Policy Management Seminar: Bridging the Ingenuity Gap
P.O. Box 9
Brookline MA 02446
P (617) 713-2900
F (617) 713-2999
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Description:
Companies trying to make the lean leap often make the mistake of taking on too many initiatives at once. Failing to
complete the activities leads to delay, discouragement, and diverts resources from activities that should — and can —
be accomplished.
In this two-day, hands-on workshop, you will use interactive case studies and exercises to learn the proven strategic
planning system called Policy Management. You will learn how to focus and align activities, how to involve all levels, and
how to apply the scientific method of plan, do, check, act (PDCA) to consistently achieve required results. Attendees are
encouraged to bring actual planning problems to work on.
Policy management, also called policy deployment, hoshin kanri or hoshin planning, is Toyota’s strategic planning
system. It matches available resources with key activities so only activities that are desirable, important, and achievable
are authorized. Policy management aligns functions and activities with critical strategic goals by developing — usually
through an annual planning process — clear and aligned actions, timelines, measures, and responsibilities. Policy
management provides the support structure for the weekly, annual, and long-term cycles of the PDCA method. You’ll
learn:
 The philosophy and structure of the policy management system using case studies and group activities
 Problems with conventional planning
 9 wastes of knowledge
 The policy management system
 The PDCA cycle in policy management
 Using the ”catchball” technique to create shared understanding and alignment
 The “control department” concept
 ”A3 thinking”
 How to make policy deployment part of your culture
 Required support activities for policy deployment
Policy Deployment is a process for answering such questions as, What are our critical needs? How do we focus our
resources? How do we involve and motivate our team members? How do we sustain our activities? How do we learn
from our successes and our failures?
The success of a lean transformation hinges on the company’s answers. Unfortunately, our activities are often hindered or even
crippled by horizontal and vertical disconnection in knowledge flow. Policy Deployment makes knowledge flow by applying the
scientific method of PDCA at all levels. It encourages clear thinking, breaks down barriers, and facilitates crossfunctional management. It becomes the nervous system of the learning organization.
Curriculum:
Day 1: Policy Management: Leading the Value Stream
 Introduction & basic principles
 Making knowledge waste visible
 Causes of planning problems
 Policy deployment system overview
 Plan-do-check-act (PDCA)– the scientific method
 PDCA metrics
 Policy deployment process
 Conventional planning vs. PDCA
 The “catchball” method for shared understanding
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Control department concept
Preparing for implementation
Overview of A3 thinking
Towards a learning organization
Day 2: Policy Management: Sustaining the Future State
(Note: Day 1: Leading the Value Stream is a prerequisite
 Policy deployment system overview
 A3 thinking – making the “video”
 A3 report for strategic planning
 Writing the A3 strategic planning report
 Preparing a master schedule
 Metrics
 Contingency planning
 The sun diagram
 Implementation – making policy deployment concrete
 Implementation – critical support areas
 Role of the policy deployment controller
 PDCA at the plant, department, and section level – required structures
 The Training and Development link: developing roles, responsibilities, and required skills
 The learning organization
 What are you going to do tomorrow?
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