The document describes a game called "Kata Bingo" that can be played during meetings to encourage the use of lean principles. The game awards points for behaviors aligned with the Improvement Kata and Coaching Kata, such as proposing experiments, setting dates to review experiments, and acknowledging uncertainty. Players track their points on a provided form, with the goal of being the first to reach 100 points and shout "BINGO!". The game is intended to help shift meetings toward more fact-based discussions focused on taking steps and conducting experiments rather than speculation.

1. Lean
Management
Teachers
Turn your meetings into kata exercises
© Emiel van Est

2. Introduction
You may have been practicing the Improvement Kata and the
Coaching Kata in your corner of the organization for some time
now. Therefore you know the importance of the Threshold of
Knowledge and you have learned to stop conjecture and get
beyond that Threshold of Knowledge by taking a step,
conducting an experiment and learning from that.
Unfortunately, not everybody in your organization has learned
these skills yet. You still have to attend these meetings where
your peers keep talking way beyond their Threshold of
Knowledge. You know that surging feeling of impatience to
take a step, to do an experiment. But in many cases, you do
not have the position or it is just not the time yet to make such
a proposal.
If this is about you we have something for you: Kata Bingo!
© Emiel van Est
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3. Purpose
The purpose of Kata Bingo is to collect points and if you reach
100 points to shout BINGO!
Collecting points is a way to build Kata skills. It is an exercise in
collecting data and facts and in recognizing the Threshold of
Knowledge.
© Emiel van Est
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4. Collecting Points
Here are the categories and points associated:
 Predictions of the future
5 points
 If we do this then … will happen
 Signs of uncertainty
10 points
 Not sure; maybe; I think; could be, etc
 Proposing to experiment
25 points
 Designing an experiment
50 points
 Setting a date to review the experiment
and ending the meeting
50 points
© Emiel van Est
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5. Form to use
Time
Name
Points
Quote
Total
© Emiel van Est
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6. Interventions
To win this game as quickly as possible you need to find ways to
get a lot of points quickly. Can you come up with interventions
that help the participants of the meeting to shift gears? Maybe
the picture below is a good visual of the Target Condition.
Please share your interventions and have fun!
emiel@leanmanagement.nl
© Emiel van Est
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