What is Hoshin Kanri?
Hoshin Kanri (方針管理) means “direction management” — often called policy or strategy deployment. Leaders set 3–5 breakthrough objectives; each level translates them into its own goals and actions through a back-and-forth discussion called catchball; progress is reviewed monthly.
The 7 steps of Hoshin Kanri
- Set a 3–5 year vision.
- Choose 3–5 breakthrough objectives for the year.
- Cascade objectives to departments using catchball.
- Turn them into projects and KPIs with owners.
- Execute.
- Review progress monthly and correct course.
- Hold an annual review and reset.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Too many objectives — focus is the point.
- Top-down orders instead of genuine catchball.
- No regular review, so the plan is forgotten by month three.
How DOOfy helps
Hoshin Kanri lives or dies on the monthly review. AIMOS One connects company-level goals to the department numbers that drive them, so reviews are based on live progress rather than slides prepared the night before.
Frequently asked questions
What is catchball in Hoshin Kanri?
The back-and-forth process where managers and teams discuss and refine goals until everyone agrees they are achievable and aligned.
How is Hoshin Kanri different from OKRs?
Both align goals across levels. Hoshin Kanri focuses on a few multi-year breakthrough objectives with structured reviews; OKRs typically run quarterly with more ambitious, measurable key results.