Lean

The Hidden X-Matrix Teams That Make It More Tasty

The Original X-Matrix Teams

If you search for examples of the X-Matrix, you will typically find versions with an additional X-Matrix Teams section. This is usually a list of functions or departments, positioned to the right of the Evidence (or other variety of leading metric). In addition, there is a corresponding matrix above to show the contribution and involvement of each participant to each Tactic.

An Orange Oakleaf butterfly with its closed wings camouflaged as a leaf. A metaphor for hidden X-Matrix Teams.

For example, Thomas L. Jackson uses the following template in his book Hoshin Kanri and the Lean Enterprise with the additional section for “team members” and the matrix for “accountability”.

X-Matrix Teams and Accountability included on Thomas L. Jackson's original template.

The Benefit of Including X-Matrix Teams

The intent, and potential benefit of having an X-Matrix Teams section, is that it shows Who is working on the Tactics. In addition, it can therefore potentially highlight where people could be overburdened. Thus, by including Teams, the X-Matrix shows how the whole organisation might be involved and collaborating on the work of Strategy Deployment.

In other words, TASTE could become TASTE-T (Tasty). I believe Chris Combe deserves the credit for that extension! That would give:

  • True North – Where? (direction)
  • Aspirations – Why?
  • Strategies – How?
  • Tactics – What?
  • Evidence – How Well?
  • Teams – Who?

The Reasons For Removing X-Matrix Teams

All of this begs the question of why I have removed Teams from my TASTE X-Matrix. There are three primary reasons:

  1. Simplicity. I prefer a simpler form of the X-Matrix. I find that most of the effort and value is in creating clarity and alignment on the core TASTE elements. Having cross-functional and collaborative Teams is clearly important. However, that information often adds more noise and cognitive load than is worth it.
  2. Teamwork. I want organisations to really collaborate across functional boundaries and silos. Highlighting those functions on the X-Matrix risks reinforcing them, such that people work as groups of individuals who have been allocated to a Tactic, rather than genuine teams owning a Tactic.
  3. Backbriefing. As a result, I prefer to use a Backbriefing approach to form the cross-functional teams that will work on the Tactics. This empowers teams to self-select and self-organise to ensure they have all the capabilities required to meet their intent, with clear freedoms and constraints.

Thus X-Matrix Teams exist, and they are a key part of Strategy Deployment. However, they are hidden and implicit and are formed by the people engaged in implementing the Tactics. In other words, rather than being part of the X-Matrix directly, Teams form a link and relationship between the X-Matrix and the Catchball process.