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.
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."
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
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.
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
Most companies work top-down: leaders decide, everyone else does. Catchball mixes things up:
|
Who Starts It |
What They Share |
Who Gives Input |
|---|---|---|
|
Leadership |
Big-picture goals, strategy, budget limits |
Teams give feedback on whether it's realistic and how to actually do it |
|
Front-line Teams |
Problems they see, ideas for fixes, day-to-day insights |
Managers help connect it to company goals and free up resources |
This back-and-forth makes sure plans are actually doable and improvements support what the company's trying to achieve.
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.
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
Every company tweaks catchball to fit their style, but these core ideas keep it working:
Everyone Gets a Turn
If you know something useful or will be affected, you get to hold the "ball"
Nobody important gets left out
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
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
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
Figure Out What You're Working On
What problem are you solving or goal are you trying to reach?
Who needs to be involved?
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
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
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
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
Make It Happen
Once everyone's had their say, lock in the plan
Make sure everyone knows their role and get started
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
|
Problem |
How to Handle It |
|---|---|
|
Takes too long |
Start with smaller projects; use email or collaboration software to speed things up |
|
Some people dominate the conversation |
Set ground rules; make sure quieter voices get heard |
|
Too much back-and-forth, no decision |
Set deadlines for each round; limit how many times the ball gets passed |
|
People are afraid to give honest feedback |
Leaders need to show they actually want input; act on what people say |
|
Nobody knows what kind of feedback to give |
Ask specific questions; show examples of helpful feedback |
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.