Hologic, Inc. San Diego Recognized with Affiliates Choice for Systems Excellence
March 3, 2026 – the Shingo Institute
Hologic, Inc. Recognized with the Affiliates Choice for Systems Excellence for ALPACA Improvement System
LOGAN, Utah—March 3, 2026—The Shingo Institute, part of the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business at Utah State University, is pleased to announce that Hologic, Inc. in San Diego, California, USA has been selected for the Affiliates Choice for Systems Excellence Recognition. This honor is awarded to affiliate‑nominated organizations that have developed and matured a model system aligned with the Shingo Guiding Principles, with measurable improvement over time clearly attributable to that system.
Nominated by Steve Nicoll, Shingo Licensed Affiliate at The Lean Orange, Hologic is being recognized for the design and impact of its ALPACA Improvement System (All Levels of Product Awareness and Customer Awareness), a scalable governance model that deepens product and customer knowledge across the Molecular Diagnostics division and strengthens value creation for both internal and external customers.
“The ALPACA improvement system is a deliberately designed system that aligns purpose, governance, behavior, and results,” said Nicoll. “Its strength lies in how clearly it demonstrates a core Shingo insight: purpose and systems drive behavior.”
Evolving from an informal set of practices, ALPACA was reshaped following Shingo benchmarking in 2023 to strengthen product knowledge as the foundation of the system. A centralized internal website was launched to consolidate training, information‑for‑use, and technical resources, followed by an expansion to include both internal and external customer awareness. By 2025, Hologic had introduced a standardized onboarding presentation and 23 department “tour boards” across Operations and Quality, making end‑to‑end processes and interdependencies visible while replacing printed materials with easily updated digital content. Continuous learning is built into the work through A3 thinking, DMS spotlights, and structured sprint reviews, ensuring the system evolves based on real feedback rather than assumptions.
The impact is clear. Since formalizing ALPACA, Hologic has seen significant and sustained improvements in quality performance, including a marked reduction in nonconformances and a smaller backlog of open issues. Employee engagement has also increased, with gains in measures related to purpose, connection, and understanding of how daily work impacts patients and internal customers. Together, these improvements reflect stronger cross‑functional alignment and decision-making anchored in customer value.
“Hologic’s ALPACA system shows how principle‑based design can elevate knowledge, accelerate learning, and translate directly into performance,” said Ken Snyder, Executive Director of the Shingo Institute. “Their disciplined governance, clear feedback mechanisms, and measurable outcomes make them an exemplary recipient of the Affiliates Choice recognition.”
Representatives from Hologic will be formally recognized at the Shingo Connect Awards Gala in San Diego, California, on March 19, 2026. Shingo Connect bring professionals from across industries together to learn, connect, and grow with one shared goal: to improve every day. This year’s theme—Accelerating Human-Centered Transformation—explores how true excellence emerges when technology and systems align with people, culture, and principles. To learn more about the event, please visit https://shingo.org/events.
About the Shingo Institute
The Shingo Institute is home to the Shingo Prize, an award recognizing organizations that demonstrate an exceptional culture fostering continuous improvement. Part of the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business at Utah State University, the Shingo Institute is named after Japanese industrial engineer and Toyota adviser Shigeo Shingo, one of the world's thought leaders in the Toyota Production System.
Drawing from Dr. Shingo’s teachings and years of experience working with organizations worldwide, the Shingo Institute developed the Shingo Model, the basis for its various educational offerings, including workshops, study tours, and conferences. Workshops are available in multiple languages through the Institute's Licensed Affiliates. For more information on workshops and affiliates or to register to attend an event, please visit https://shingo.org.
Shingo Media Contact
Mary Price, Events and Marketing Director
Shingo Institute
Phone: +1.435.760.0711
Email: [email protected]