--- name: katafacts-router description: "Pick the right Katafacts continuous-improvement method (a kata) for a work problem, then fetch its guide and worked example. Use when: someone describes a problem with how work gets done -- slow or error-prone processes, handoffs, recurring defects, stalled sales deals, unclear metrics, plans that don't land -- and wants a proven method rather than improvised advice. Not for: general business advice with no process or measurement behind it, or when the user has already named the kata (load that kata's own skill or guide directly)." --- # Katafacts router: pick the right kata Katafacts is a free catalogue of 81 continuous-improvement methods ("katas"), each with a guide, a worked example and a file template, licensed CC BY 4.0. Use this skill to match a person's problem to the right kata, then follow that kata's guide. ## How to pick a kata 1. **Restate the problem as something you could observe or count.** What is slow, wrong or missing, where, and how do they know? "Invoices take three weeks from receipt to payment" routes better than "finance is a mess". 2. **Search the catalogue with the person's own words.** - With the Katafacts server connected over the Model Context Protocol (https://www.katafacts.com/api/mcp): call `list_katas` with `query` set to the problem and `compact: true`. Results come best match first, each with a line saying why it matched. - Without it: scan the catalogue list below by family and name. 3. **Check the fit before committing.** Read the top two or three candidates' "When to use it" and "Not when" lists. A "Not when" line often names the better kata -- follow it. 4. **Fetch the guide.** - Connected: `get_kata_guide` with the slug. Pass `sections` (for example `["when-to-use-it", "how-to-fill-it-in"]`) to get only what you need. - Not connected: fetch `https://www.katafacts.com/skills/.md`, or read `/SKILL.md` if the skill files are installed. 5. **Tell the person which kata you chose and why, in one sentence,** and name the runner-up if the choice was close. ## Rules for the numbers - Take every number from the person's own data, the kata's calculations, or its worked example. Never invent figures, and never present a guess as a measurement. - If data a field needs is missing, say so and ask for it, or leave the field blank and flag it. - Keep the vital few: three findings with conviction beat fifteen with hedging. ## Starting points What the catalogue search returns for some common problems (best match first): - "Our invoices take weeks to get paid": `makigami`, `improvement-kata-storyboard`, `value-stream-map` - "Too many handoffs between teams": `makigami`, `shift-handover`, `daily-huddle` - "Defects keep coming back": `pareto-chart`, `a3`, `eight-wastes-worksheet` - "Sales deals stall in the pipeline": `sales-funnel-map`, `deal-aging-report`, `bottleneck-analysis` - "A change is about to go live and might fail": `fmea`, `sustainment-audit`, `metric-definition-sheet` - "Customers keep complaining": `voc-evidence-log`, `affinity-diagram`, `customer-interview-guide` - "Improvements don't stick after the event": `kaizen-charter`, `improvement-kata-storyboard`, `kaizen-funnel` ## Catalogue Grouped by where each kata sits in the improvement loop. Format: `slug` -- name (family). ### Orient - `lean-maturity-scorecard` -- Lean maturity scorecard (Foundations) - `marketing-maturity-assessment` -- Marketing maturity assessment (Foundations) - `eight-wastes-worksheet` -- Eight wastes (DOWNTIME) worksheet (Foundations) ### Understand the customer - `voc-evidence-log` -- Voice of the customer (VOC) evidence log (Voice of the customer) - `affinity-diagram` -- Affinity diagram (Voice of the customer) - `ctq-tree` -- Critical-to-quality (CTQ) tree (Voice of the customer) - `customer-interview-guide` -- Customer interview guide (Voice of the customer) - `gemba-interview-protocol` -- Gemba interview protocol (Voice of the customer) - `win-loss-interview-guide` -- Win-loss interview guide (Voice of the customer) - `voc-collection-plan` -- Voice of the customer (VOC) collection plan (Voice of the customer) - `value-hypothesis` -- Value hypothesis (Voice of the customer) - `message-architecture` -- Message architecture (Voice of the customer) - `icp-evidence-log` -- Ideal customer profile (ICP) evidence log (Voice of the customer) ### See the work - `value-stream-map` -- Value stream map — current and future state (Value stream mapping) - `wip-aging-report` -- Work-in-progress (WIP) aging report (Flow and pull) - `scoping-canvas` -- Scoping canvas (Problem definition) - `icp-canvas` -- Ideal customer profile (ICP) canvas (Problem definition) - `anti-icp` -- Anti-ideal customer profile (anti-ICP) (Problem definition) - `value-proposition-canvas` -- Value proposition map (Problem definition) - `sales-funnel-map` -- Sales funnel value stream map (Value stream mapping) - `makigami` -- Makigami process map (Value stream mapping) - `funnel-pce-calculator` -- Funnel flow efficiency calculator (Value stream mapping) - `bottleneck-analysis` -- Bottleneck analysis (Value