Kaplan and Norton, in their groundbreaking work The Balanced Scorecard, indicate that 16 weeks is an adequate timeframe to set up a Balanced Scorecard (BSC). Why, then, does 16 weeks so often become 16 months? And, if BSC processes have revolutionised organisations, why aren't all organisations, with more than say 20 staff, using them?

Set out below are 10 lessons based on my observations to help your organisation implement a BSC in 16 weeks. These rules will assist with the implementation BSCs and dashboards within a 16-week timeframe.