Reflections on Hoshin Planning: Guidance for Leaders and Practitioners

The conditions in which leaders apply Hoshin Planning today have changed substantially since the method was established in the 1950’s. There is better and more broadly distributed understanding of statistical process improvement principles and practices in today’s organizations. Executives seem to rotate in and out of organizations with more frequency. Organizational structures are often more fluid and open. Markets change much faster, employees have greater expectations for stimulation and growth from their work, and technology is central to everything we do. To correctly apply Hoshin Planning, we must consider this modern, more complex environment.

Unfortunately, a solid understanding of Hoshin mechanics, techniques, and tools isn’t always enough to achieve outstanding performance. This book examines Hoshin Planning a little less through the controllable lens of methodology and more through the ever-shifting and imperfect lens of daily life in organizations.

Picking up where many Hoshin ＂how-to＂ books leave off, this book presents practical ideas and tools for overcoming the messier obstacles faced by today’s executives and planning professionals. You will learn ways to work your strategic planning productively in the face of sometimes tough challenges, such as working with unions, planning during an acquisition, and dealing with measurement fatigue.

This book addresses these and other issues with a candid, practical, and compassionate eye. Using real stories and examples, Boisvert shares valuable observations she’s made through nearly two decades of consulting with organizations.

Inevitably, your organization will experience unplanned events and surprising results that will require modification of what looked like perfectly good plans. A reliable practice of Hoshin stays on its toes. Flexibility, alertness, pragmatism, and thoughtful, hardworking leadership are the themes of this book.

Lisa Boisvert has consulted with organizations in the application of Process Improvement and Hoshin Planning in such areas as electrical power generation; the manufacture of vaccines, laser fabric cutters, roofing material, industrial surface conditioning brushes, and insulin testing kits; the processing of chicken and bread; banking; and the delivery of patient care and human services.

Prior to forming Business Centered Learning(TM), LLC in 1999, Boisvert served as general manager for the services division of GOAL/QPC. Earlier, as the company’s Research Director, she convened and published the collective work of leaders from around the world in the application of Process Improvement and Hoshin Planning to manufacturing, health care, and financial services industries. Her work with these early Hoshin practitioners, progressive executives and Quality Management subject matter experts continues to inform her work with leadership teams today.