How to Build a Strategy Map for Beginners: Link Four Layers from the Bottom Up with Arrows

Owners and team leads of small companies with only a yearly money target use this beginner strategy map template to turn the path to that target into one picture. Four boards - on board 1 you write the top money goal and align the words for four layers (money, customers, work process, people and learning); on board 2 you place up to two goals per layer and link them with arrows from the bottom up; on board 3 you cut goals that do not connect, keep one per layer, and set a measure; on board 4 you give each effort an owner, a due date, and a check month. The task board has five columns, with four parent tasks matching the boards and three subtasks each. A strategy map restates the four Balanced Scorecard perspectives in your own words and checks with arrows that goals support each other, in the order people learn, work improves, customers are pleased, money grows. Goals no arrow connects are cut, and each remaining goal gets one measure.