The presented Network Scorecard suite is a method aimed at supporting the strategic and operational management processes of networks. It relies on three principles: It is a participatory approach, where the networks key actors jointly define a shared vision of their networks performance. Moreover, its integrated approach covers the management cycle of the network including the definition of a strategy, a plan of action and a scorecard. And finally, it structures a network performance on four dimensions: the benefits to the members, implication of the members, external context and organization. The practice presents all necessary steps to involve the key actors of the network and structure the process. www.FITT-for-Innovation.eu

1. Network Management Scorecards
FITT
– Fostering Interregional Exchange in ICT Technology Transfer –
www.FITT-for-Innovation.eu
Except where otherwise noted, this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.

2. Managing a network
Managing an organization based on collaboration (cluster, network...) is a
challenge. It requires to :
- Balance strategic focus and emerging issues
- Create immediate and middle-term creation of value to ensure the
sustainability
- Define and assess a non financial performance
The Network ScoreCard Suite is a method designed to support networks
management through the collaborative development of management tools.
- The approach of the NSC Suite relies on 3 principles
- It comes in 3 steps
- And provides 3 outputs.
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3. A participatory approach (1/3)
The NSC Suite is based on a participatory approach:
- Fostering the emergence of a clear and shared strategic vision
- Fostering the involvement of participants
- Creating links and trust among participants,
raising their cooperation capacity
- Raising awareness on performance issues
- guarantying the coherence and legitimacy
of outputs
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4. An integrated approach (2/3)
The NSC Suite integrated approach covers the management cycle of a
network
NSC Suite 1:
NSC Suite 3:
STRATEGIC
ScoreCard VISION
NSC Suite 2: Plan of action
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5. A structuring approach
A four-dimension approach of performance
- raising awareness on non-financial value creation,
- balancing immediate and long term performance (lagging and
leading indicators)
Benefits Members
Which added value do Who are our
we create for our members?
members?
External context
Organization
How do we interact
How do we organize ?
with our environment?
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6. NSC Suite: 3 steps
NSC Suite 1: Strategic NSC Suite 2: plan of action
vision
Values Identification of
« we are » activities
Strategic objectives
« we want to »
Planification
Operational
objectives
« we have to » Priorisation
Strategic map Plan d’action
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7. NSC Suite 1: Strategic vision
 The first step consist in elaborating a clear and shared strategic vision
 Structured in three levels:
 Values: “we are”
 Strategic objectives “we want to”
 Operational objectives: “we have to”, coming in four dimensions:
 Benefits: Which added value is created to members?
 Members: who are the members and what is their level of cooperation?
 External context: how does the network interact with its environment?
 Organisation: how is the network organized?
 In which operational and strategic objectives are aligned
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8. Output NSC Suite 1: strategic vision
Values : We are « ….. »
Strategic Strategic Strategic
Objective 1 Objective 2 Objectives 3
Operational
Operational objectives : « We have to»
Operational Objective 2
objective 1
Operational
Objective 3
Operational Operational
Objective 4 objective 5
Operational Operational
objective 6 objective 7
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9. NSC Suite 2: plan of action
 The second step consists in operationalizing the strategic vision
 The participants identify and plan relevant activities to carry out the
strategy
 Description of the activity
 Responsible person, partners to mobilize,
 Deadlines or frequency
 The activities are prioritized
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10. Output of NSC Suite 2: plan of action
responsibl
Name of Objectives description concrete frequency participant external
Priority Tasks e
activity of activity of activity output deadline s resources
animator
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11. NSC Suite 3: plan of action
 The third step consist in building a ScoreCard to assess the
achievement of the strategy
 Participants identify and build indicators to assess the level of
achievement of their strategy, mainly:
 What is the criteria for assessing that an objective is achieved
 What is the expected level of performance?
 The animator gathers indicators in the ScoreCard, a system of
indicators creating a global and balanced vision of performance
 A responsible is named for the exploitation of the ScoreCard
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12. Output of NSC Suite 3: ScoreCard
Objectif stratégique
Strategic objective 1 Strategic objective 2 Strategic objective 3
Objectif opérationnel
Operational objective 1 Indicator B-1 Indicator B-1
benefits
Operational objective 2 Indicator B-2
external context members
Operational objective 3 Indicator M-3
Operational objective 4 Indicator E-4
Operational objective 5 Indicator E-5
organisation
Operational objective 6 Indicator O-6
Operational objective 7 Indicator O-7
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13. Who?
 Stakeholders
• Key stakeholders of the network
• Founding members, Members of board, Animator, Historical members...
• Animator, Guardian of the method, moderator
 Facts & Figures
- Co-developed 2006 with a network, in the framework of the TINIS project
- Experimented on three networks at different stages of their lifecycle
- YAJUG: Yet another Java user Group: emerging network around the Java
technology
- CASSIS: network of consultants around the CASSIS label
- CLUSSIL: club for IT security
- LISA: College of Chief Information Security Officers
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14. Network Scorecard Suite
PRO’s CON’s
• Improves network management
• Time consuming for TTO
• Tailored-made tool for networks
• Follow up:
• Support to network sustainability and
performance • Short-term: exploitation of
ScoreCard needs some support
• Support to network communication
• Middle-term: need for some yearly
• Internally: with members reviewing of indicators
• Externally: towards external
partners
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15. Why is a Scorecard useful for networks
Challenges of network management:
1. Balance strategic focus and emerging issues
2. Create immediate and middle-term creation of value to ensure the sustainability
3. Define and assess a non financial performance
The collaborative elaboration of the network ScoreCard Suite has an impact on the
structuring of the network itself:
• Crystallisation of individual expectations in a clear and shared strategic vision
• Progressive enrolment of founding members in the management of the network
• Raised reflexivity towards performance issues
• Stabilisation of the network organization
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16. Lessons Learned
 Difficulty to convince networks of the relevance to get involved in the NSC Suite
 Preliminary interviews help understand the critical issues for a network in
particular, adapt the language
 Prove the potential benefits
 Some issues/objectives/indicators are recurrent among all networks
 Animator progressively gains in experience and quality of support is
improved
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17. Suggested Readings
 Link to bibliography:
 Network ScoreCard Suite User Guide (French)
 Link to code book:
 Network
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