Hoshin Kanri X-Matrix

Use a visual tool to drive the right conversations on the right topic on the right time, and capture your vision, strategytactics, and evidence on a single A3, also known as the hoshin kanri x-matrix, in order to:

  • involve everyone in its cocreation;
  • make sure you are doing the right things;
  • align all stakeholders to create a laser focus on vital breakthrough aspirations;
  • focus all energy on a few crucial goals;
  • integrate daily management and operations with strategy;
  • provide structured and fast feedback to check progress;
  • stay on track and adjust course if needed.

A new design of the traditional hoshin kanri x-matrix aims to make it easier to read and maintain. Rather than having upside-down and vertical tekst, the new design only uses horizontal text.

Hoshin Kanri X-Matrix for Tesla
Hoshin Kanri X-Matrix example for Tesla (redesign of the 2010 version by Martien van Steenbergen; click to obtain PDF version).

A hoshin kanri x-matrix is:

  • holistic—covers all aspects and stakeholders of your enterprise;
  • fact- and evidence-based—crystal clear OKRs help drivers and leaders make timely and right decisions;
  • complete—plans are ready to execute when it is clear what you want to achieve and how you will approach it;
  • inclusive—involves everyone in the interactive cocreative process of catchball;
  • integrated—is integrated on all levels of your organisations, including incentive systems.

Hoshin (方針) means “compass (管理), or pointing the direction,” and Kanri means “management or control”. Combined, these two words show that hoshin kanri is essentially the process for Strategic Direction Setting.

Take a deep dive at hoshin kanri.

Published by Martien van Steenbergen

Martien is a Master Agile & Lean Trainer & Coach.

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6 Comments

  1. Martien, this is beautiful. Appreciate the info. Do you have any additional info on how you developed it? (tools etc.) and pointers on deriving the strong v. weak indicators? Thank you

    1. Hi Joel, thanks for your comment.

      I’ve made a version with InDesign. I’m also working on a version in Observable, but that one still needs quite some work in the interactive part. Feel free to give Observable » @martien » X-Matrix a try.

      Via e-mail, I asked you: “What do you like about it in particular? What would you find really valuable?”

      On which you replied:

      As opposed to the other Honshin templates I’ve seen yours was easily consumable (esp. without a extensive knowledge of the product).

      Liked:

      • Reorientation to make is consumable (keeping words aligned horizontally)
      • Use of border areas for definitions and key insights

      Valuable:

      • Template based, ability to quickly plug and play connections to generate something akin to your Tesla diagram
      • Ability to build or customize the strength metric comparing areas (1:2 as strong direct probable vs weak indirect possible). Likert scale or similar?

      Thanks Martien, I’m interested in keeping an eye on your work!

      You’re welcome.

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