Lean toolkit / 01
A3 Problem Solving Report
One page that carries a problem from background to standardized fix. The A3 is the thinking, not the paperwork — if it reads like a status report, it has gone wrong.
Work left to right. Nothing on the right half is allowed until the left half is proven, and every claim on the left should be something you could walk someone out to see.
If you can fill in countermeasures before you have finished the current condition, you already had the answer — which means you are installing a solution, not solving a problem.
Why this problem, why now. What is at stake in dollars, hours, defects or customer impact.
Facts and data from the gemba. Where exactly does the problem show up, and how big is it?
Measure, from what, to what, by when.
The chain of cause and effect, and how you verified it at the point of cause.
What you will change, tied to a verified root cause. One countermeasure per cause.
Did the measure move? Compare before and after against the target. State the gap that remains.
What gets written into standard work, who audits it, and the date you will check.
About the process, and about how we solve problems here.
Implementation plan
Every countermeasure needs a name and a date| # | Action | Who | By when | Status |
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A3 Problem Solving Report · DF Consulting · df-consulting.net · david@df-consulting.net