stream mapping) - `stage-conversion-analysis` -- Stage conversion analysis (Value stream mapping) - `deal-aging-report` -- Deal aging / work-in-progress report (Value stream mapping) ### Set direction - `hoshin-kanri` -- Hoshin Kanri — X-Matrix (Hoshin Kanri) - `true-north-statement` -- True north statement (Hoshin Kanri) - `marketing-true-north-statement` -- Marketing true north statement (Hoshin Kanri) - `revenue-hoshin-kanri` -- Revenue Hoshin Kanri — X-Matrix (Hoshin Kanri) - `cascade-map` -- Cascade map (Hoshin Kanri) - `revenue-cascade-map` -- Revenue cascade map (Hoshin Kanri) ### Solve problems - `a3` -- A3 problem solving (Problem solving / root cause analysis) - `deal-a3` -- Deal A3 — win-rate root cause analysis (Problem solving / root cause analysis) - `fmea` -- Failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) (Problem solving / root cause analysis) - `pareto-chart` -- Pareto chart (Problem solving / root cause analysis) - `decision-matrix` -- Weighted decision matrix (Problem solving / root cause analysis) - `fit-criteria-scorecard` -- Fit-criteria scorecard (Problem solving / root cause analysis) - `evidence-register` -- Evidence register (Problem solving / root cause analysis) - `proof-point-inventory` -- Proof point inventory (Problem solving / root cause analysis) ### Run the day - `discovery-standard-work` -- Discovery call standard work (Standard work) - `performance-board` -- Performance board (Daily management) - `visibility-board` -- Visibility board (Daily management) - `qualification-standard-work` -- Qualification standard work (Standard work) - `performance-grid` -- Performance grid (Daily management) - `sqdip-board` -- Shift board with safety, quality, delivery, inventory and productivity rows (SQDIP) (Daily management) - `daily-huddle` -- Daily management huddle (Daily management) - `countermeasure-log` -- Countermeasure log (Daily management) - `pipeline-management-board` -- Pipeline management board (Daily management) - `work-instruction` -- Work instruction (Standard work) - `iluo-training-matrix` -- Training matrix with I, L, U, O skill levels (ILUO) (Standard work) - `kpi-tree` -- Key performance indicator (KPI) tree (Daily management) - `marketing-kpi-tree` -- Marketing key performance indicator (KPI) tree (Daily management) - `leader-standard-work` -- Leader standard work (Daily management) - `escalation-matrix` -- Escalation matrix (Daily management) - `shift-handover` -- Shift handover (Daily management) - `visual-board-design-guide` -- Visual board design guide (Visual management) - `tiered-huddle-board` -- Tiered huddle board (Daily management) - `go-see-protocol` -- Go-see protocol (Visual management) - `marketing-go-see-protocol` -- Marketing go-see protocol (Visual management) - `andon-signal-definition` -- Andon / signal definition worksheet (Visual management) - `standard-work-audit` -- Standard work audit (Standard work) - `visual-management-audit` -- Visual management audit (Visual management) - `consistency-audit` -- Consistency audit (Standard work) ### Improve continuously - `business-case` -- Business case (Kaizen events) - `business-case-builder` -- Business case builder (Kaizen events) - `implementation-plan` -- Implementation plan (Kaizen events) - `mutual-action-plan` -- Mutual action plan (Kaizen events) - `stakeholder-coverage-map` -- Stakeholder coverage map (Kaizen events) - `tam-coverage-map` -- Total addressable market (TAM) coverage map (Kaizen events) - `learning-log` -- Learning log (Experimentation) - `message-testing-log` -- Message testing log (Experimentation) - `improvement-kata-storyboard` -- Improvement Kata storyboard (Improvement kata) - `metric-definition-sheet` -- Metric definition sheet (Measurement) - `marketing-metric-definition-sheet` -- Marketing metric definition sheet (Measurement) - `attribution-reality-check` -- Attribution reality check (Measurement) - `marketing-attribution-reality-check` -- Marketing attribution reality check (Measurement) - `kaizen-funnel` -- Kaizen funnel (Kaizen events) - `kaizen-charter` -- Kaizen event charter (Kaizen events) - `marketing-operating-system-charter` -- Marketing operating system charter (Kaizen events) - `sustainment-audit` -- Sustainment audit (Kaizen events) ### Sustain - `first-pass-yield-tracker` -- First-pass yield tracker (Quality at source) ## Abbreviations in kata and family names - CTQ: critical to quality - DOWNTIME: the eight wastes: defects, overproduction, waiting, non-utilised talent, transportation, inventory, motion, extra processing - FMEA: failure mode and effects analysis - ICP: ideal customer profile - ILUO: a four-step skill scale, from I (learning) through L and U to O (can train others) - KPI: key performance indicator - SQDIP: safety, quality, delivery, inventory, productivity — one common set of rows for a daily management grid, and not the only one - TAM: total addressable market - VOC: voice of the customer - WIP: work in progress --- Katafacts content is licensed [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Attribution: Katafacts (katafacts.com).