Stakeholder lists and maps are primarily used for identifying and analyzing stakeholders so that the right level of engagement can be achieved.

Traditionally the activity was directed internally to identify the sources of requirements. However, in the context of POA, stakeholder lists and maps can aid in segmentation, targeting, and positioning the product.

Apart from the typical stakeholder matrix, RACI, and onion diagrams, logically grouping customers and deriving customer personas provide better insights into how the product needs to develop and how the right messages can be communicated to customers.

Customer Grouping: Organizes information by identifying commonalities and uniqueness for a set of customers to guide segmentation that influences the design, solution, marketing, and promotional potential, including:

• Demographic,
• Geographic,
• Psychographic, and
• Behavioural trends.

Customer grouping can be a first step in identifying persona archetypes. Product features can be planned depending on customer groups and the analyzed preferences. A common scheme of customer grouping is:

POA Domain	Stakeholder Lists and Maps and Customer Grouping
Applying Foundational Concepts	Product value is realized only when targeted customers use the product in a way that provides the desired experience and addresses their unique needs. Correctly identified and analyzed information about the target customers leads to well- defined product scope that is aligned with the business strategy.
Cultivate Customer Intimacy	Customer grouping is the first step in identifying different market segments for the product. It helps the POA Practitioner understand if there are unique needs and ways to deliver value to each segment. For example, an insurance company may want to engage customers through different channels if the customer grouping is along generational lines (e.g., Baby Boomers vs. Generation Z) since they will have different expectations.
Engage the Whole Team	Identifying customer groups requires multiple iterations and analysis from the entire product team. For example, a tech-savvy member of the product team can provide insights on how certain customer segments will perceive the product. Each member of the product team can provide valuable perspectives that lead to a better product.
Make an Impact	A product will generate the right impact when the customer derives value consistently or receives an unexpected but positive experience from the product, which the customer may not have thought about. Customer grouping allows the team to assess multiple scenarios and uncover both explicit and latent needs that help increase impact for the targeted customer group.
Deliver Often	The primary customer groups seldom require a complete overhaul, but their characteristics and traits are reviewed often. The persona representing a customer group may go through various updates to reflect a change in that persona's perception of the evolving product. If the product scope evolves and is different from the original goals, it may result in a change of customer groups. The Practitioner needs to internalize the changes for more effective product decisions.
Learn Fast	Stakeholder analysis, from an external perspective, reveals how to address specific customer needs. It can be used to compare, prioritize, and deploy features, as well as learn from feedback.
Obsess About Value	Customer grouping and analysis may reveal competing priorities and needs between different customer groups. The team needs to decide and sequence PBIs in a way that provides the best value to customers.