Quick Answer: Catchball is a Lean management technique where teams pass ideas and feedback back and forth—like tossing a ball—to make better decisions together. It helps everyone from executives to front-line workers share input, align on goals, and know exactly who's responsible for what at each step.

What is Catchball?

Remember playing catch as a kid? You'd toss a ball to someone, they'd catch it and throw it back. Catchball in Lean works the same way, except you're tossing around ideas instead of a ball.

Here's how Don Tapping and Tom Shuker explain it in their book Value Stream Management for the Lean Office:

"Catchball is simple. Regardless of who initiates a project (although it's most commonly a manager), that person articulates the purpose, objectives and other ideas and concerns and then 'throws' them to the other stakeholders for feedback, support and action."

What Makes Catchball Different:

• Two-way conversations between managers and employees

• Everyone knows whose turn it is, and there's no confusion about who's supposed to do what next

• Ideas get better as they bounce back and forth

• Flexible enough to work in any type of company

Why Does Catchball Matter?

Discussing ideas and transferring the ownership of them is common in companies, so why give it a name and add more formal guidelines around something that is already happening anyway (or should be happening)? As with many Lean strategies, the point of catchball is to add intention and thoughtfulness to the practice. When viewed as a discrete part of the improvement methodology, it can be taught and performed consistently across the organization.

What You Get from Using Catchball:

• Better ideas because you're getting input from people who actually do the work

• Teams work together better instead of staying in their own bubbles

• No confusion about who's responsible for what

• Everyone's working toward the same goals instead of pulling in different directions

• People actually care about projects because they had a say

• Smarter decisions because ideas get tested and improved before you commit
  
  

How It Changes the Usual Top-Down Approach:

Most companies work top-down: leaders decide, everyone else does. Catchball mixes things up:

This back-and-forth makes sure plans are actually doable and improvements support what the company's trying to achieve.

When Should You Use Catchball?

Catchball works best for bigger projects where you need input from lots of different people. It's especially helpful when your decision affects multiple teams or departments.

Perfect Times to Use Catchball:

• Mapping out how work flows through different departments

• Big-picture planning (like yearly goals) that needs to connect to daily work

• Creating standard processes where the people doing the work need to weigh in

• Fixing problems that touch multiple teams

• Rolling out new policies where everyone needs to understand and buy in

• Deciding how to split up resources between teams

What Are the Basic Rules?

Every company tweaks catchball to fit their style, but these core ideas keep it working:

The Four Main Rules:

1. Everyone Gets a Turn

   • If you know something useful or will be affected, you get to hold the "ball"

   • Nobody important gets left out

2. Give People Time to Think

   • Each person gets enough time to really look at the idea

   • They can gather info, talk to their team, and give thoughtful feedback before passing it along

3. We're All on the Same Team

   • This isn't a debate you're trying to win

   • Every suggestion gets real consideration

   • The goal is making the idea better, not proving you're right

4. Whoever Has the Ball Is in Charge

   • When it's your turn, you own that part of the process

   • Everyone knows who's responsible at each step

How Do You Actually Do Catchball?

Step-by-Step Process:

1. Figure Out What You're Working On

   • What problem are you solving or goal are you trying to reach?

   • Who needs to be involved?

2. Start the Conversation

   • Usually, a manager kicks things off by sharing the basic idea

   • They explain what they're trying to do and what questions they have

3. Pass It to the Right People

   • Share the idea with the teams or people who need to weigh in

   • Give them all the background info they need

4. Collect Feedback

   • Each person looks at it from their angle

   • They add their insights, concerns, suggestions, and any data they have

   • They point out problems or opportunities you might have missed

5. Keep It Moving

   • Send feedback back to the person who started it, or forward it to the next person

   • Keep going until everyone agrees on the plan

6. Make It Happen

   • Once everyone's had their say, lock in the plan

   • Make sure everyone knows their role and get started
     
     

Tips That Actually Help:

• Write things down so you can see how the idea changed

• Be realistic about timing

• Make it safe to speak up, so people aren't afraid to share concerns

• Show visually whose turn it is (like a kanban board)

• Thank people for their input at every level

What Problems Might Come Up?

Common Issues and How to Fix Them:

How Does Catchball Help with Continuous Improvement?

Catchball fits perfectly with Lean's idea of respecting people and always getting better. When you include the people who actually do the work in decisions, you get their knowledge while making them more invested in the outcome.

Why This Matters for Improvement:

• People feel empowered: Workers help shape change instead of just being told what to do

• Problems get solved faster: More viewpoints mean you catch issues and solutions quicker

• Changes actually stick: When people helped create the plan, they're more likely to follow it

• Everyone learns: The process builds knowledge across the whole company

Frequently Asked Questions About Catchball

How does catchball differ from traditional meetings?

Catchball is a more structured and deliberate process than conventional meetings. It provides dedicated time for each participant to thoroughly analyze the proposal and formulate their response, establishes clear ownership at every stage of the process, and focuses on refining a specific initiative through multiple rounds of feedback rather than attempting to reach immediate consensus in a single session.

Is catchball effective in small organizations?

Yes, catchball is highly effective regardless of organizational size. While it provides significant value for complex, multi-departmental initiatives in larger organizations, small companies benefit equally from the structured communication and inclusive decision-making approach. The primary difference is that smaller organizations typically involve fewer participants and experience shorter cycle times.

How should disagreements be handled during catchball?

Disagreement is both normal and beneficial within the catchball process. The iterative nature of catchball allows ideas to evolve and improve through constructive discussion. When consensus cannot be reached, the process ensures that different perspectives are clearly documented, enabling leadership to make informed decisions with a complete understanding of trade-offs and implications.

Does catchball require specialized software?

No specialized software is required to implement catchball. Many organizations successfully use standard tools such as email, shared documents, or existing project management platforms. However, dedicated continuous improvement software like KaiNexus can enhance the process by providing visibility into current ownership, tracking iterations, and streamlining workflow management.