Cognitive Scaffold

Preparing your thinking workspace

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MENTAL MODEL · M0638

Catchball

Catchball
BusinessmediumManagement
Included
account_tree

Version 1.0.0 · Updated 2026-07-30

CORE DEFINITION

Strategy formulation is not a one-way top-down directive, but like a game of catch: top management throws out goals, middle management catches them, provides feedback on 'how to do it', throws back for confirmation, then throws down to the front line. Through multiple rounds of back-and-forth, consensus is reached.

SCAFFOLDING EFFECT

psychology

Reduce cognitive load

Pre-embedding execution. Let executors participate in the goal-setting process. People usually do not sabotage plans they have created themselves.

anchor

Anchor fast decisions

In Hoshin Kanri, the 'reverse throw and catch': goals are collaboratively developed through back-and-forth between levels, executors participate in shaping goals, increasing commitment and feasibility ('do not sabotage plans you set yourself').

MINIMUM ACTION

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Source support: Explicit

  • link
    artoflean.comhttps://artoflean.com/reference/catchballZH · Explicit
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