What is a Stakeholder Engagement Assessment Matrix?
This matrix compares each stakeholder's current engagement level against the level you need: unaware, resistant, neutral, supportive, leading. C marks current, D marks desired — every C≠D gap becomes an engagement action.
It's the working tool that turns stakeholder analysis into a plan: the register tells you who they are, the power grid tells you how much they matter, and this matrix tells you what has to change.
Worked example
Rolling out a new ERP, the matrix shows the warehouse manager as resistant (C) where the project needs supportive (D) — his team bears the retraining pain. The gap drives the action: involve him in UAT design and give him early wins to show his team. Six weeks later, C has moved two columns right.