Mapping Stakeholder Needs and Defining User Types to Ensure the System
With the system scope and problem context clearly defined, the next critical step is to identify who the system is really for—and what they need from it. Stakeholder and user identification bridges the gap between high-level vision and concrete functionality. It ensures the system delivers genuine value, avoids missing key requirements, and prevents building features that serve no one (or worse, frustrate important parties).
In use case-driven development, stakeholders are anyone who has an interest in or is affected by the system’s success—whether they interact with it directly or not. Users (often called actors in UML) are a subset: the specific roles or external entities that actually interact with the system to achieve goals. By mapping both early, you create a foundation for accurate actor-use case pairing, comprehensive coverage of needs, and better traceability throughout modeling.
Visual Paradigm’s AI-Powered Use Case Modeling Studio supports this phase by allowing you to:
- List and categorize stakeholders and user types manually or with AI assistance.
- Link them to the previously defined scope and problem description.
- Use the generated insights to seed candidate actors when you move to use case brainstorming (Section 2).
The studio often suggests initial actors based on the scope statement and problem context, presenting them in a structured table or list (e.g., “Actor Name”, “Role/Description”, “Primary/Secondary”, “Key Needs/Goals”). You can then refine, add, or remove entries.
Key Distinctions to Keep in Mind
- Primary actors — Directly use the system to achieve a goal (e.g., a diner booking a table).
- Secondary/supporting actors — Provide or receive services from the system but don’t initiate the main goal (e.g., a payment gateway).
- Indirect stakeholders — Benefit or are impacted but don’t interact directly (e.g., restaurant owners reviewing revenue reports).
Practical Examples
Example 1: GourmetReserve – Mobile Dining Reservation App
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Scope Recap: Mobile app for booking tables and pre-ordering meals to reduce wait times and optimize kitchen workflow.
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Stakeholder & User Mapping (editable table in the studio):
Actor/User Type Category Key Needs/Goals Interaction Level Diner (Casual/Frequent) Primary User Quickly find and book available tables; pre-order meals; receive reminders; view history Direct (app user) Restaurant Manager/Staff Primary User Manage reservations; handle waitlists; view pre-orders for kitchen prep; reduce no-shows Direct (admin dashboard) Restaurant Owner Indirect Stakeholder Access analytics (occupancy, revenue impact, no-show rates) Indirect (reports) Payment Gateway Provider Secondary Actor Process secure payments reliably System-to-system Notification Service Secondary Actor Send SMS/email/push reminders System-to-system Health Inspector Indirect Stakeholder Ensure menu/pre-order compliance with regulations (rare interaction) Indirect
This mapping ensures the system addresses diner convenience, staff efficiency, owner oversight, and external integrations—preventing a design that ignores kitchen prep visibility or compliance.
Example 2: SecureATM – Next-Generation ATM Network
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Stakeholder & User Mapping:
Actor/User Type Category Key Needs/Goals Interaction Level Retail Customer Primary User Withdraw cash, check balance, transfer funds quickly and securely Direct (ATM interface) Small Business Owner Primary User Deposit checks, withdraw larger amounts, view transaction history Direct Bank Operations Team Primary User Monitor ATM status, replenish cash, resolve jams/faults Direct (maintenance console) Fraud Detection System Secondary Actor Analyze transactions in real-time for anomalies System-to-system Regulatory Body (e.g., FDIC) Indirect Stakeholder Ensure compliance with security and reporting standards Indirect (audit logs) Bank Executive Indirect Stakeholder Receive high-level usage and uptime metrics Indirect (dashboards)
Here, distinguishing primary users from secondary systems (like fraud detection) ensures security features aren’t overlooked, while including regulators early flags compliance needs.
Example 3: CorpLearn – Corporate E-Learning Platform
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Stakeholder & User Mapping:
Actor/User Type Category Key Needs/Goals Interaction Level Employee/Learner Primary User Access personalized courses, track progress, complete assessments, earn certifications Direct (web/mobile) HR/Training Administrator Primary User Upload/manage courses, assign learning paths, generate compliance reports Direct (admin portal) Manager/Supervisor Secondary User View team progress, approve certifications, nominate employees for training Direct (limited access) Compliance Officer Indirect Stakeholder Audit training completion for regulatory requirements Indirect (reports) LMS Integration (e.g., SSO) Secondary Actor Handle authentication and single sign-on System-to-system
This breakdown highlights the need for role-based access (employee vs. manager views) and strong reporting for compliance—needs that might be missed without explicit stakeholder mapping.
Best Practices and Tips
- Use guiding questions (inspired by UML best practices): Who uses the system? Who maintains it? Who gets reports from it? What external systems interact? Who is affected if it fails?
- Start broad, then refine — List all possible stakeholders first, then prioritize based on influence and direct interaction.
- Leverage AI suggestions — After entering scope/problem, let the studio propose initial actors; validate and customize them.
- Trace to value — For each actor, ask: “What goal does this role have that justifies the system’s existence?” This ensures completeness.
- Review with real people — Share the mapping table with actual stakeholders early to catch blind spots (e.g., overlooked compliance roles).
By thoroughly mapping stakeholders and user types at this stage, you set up the AI to generate more relevant use cases, accurate diagrams, and comprehensive test cases later. This step transforms a generic system into one that truly serves its ecosystem—delivering measurable value while minimizing rework. With actors and needs identified, you’re perfectly positioned to brainstorm high-level use cases in the next section.