Case study: A fresh approach of the Balanced Scorecard in the Heathrow Terminal 5 project

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present a case study of the Heathrow Terminal 5 project and to illustrate a customised application of the Balanced Scorecard in a major infrastructure project with multiple stakeholders. Design/methodology/approach – The research methodology applied in this work was based on the case study methodology. The focus was on “how” questions and exploratory analysis of primary and secondary data supported in‐depth interviews with members from both the project team and suppliers. Findings – The application of the concept of the Balanced Scorecard by Kaplan and Norton in project management is less frequent in comparison with operations management. The study has established a proven application of the Balanced Scorecard in managing quality in a major infrastructure project. Practical implications – For practitioners of major projects the paper gives implications for implementing the theoretical and customising requirements of the Balanced Scorecard involving key stakeholders. Originality/value – The paper illustrates that metrics can be customised for major projects within the framework of the Kaplan and Norton Balanced Scorecard and that suppliers should be empowered to own the monitoring and improvement process using their performance data.