Review participant profiles and expectations
  • Prepare all materials and supplies
  • Test technology and room setup

For Participants

  • Complete pre-session survey
  • Review background materials
  • Prepare examples or case studies

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Materials Required


  • Large paper or whiteboard (4x6 feet minimum).

  • Markers in multiple colors.

  • Sticky notes.

  • Different line styles (dotted tape, string, etc.).

  • Large sticky dots for coding.

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Resources & Templates

Ecosystem Canvas - Lucidspark
Lucidspark ecosystem canvas template.
Ecosystem Mapping Template - Xtensio
Xtensio ecosystem mapping template and examples.

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