A3 Thinking/Problem Solving

Description

A3 Think­ing is part tool, part method­ol­o­gy, designed to help teams iden­ti­fy the most crit­i­cal aspects of a prob­lem using the PDCA cycle, then using that infor­ma­tion to cre­ate a one-page sto­ry. A3s are valu­able coach­ing tools, as they pro­vide a win­dow into the learner’s thought process.

The goal with A3 Think­ing is to devel­op a con­sis­tent, sus­tain­able process for plan­ning and prob­lem-solv­ing, as well as improv­ing col­lab­o­ra­tion through­out the entire organization. While the format for an A3 Action Plan may vary depending upon the nature of the problem to be solved, the constraint placed by the “A3” paper size (approx. 11×17”) creates the need to focus on the most critical aspects of the current condition, and then systematically apply countermeasures to achieve a substantially improved target condition.

The emphasis of A3 is placed on a strong visual presentation of both before and after conditions, to create a compelling argument to implement. Key measures and milestones highlight the benefits of executing the plan as well as creating a cadence for improvement.

The A3 process involves several steps, including:

Definition of the Problem
Clearly and briefly describe and state the problem and its impact on the organization.

Data Gathering
Collect data and evidence to help understand the problem and identify potential root causes.

Data Analysis
Use cause and effect diagrams, flow charts, and process maps to analyze the data and identify root causes.

Solution Development
Generate and evaluate potential solutions, selecting the most promising ones for further development.

Implementation Plan
Implement the selected solutions and verify that they effectively resolve problems.

Standardize and Institutionalize
Document the problem-solving process and share the results with the organization to encourage continuous improvement.

Download these documents as needed:

Managing to Learn — Detailed A3 Template

A3 Strategy Form