How to use Hexis for Powerful Strategy Deployment

What are Hexis?

Hexis Method Kits are a product from Dave Snowden and The Cynefin Company. They are designed to enable the (re)combination of different methods, practices, tools, and techniques into new assemblies. Therefore, this allows unique solutions to be created for different contexts. A Hexi Kit primarily contains a set of hexagonal cards (the Hexis), each of which describes a single, granular unit within a body of knowledge. Further, there are pieces which allow overlaying an additional layer of information.

Currently, there are two kits available:

• a base pack with core Cynefin methods and tools, and
• an EU Field Gude kit based on the publication of the same name.

However, there are plans to create additional kits, including an Agile one based on Ivar Jacobson’s Essence. Dave and Ivar explain more in this meetup video on “Seeking vendor independent approaches to Agile and agility“. Moreover, there may be third parties who create their own kits. Together, this sets up the potential to create a rich ecosystem of ideas with which people can explore and discover new solutions to their challenges.

What has this got to do with Strategy Deployment?

My definition of Strategy Deployment is “any form of organisational improvement in which solutions emerge from the people closest to the problem“. Given that, I’m excited about the prospect of using Hexis as a way of helping those solutions emerge. The Hexis provide a way of starting with a set of known and granular options. However, a diverse group of people can combine them, and add to them, in their own way. Thus they provide a mechanism for the emergence.

In particular, when the Agile Hexis are available, they can help organisations discuss and design their own approaches to an agile transformation, rather than taking a pre-designed off-the-shelf one.

Given that, I’m excited about the possibilities for using Hexis. I’m looking forward to finding opportunities to use them and learning more about how to realise that potential.

What would Strategy Deployment Hexis be?

The possibility of creating third-party kits makes me wonder about a set of Hexis based on the X-Matrix TASTE model. This would help organisations to design their strategy deployment approach, as well as their agile transformation.

Thus, as well as a Hexi for the X-Matrix itself, there could be a set of “organising” Hexis for each element of TASTE. These would be similar to the EU Field Guide Stages of Assess, Adapt, [<>] (aporetic turn), Exapt, and Transcend for those familiar with that. That gives us:

• X-Matrix
• True North
• Aspirations
• Strategies
• Tactics
• Evidence

In addition, for each of those elements, there could be a set of related Hexis for various techniques or exercises. Consequently, these could be used to begin working out how to go about discovering what strategy deployment might look like. Given that, an initial brainstorm came up with this.

True North

• Agendashift True North
• Agendashift Celebration-5W

Aspirations

• Lagging / Output metrics
• Vector Theory of Change
• Agendashift 15-minute FOTO (From Obstacles to Outcomes)

Strategies

• Even Over Statements
• Strategy Kernel from Good Strategy, Bad Strategy
• Strategy Cascade from Playing to Win

Tactics

• Experiment A3s
• Backbriefing
• Other Cynefin or Agile Hexis

Evidence

• Leading / Input metrics
• Flow Metrics
• Catchball

There are plenty more ideas that could be included on my list of 50 Quick Ideas To Improve Your Agile Transformation. Furthermore, some of those don’t necessarily fit neatly into the above categorisation, which they don’t have to. However, this should give a high-level idea of how a Hexis Kit might be created which could include Strategy Deployment related concepts. Moreover, it should give a glimpse of how those Hexis could be used, in combination with others, to invite people to design their own agile transformation.