What is an A3 report?

Last week I introduced you to kaizen and what a kaizen event may look like.

We can also do mini kaizens that range from a couple of hours to a full day. One of the tools that we start with is an A3 report.

It is used to document the current state process, define the future state process, and determine the constraints that are getting in the way.

Note that A3 is not a creative name, it refers to the size of the paper, so I often call it a Process Improvement Plan and it asks the following questions:

1. What is the background of the issue? This allows us to document why this project has surfaced and why we are working on it.

2. What is our current state? We have to know where we are before knowing where we are going. Sometimes our current state is ambiguous depending on the operator, which makes it difficult to document but also guides us immediately to the opportunity to standardize that process.

3. What is the desired future state? Where are we going and how will we know when we get there?

4. What significant constraints inhibit the development of our future state? I call them boulders in our road, we tend to go over, or around them and often miss opportunities to move the boulder permanently.

5. What are the root causes of these constraints? There are so many reasons and in a few weeks I will dive into root cause analysis to cover some of them.

6. What countermeasures can we develop to address these constraints?

Again we will go over some of these in a few weeks.

7. What is our action plan? This allows us to document the actions we have determined are needed, who is going to take that action, and by when?

8. Finally, there is a follow-up section where I consider the following:

a. What follow-up issues can we anticipate?

b. What problems may occur as we carry out our plan to achieve our future state?

c. How will we ensure ongoing improvement in our future state?

d. How will we ensure that we are capturing and sharing learning as we develop our future state?

Fun fact, this is a similar process I use when analyzing my personal life:

1. What am I lacking or wanting to change or improve?

2. What is my current state or where am I now regarding that thing?

3. What do I want in order to improve?

4. What are my constraints or what is preventing me from achieving it? (finances, a new skill or habit, location, relationship, etc.)

5. What are my fears, distractions, or mental blocks and how can I overcome them?

6. What are the next steps?

7. Who can I surround myself with to ensure my success by supporting me, holding me accountable, and sharing their knowledge?

#leanthinking #lean #processimprovement #continuousimprovement #a3

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