A3 problem solving

The A3 process is a problem-solving tool. Toyota has developed this system to encourage learning, collaboration and personal growth of employees. The term “A3” is derived from the special size of paper used to outline ideas, plans and objectives throughout the A3 process.

Steps to achieve A3 improvement:

• Identify the problem or need.
• Understand the current situation / state.
• Develop the initial state - Develop the future state.
• Perform root cause analysis.
• Brainstorm / determine countermeasures.
• Create a countermeasures implementation plan.
• Check the results - confirm the effect.
• Standardize the improvement made

In most organizations, in most teams, we do not collaborate as strategically. We leave the meetings with half-resolved ideas. Many times we rush to work on implementing a solution, without taking into account important details.

The A3 process allows groups of people to actively collaborate on the purpose, objectives and strategy of a project. It encourages in-depth problem-solving throughout the process and adjusts, as appropriate, to ensure that the project meets its proposed objective exactly.

Surely you have heard a lot about continuous improvement, easy to say, but much more difficult to implement. We discuss ideas for continuous improvement in standups and meetings (“It would be great if we could…”), but it's hard to take the time to sit down and work on improving your company's processes and policies.

The A3 process can provide the structure and documentation of continuous improvement efforts. In addition to day-to-day work, many organizations use the A3 process to manage their continuous improvement efforts.