Strategy Map
A Strategy Map is a visual representation showing how OKRs at different organizational levels connect and support each other. It reveals alignment gaps, dependencies, and strategic priorities at a glance.
What is a Strategy Map?
A Strategy Map is a visual representation of the relationships between OKRs at different organizational levels. It shows how company OKRs cascade to team OKRs and how they interconnect. The Strategy Map is the central tool for making alignment visible and manageable.
What a Strategy Map Shows
- Vertical connections: How company OKRs cascade to team OKRs
- Horizontal dependencies: Where teams need to collaborate
- Alignment gaps: Strategic goals not supported by any team
- Overload: Where too many teams work on one goal, bundling resources
- Conflicts: Where teams might work in opposing directions
A good Strategy Map answers at a glance: "Are our efforts properly distributed?"
Strategy Map vs. Classic Goal Hierarchy
| Aspect | Strategy Map | Classic Goal Hierarchy |
|---|---|---|
| Representation | Network with connections | Tree structure |
| Horizontal view | Yes, shows team dependencies | No, vertical only |
| Dynamic | Updates with OKR progress | Static document |
| Purpose | Check and manage alignment | Document goals |
When a Strategy Map is Especially Valuable
- OKR planning phase: Leaders can see if organizational efforts are properly distributed
- Quarterly reviews: Which strategic priorities were well supported, which weren't?
- New initiatives: Instantly see how a new initiative fits the bigger picture
- Team onboarding: Visually explain strategic context to new team members
Strategy Map in Northly
Northly's Strategy Map feature automatically generates this visualization from your OKR data. Manual maintenance in spreadsheets or presentations is eliminated. The OKR Champion can identify alignment gaps in real-time and respond specifically.
Related Terms
Alignment
Alignment in the OKR context means that team and individual Objectives are connected to and coordinated with the company's strategic goals. It creates a clear line of sight from company vision to every individual's daily work.
Cascading
Cascading is the structured process of translating higher-level OKRs into team and individual OKRs. It ensures strategic goals flow through all levels of the organization while teams retain the autonomy to define their own contributions.
OKR (Objectives and Key Results)
OKR stands for Objectives and Key Results – an agile goal-setting framework that helps organizations define ambitious goals and track measurable outcomes. Developed in the 1970s at Intel by Andy Grove and later popularized worldwide by Google.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a Strategy Map show?
A Strategy Map visually shows how OKRs at different organizational levels connect: vertical cascading, horizontal dependencies, alignment gaps, and potential conflicts between teams.
When should you create a Strategy Map?
It's especially valuable during OKR planning and quarterly reviews. With a tool like Northly, the Strategy Map is automatically generated and always up-to-date.
Do you need a special tool for a Strategy Map?
For small teams, a whiteboard or Miro board suffices. From 3–4 teams, manual maintenance becomes cumbersome. Northly generates the Strategy Map automatically from your OKR data.
What is an alignment gap?
An alignment gap exists when a strategic company goal is not supported by any team OKR. The Strategy Map makes such gaps immediately visible so corrective action can be taken in time.