A3 thinking

What is an A3 report?  

An A3 report is simply an 11 x 17 inch piece of paper outlined into several structured sections. The exact structure depends upon the type of A3 and the needs of the situation. A general one consists of the following pattern 1) Background, 2) Current Situation & Problem, 3) Goal, 4) Root Cause Analysis, 5) Action Items / Implementation Plan, 6) Check of Results, and 7) Follow Up. The report is used to standardized and simplify report writing, proposals, status updates, and other common methods of communication. The content follows the logic of the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle.

Where does the term A3 Thinking come from?

The term A3 Thinking was coined in English by our mutual friend Al Ward who passed away several years ago in an unfortunate accident.  In Japanese it is simply referred to as "A san" where "san" is the pronunciation for the Japanese number three.

Who invented A3 reports?

There is really no single inventor of A3 reports. Former manager of training at Toyota Isao Kato describes it more as a combination of forces including the PDCA cycle, the basic steps for a QC circle, the Toyota concept of making things visible at a single glance, and the humorous anecdotes of Taiichi Ohno refusing to read more than the first page of written reports. Instead he'd say "let's go and see" and make people "get the facts" while he tested their thinking.

How does A3 relate to other lean tools and concepts?

It really compliments anything in TPS (Lean Manufacturing). In fact we sort of cringe at the notion of calling it a tool. The last thing we want to see is another movement of starting QC Circles or drawing Value Stream Maps just for the sake of the activity. A3 Thinking is about a logical and critical thinking process that can be applied in any discipline. Think of it is a thinking pattern to be used in problem solving, improvement or any activity rather than a tool.