Strategy Mapping

Strategy mapping is a simple tool that individual managers (as well as whole organizations) can use to connect individual effort to higher level corporate goals.  Below we discuss:

• What strategy mapping is
• Why individual managers should bother with strategy mapping
• Examples of strategy mapping
• Potential pitfalls of strategy mapping

What is Strategy Mapping?

• A simple technique to connect people’s action to key business drivers.
• Created by Kaplan & Norton of The Balanced Scorecard fame.
• It’s the next logical extension of the Balanced Scorecard (click here for a Balanced Scorecard Toolkit)
• Several books on strategy mapping have been published by Kaplan & Norton, including:
  • The Strategy Focused Organization (2000)
  • Strategy Maps (2003)

Why Use Strategy Mapping?

Strategy mapping is a tool that is elegant in its simplicity that can be used by organizations or individual manager.

• Strategy mapping creates a clear line of sight between individual efforts and organizational objectives
• Strategy mapping translates higher level business strategies to operational terms
• Strategy mapping Aligns people and action
• Strategy mapping helps put a value on things traditionally viewed as hard to measure

Strategy Mapping Example (Standard categories)

Strategy Mapping (Example from an HR department)

For each of the brainstormed categories above, metrics and operational goals would be established.

Potential Pitfalls for Strategy Mapping

Like any other tool, strategy mapping can be used well, or used poorly.  Some potential pitfalls to watch out for:

• Being unclear on larger organizational goals will cause confusion when strategy mapping.  If it is not clear at the top of your strategy map, it will only get more unfocused as you progress downwards.
• Not including your people in your strategy mapping exercise.  It is a waste of time to create a strategy map without the participation of the people doing the work.
• Letting strategy mapping (or the balanced scorecard) take on a life of its own.  Tools need to be used wisely, and not become more important than the work they are supposed to facilitate or clarify.

3 Things to Remember About Strategy Mapping:

1. Keep it simple.  Strategy mapping works because it is conceptually easy.  Do not make it more difficult than it needs to be.
2. Put your strategy map front & center.  Once you have created your strategy map, put it where people can see it, and understand how their efforts impact the larger organizational goals.
3. Adjust the categories to your needs.  Kaplan and Norton suggest four perspectives, and they are excellent starting points for the development of your strategy map.  Don’t feel bound by those categories, however.

Watch the ‘3-Minute Crash Course’ about Strategy Mapping (CLICK THE ARROW TO START THE VIDEO):

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