Another dimension of this mapping process is understanding who is involved, the networks they are part of, and where the power lies in the network.1 As one commentator put it: “Understanding who makes decisions — and who influences the decisionmakers — is paramount.”2 People who have such influence can range from advisors to bureaucrats, journalists, academics, or NGO leaders, from leaders of unions or associations to even family members. Understanding these interactions and the power dynamic will provide you with an even deeper understanding of what we have referred to earlier as the practice of decisionmaking.
Identify the main players with decision-making power and their networks.
At this stage, you are still mostly trying to map and understand how the decision-making process really works by adding another layer for consideration, that is, the players in the playing field. This will help you to make an informed decision on finding your way into the process as a player, who should be the target of your message, and potentially what kind of support you need and from whom. We approach this section by mapping the most formal relationships to the least. This order in no way reflects the level of influence; in fact, it is often the inverse that is the case.3
Figure 8.
Actors, networks, and power centers
The figure above illustrates the grouping of actors and their relationships to the decisionmakers, and we develop these connections next.