Define the decision
Begin with the issue and the outcome being sought. Identify the process, the formal responsibilities and the expected timing. A broad ambition such as improving institutional relationships is too loose to guide a useful map. A defined decision allows the organisation to judge which relationships matter, what information is missing and when engagement can be relevant.
One9Six / Working notes
A map of roles, evidence and timing
Start with the formal decision and the process that produces it. Record an institution’s remit separately from your assessment of its position. Do not turn an unverified assumption into a label that follows a person through the project.
| Focus | Record | Practical check |
|---|---|---|
| Decision owner | Formal authority and relevant procedure | Verify through official remit and published process |
| Contributor | Technical input, consultation role or implementation duty | Identify what information this party needs and can provide |
| Engagement record | Purpose, evidence, open question, owner and next date | Record agreed actions separately from your interpretation |
Apply this to your next project
- Review the map when responsibilities or consultation deadlines change.
- Keep contact details and meeting notes within agreed access permissions.
- Make the meeting request specific without implying a guaranteed outcome.
Distinguish authority, influence and implementation
The person who signs a decision may depend on technical advice, budget approval or implementation capacity elsewhere. Map those roles separately. Record what is known about each participant’s priorities and distinguish it from assumptions. A title alone cannot tell you whether someone can approve, advise, delay or carry out the proposed action.
Prepare a reason for the conversation
A meeting should clarify an issue, test an argument or establish a practical next step. Prepare the position, the supporting evidence and the questions in advance. Consider what makes the discussion relevant to the other party. After the meeting, distinguish what was discussed from what was agreed, and assign responsibility for any follow up.
Update the map as the process changes
Responsibilities, priorities and available information can change during a project. Revisit the map after substantive meetings or changes in the process. Keep a source and date for important assumptions. Progress is visible when the organisation understands the decision better and knows the next relevant action, with a named owner and a realistic timeframe.