Toyota’s Secret: The A3 Report – MIT sloan

Henry Ford: Inspirational Problem Solving Quotes
Most people spend more time and energy going around problems than in trying to solve them.

Voltaire: Inspirational Problem Solving Quotes
No problem can stand the assault of sustained thinking.

A3 Report – how Toyota solves problems, creates plans, and gets new things done while developing an organization of thinking problem-solvers.

A nice definition can be found here: A3 is a standardized report developed as part of the Toyota Production System. The A3 names is from the paper size (approximately 11″ x 17″). The report is written and drawn (illustrations are encouraged) on one piece of paper.

The “A3 problem solving process” is not just the single piece of paper. A3 (in the lean context) is about a method for process improvement which is very similar to the Deming improvement cycle. As one component of the Toyota Production the use of the benefit of the A3 report is a tremendous tool. As a separete tool, to apply without the rest of the system, it can still be useful but is not nearly as powerful.

The report should include something similar to (it can vary):

• Overview and current state
• Root cause analysis
• Proposed countermeasures
• Implementation plan
• Results
• Future plans

Mind Harvests: Toyota’s Secret: The A3 Report – MIT sloan says:

• The A3’s constraints (just 2 pages) and its structure (specific categories, ordered in steps, adding up to a “story”) are the keys to the A3’s power.
• Though the A3 process can be used effectively both to solve problems and to plan initiatives, its greatest payoff may be how it fosters learning. It presents ideal opportunities for mentoring.
• It becomes a basis for collaboration.

Mark writes more about this over on the Lean Blog:

“The ultimate goal of A3s is not just to solve the problem at hand, but to make the process of problem solving transparent and teachable in a manner that creates an organization full of thinking, learning problems solvers.”

Not just solving problems, but developing people. Building people before building cars. Good stuff.

In my experience, if you can summarise a problem, its root cause and the potential solution onto one piece of A3, then you REALLY have to understand the problem.

Resource

Check out this website which provides:

• The steps of the A3 process, with examples
• The A3 Report (including a downloadable template)
• A case study from a hospital
• Some of our research from a National Science Foundation grant.

Throughout, they provide examples from an actual problem-solving exercise where the team used the A3 Process and A3 Report to decrease patient transport time from an average of 45 minutes to under 10 minutes.

Related articles

• How To Perform A Successful Root Cause Analysis (organizeit.co.uk)
• Getting Started with Lean in Nursing (leanblog.org)
• Batch & Queue Construction? (leanbuilder.blogspot.com)
• Ask Gemba: Nuts and Bolts of the Andon System (gembapantarei.com)
• Six Sigma Blogs: Right First Time, Every Time! (blogs.isixsigma.com)
• Get Your Boots On! (gotboondoggle.blogspot.com)
• Six Sigma Blogs: Six Sigma & TQM (blogs.isixsigma.com)
• Nice Lean Healthcare Overview in Healthcare Journal (leanblog.org)
• 4s, 5s, 6s (theleanthinker.com)
• More Online Criticism of Lean Healthcare (leanblog.org)
• Link Update: A3 Thinking Blog (leaninsider.productivitypress.com)
• The A3 Thinking Blog (gembapantarei.com)
• Breaking: GM Dumps NUMMI Partnership with Toyota (leanblog.org)
• Toyota to Mass-Produce Plug-In Hybrid in 2012… For $48,000! (treehugger.com)
• Toyota picks UK to make new hybrid hatchback car (guardian.co.uk)

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