| name | balanced-scorecard |
| description | Use when performance management needs a broader view than financial or single KPI tracking. Use when applying the Balanced Scorecard consulting method and when a user asks for Balanced Scorecard, method execution, structured diagnosis, or action planning. |
| license | Apache-2.0 |
Balanced Scorecard
Use this skill to run Balanced Scorecard as a practical consulting method, not as a generic framework explanation.
Method Notes
- Use financial, customer, internal process, and learning/capability perspectives.
- Limit metrics per perspective so the scorecard stays usable.
Required Inputs
Collect or infer these inputs before execution:
- strategy or objective
- current metrics
- stakeholders
- time horizon
If an input is missing, do not block automatically. Mark it as missing, state the assumption used, and add a validation action.
When Not To Use
Do not use before the strategy, intended outcomes, and cause-and-effect logic are clear. A balanced scorecard is a small management system, not a catalogue of every available KPI.
Adjacent Methods
metrics-tree: decompose one outcome into causal drivers and guardrails.north-star-metric: define one leading value metric for a product or service.
Step-by-Step Execution
| Step | Required input | How to execute | Output |
|---|
| Clarify strategy | Strategic objective and business context. | State the strategy the scorecard must translate into measures. | Strategy frame. |
| Set four perspectives | Financial, customer, internal process, learning/capability context. | Define objectives under each perspective. | Perspective objectives. |
| Choose measures | Objectives, data availability, owners. | Select a few measures per perspective with formula and cadence. | Scorecard metrics. |
| Set targets and initiatives | Measures, baseline, ambition, resources. | Define target, owner, initiative, and review rhythm. | Targets and initiatives. |
| Check balance | Scorecard draft. | Remove overload and check whether short-term financial goals crowd out capability and customer measures. | Balanced scorecard. |
Output Template
### 1. Strategy And Scope
Strategy objective:
Time horizon:
Target operating unit:
Key assumptions:
### 2. Four-Perspective Scorecard
| Perspective | Objective | Measure | Baseline | Target | Initiative | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | | | | | |
### 3. Cause-And-Effect Logic
| Leading objective | Expected effect | Lagging outcome | Evidence strength |
|---|---|---|---|
| | | | |
### 4. Review Cadence
| Measure | Review frequency | Trigger | Corrective action |
|---|---|---|---|
| | | | |
### Evidence And Next Decision
- Confirmed facts:
- Assumptions:
- Missing evidence:
- Next action, owner, and timing:
- Expected signal and decision threshold:
Quality Gate
- Produce the method-specific outputs for Strategy And Scope, Four-Perspective Scorecard, Cause-And-Effect Logic; do not substitute a generic framework summary.
- Tie every material score, causal claim, or stakeholder judgment to evidence or label it as an assumption.
- Include at least one disconfirming check, sensitivity, alternative explanation, or failure condition appropriate to the method.
- Convert the result into a named action or decision with an owner or stakeholder, timing, and observable signal.
- State missing inputs and the smallest validation action instead of inventing precision.
- Keep wording professional and plain enough that a smart non-specialist can use the output directly.
