The performance-management instruments

3 instruments

1. Balanced Scorecard

   A strategy map with causal logic and few measures — not a wall of KPIs.

   Builds a Kaplan-Norton Balanced Scorecard for an executive audience, grounded in the strategy corpus: 8–12 objectives across the four perspectives with explicit causal links (learning → process → customer → financial — no orphan objectives), a measure-scarce scorecard (≤2 measures per objective, enforced in code), target-setting guidance instead of invented numbers, and honest keep/retire dispositions for the metrics already in use. The executive-pay tie-in is a first-class output — which measures are robust enough to pay on and which would be gamed — because that linkage is why the comp literature cites the scorecard. Performix-surface tool.

   Inputs

   { organization, strategy, current_metrics? }

   Outputs

   { strategy_map[] (perspective · objective · drives), scorecard[] (measures ≤2 · target_guidance · initiatives), metric_dispositions[], exec_pay_tie_in, pitfalls[], cascade_note, grounded_in, provenance }

   What it's for

   • Turn a strategy narrative into a causal strategy map the exec team can argue with
   • Rationalize an inherited KPI wall: keep, retire, or repurpose each metric
   • Decide which scorecard measures executive variable pay can safely attach to
   Tool profile & how to run it →POST /api/bicycle/balanced-scorecardmcp: build_balanced_scorecard

2. MBO Designer

   Cascading objectives that stay participative — designed against MBO's own pathologies.

   Designs a Management-by-Objectives system for an executive audience, grounded in the strategy corpus: a three-level objective cascade (organization → unit → individual, every objective naming what it serves, with observable evidence of attainment), the participative setting mechanics that keep it from becoming quota-assignment, and a review rhythm that can revise objectives mid-cycle. Treats the Deming critique as in-scope: failure modes (tunnel vision, sandbagging, cascade drift) each ship with their guard, and the pay-linkage note is honest about the gaming risk every linkage creates. Performix-surface tool; the SMART goal definer is the single-goal cross-reference.

   Inputs

   { organization, objectives, example_unit? }

   Outputs

   { cascade[] (level · objectives: serves · evidence_of_attainment), setting_process[], review_rhythm[], pay_link_note, failure_modes[], grounded_in, provenance }

   What it's for

   • Cascade three company objectives into a unit and its roles with real evidence of attainment
   • Redesign an MBO that became quota-assignment back into a participative system
   • Decide how much bonus should ride on objective attainment — and what that invites
   Tool profile & how to run it →POST /api/bicycle/mbo-designermcp: design_mbo_system

3. SMART Goals

   Turn 'do better' into a goal you can measure — SMART objective + metric + OKR.

   Grounded in the measurement corpus: rewrites a fuzzy aim as a SMART objective (each criterion explicit) with ONE metric + target + review cadence, honestly flags what made the original un-measurable (and picks a defensible proxy, naming what it misses), and emits the matching OKR. Performix-surface tool (per the 2026-07-03 routing: general performance-management instruments live with MBO and the scorecard on the Performix surface, syndicated via REST/MCP into other sites' workflows) — the single-goal companion to the mbo-designer cascade.

   Inputs

   { aim, context?, cluster? }

   Outputs

   { original_aim, smart_objective (specific/measurable/achievable/relevant/time_bound + metric/target/cadence), measurability_flags[], okr?, grounded_in, provenance }

   What it's for

   • Performance objectives (compensation guide): vague review goal → SMART objective + metric
   • Team planning: a quarter's aspirations → measurable objectives with cadences
   • OKR drafting: an intent → an Objective with 2–4 measurable Key Results
   Tool profile & how to run it →POST /api/bicycle/smart-goalsmcp: define_smart_goal