It is difficult to pinpoint the exact origins of power mapping, but the tool has been used widely in advocacy and campaigning since the 1980s.
To win a campaign, you need to correctly identify who has the power to fix the problem you want fixed. Then you need to pressure them to make the right decision. Power mapping is a tool to not only identify who holds that power, but, crucially, who holds influence over that person, and, therefore, who to target with your direct actions and campaign activities (see: PRINCIPLE: Choose your target wisely). A power map, properly done, can reveal these relationships and power dynamics and help you design a winning strategy for your campaign.
