This paper presents the development of a tool for strategic decision-making in regional development and, at the same time, for the synthesis of a multidisciplinary research programme. In a case study region, experiencing the construction of a new motorway, we adopted the tool of Strategy Maps from business administration to the question of regional development. The municipal presidents seek for economic profit from the new motorway, but want to preserve the ecological values and the high quality of life in the region. The vertical alignment of the Strategy Map shows how relevant actors shall organise themselves to improve important land use and political processes in the region to get high performance in visible indicators of sustainable regional development. We integrated the knowledge generated in the projects of the research programme, primarily by deriving performance indicators to assess the achievement of different objectives of the municipal presidents towards sustainable regional development.