Problem Solving with A3

Ren Aernoudts
RenAernoudts

Use ofthis
of this material isprohibited
is prohibited toPMIunder
to PMI under thecopyrightagreement
the copyright agreement with LMI.With
LMI With
every use thesource should be stated as:copyrightLeanManagementInstitute.Use
ofor sharing this material with third parties outside PMIisnot permitted.

CopyrightLeanManagementInstitute
CopyrightLeanManagementInstitute

WhatisA3
A3reportgetsitsnamefromapapersize.Intheirpurestform,theyare
reportswrittenonasinglesheetofA3or11x17paper
t
itt
i l h t f A3 11 17
A3planningbeganinthe1960sastheQualityCircleproblemsolving
format
Ittellsastory,laidoutfromupperlefthandsidetolowerright,which
anyonecanunderstand
Itlaysoutanentireplantosolveaproblemormakeanimprovementona
singlesheetofpaper
What
Whatisimportantisnottheformat,buttheprocessandthinkingbehind
is important is not the format but the process and thinking behind
it

CopyrightLeanManagementInstitute

A3Process
A3Reportanalyzesaproblemthenpresentsarecommendedcourseofaction
t
tosolveit
l it
A3isnevercriticalofanindividual'swork
The
ThegraphicnatureoftheA3contributestodeepunderstandingofthe
graphic nature of the A3 contributes to deep understanding of the
currentconditionsandthetargetconditions
Byreceivingandreviewingareport,amanagercanconfirmthathismessage
hasbeenproperlyconveyedandunderstood
OncetheA3Reportisapproved
A3Reportisapproved thanitbecomesamethodandaroadmap
towards solving the problem or achieving an objective
towardssolvingtheproblemorachievinganobjective.

CopyrightLeanManagementInstitute

WhatisaGoodA3Report
p
AnA3Reportcontainsobjectivefacts,technicaldataandresolvesa
problem.Ittellsastory.
bl
It t ll
t
Butbeingtechnicallyrightisonlyhalfthebattle
A good A3 should engage and align the organization
AgoodA3shouldengageandaligntheorganization
Itforcesustohaveastructureddiscussionwithallstakeholdersinthe
processandcreateanacceptablesolutionthatworks
WhatreallymakesanA3agoodoneisnotthespecificcollectionoffacts
anddatathattellhowIwillsolvethisproblem
AgoodA3isareflectionofthedialoguethatcreatedit
A good A3 is a reflection of the dialogue that created it

CopyrightLeanManagementInstitute

TheA3Process
AddsastructuretoaProblemSolvingmethodology
Leadstoeffectivecountermeasuresandsolutionsbasedonfactsanddata
Clarifiesthelinkbetweentrueproblemsandcountermeasures
EncouragesPlanDoCheckAct
E
Pl D Ch k A t
Servesasanorganizationallearningtool
Developsthinkingproblemsolvers
Develops thinking problemsolvers

CopyrightLeanManagementInstitute

TheA3Process
Fostersdialoguewithintheorganization
Asastandardprocess,theA3makesiteasierforyoutoengageothersandto
understandothers
Structures
Structureseffectiveandefficientdialogueenablingmentoringandproblem
effective and efficient dialogue enabling mentoring and problem
analysis
Fostersunderstandingfollowedbyanagreementenablingproblemsolving,
decisionmaking,executionandmorethroughengagingthethinkingofthe
peopletouchedbytheproblem

CopyrightLeanManagementInstitute

Q
QuestionstoConsider
WhatmakesagoodA3good?
WhatisagooduseofanA3?
WhatbenefitscantheA3processbringtoanorganization?

Simplicity of it

CopyrightLeanManagementInstitute

A3ToolsandProcess
TheTool:

TheProcess:

TheA3formatfor

ThePDCAmanagementand

communicating
solvingproblems
l i
bl
planning
reporting
discussing

learningcyclefor
p
proposingimprovements
p
g p
reviewingproposals
managingtheirimplementation
andmore
and more

andmore

CopyrightLeanManagementInstitute

TheA3ThinkingSteps
g
p

WhatistheproblemtheRealproblem?

Whydoesitneedtobeaddressed...now?

Whoownstheproblem?

Wh t i th
Whatistherootcauseoftheproblem?
t
f th
bl ?

Whataresomepossiblecountermeasures?

How will you choose which countermeasure to propose?

Howwillyouchoosewhichcountermeasuretopropose?

Howwillyougetagreementamongeveryoneconcerned?

y
p
p
Whatisyourtimetable?
y
Whatisyourimplementationplan?

Howwillyouknowifyourcountermeasureworks?

Whatimplementationissuescanyouanticipate?

Howwillyouensurefollowupandcontinuousimprovement?

CopyrightLeanManagementInstitute

StorylineoftheProblemSolvingA3

CopyrightLeanManagementInstitute

ProblemSolvingA3:Theme
Titleintroducesthecontenttotheaudience
Shouldobjectivelydescribetheproblemaddressedinthe
Sh ld bj ti l d
ib th
bl
dd
d i th
reportinthecontextoftheoverallstory
Themebecomessearchableinanelectronicdatabase
Reducingscrapinthemachineshop
Improvingpressshopproductivity
ImprovingontimedeliveryofproductX
ReducingerrorsonAccountsPayable
Hospital
HospitalUnitscallinginsteadofe
Units calling instead of emailing
mailingenquiriesto
enquiries to
Pharmacy

CopyrightLeanManagementInstitute

ProblemSolvingA3:Background

CopyrightLeanManagementInstitute

ProblemSolvingA3:CurrentSituation

CopyrightLeanManagementInstitute

ProblemSolvingA3:Goal

CopyrightLeanManagementInstitute

ProblemSolvingA3:RootCauseAnalysis

CopyrightLeanManagementInstitute

ProblemSolvingA3:Countermeasures

CopyrightLeanManagementInstitute

ProblemSolvingA3:EffectConfirmation

CopyrightLeanManagementInstitute

ProblemSolvingA3:FollowupActions

CopyrightLeanManagementInstitute

Excercise:ToastKaizen

Toast?

WatchtheMovie:
ThinkaboutagoodtitleforyourA3(What
Think about a good title for your A3 (What
seemstobetheproblem?)
WhyareyouwritingthisA3?(Background)
Why are you writing this A3? (Background)
Whatisthecurrentsituation?(Makeadrawingof
thekitchen)
Makeagoodproblemanalysis(5timeswhyand
problemsolvingtree)
Makeafuturestate(Drawingofthekitchen)
M k f t
t t (D
i
f th kit h )
Goals(Whatdoyouwanttoachieve?)
Actionplan?(Who
Action plan? (Whossdoingwhatandwhen)
doing what and when)
Followup

CopyrightLeanManagementInstitute

A3ToastKaizen

CopyrightLeanManagementInstitute