Advanced problems solving using A3 Report - January 2017

1Marek.Piatkowski@Rogers.com
A3 Reporting
Introduction
Thinkingwin, Win, WIN
A3 Reports
Introduction to A3 Reports
Marek Piatkowski – January 2017

A3 Reporting
Introduction
Introduction - Marek Piatkowski
 Professional Background
 Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada (TMMC) - Cambridge, Ontario from
1987-1994
 TPS/Lean Transformation Consulting - since 1994
 Professional Affiliations
 TWI Network – John Shook, Founder
 Lean Enterprise Institute (LEI) – Jim Womack
 Lean Enterprise Academy (LEA) – Daniel Jones
 CCM/CAINTRA – Monterrey, Mexico
 SME, AME, ASQ, CME
 Lean Manufacturing Solutions - Toronto, Canada
http://twi-network.com

A3 Reporting
Introduction

A3 Reporting
Introduction
Anatomy of A3 Report
 A3 reports get their name from the paper size used to print them. In their purest
form, they are reports written on a single sheet of A3 (or 11” x 17”) paper.
 This is a paper size that works well for presenting the essential elements of a single
idea, with enough information to make a decision about it.
 Larger sizes of paper contain too much information, and the large format paper can
become clumsy. An 11 x 17 document is just right - it has enough room for a
concise chunk of knowledge, and it fits within the average person’s field of vision.
 The readers may focus on one part at a time, but they can always see the whole.
 This could be an answer to a Power Point fluff

A3 Reporting
Introduction
Advantages of using A3 Report
 The A3 Report is a way to look with “new eyes” at a specific problem or an
objective identified by direct observation or experience
 Root cause analysis is not new to problem solving, but the A3 Report offers a
simple and consistent way to achieve and document it.
 Creating the Target Condition is easy because we so deeply understand what is
wrong with the Current Condition.
 There is tremendous power in having a single problem solving method in which
management and staff members develop confidence

A3 Reporting
Introduction
Books on A3

A3 Reporting
Introduction
My Preferences

A3 Reporting
Introduction
Elements of the A3 Process
The A3 Report Itself The A3 Review Process

A3 Reporting
Introduction
Purpose of the A3 Report and Process
 P-D-C-A
 Logical Thinking Process
 Engaging the Organization
 Types of A3 Reports
 Practical Problem Solving
 Strategy Deployment - Hoshin Kanri
 Proposals – new equipment, new layout, new
organizational changes, …
 Status Report
 And more …

A3 Reporting
Introduction
Problem Solving A3

A3 Reporting
Introduction
Mary, Quality
Inspector
Coach, Isao
Chip Process
Mount& Crimp Inspection
IPunch Press
Isao
Device-K AssemblyShop
I
I
#1
#2
#3
2 Shift 1 Shift
Reducing Defects
In Assembly
Problem Solving A3

A3 Reporting
Introduction
Title: Reduce Scratches in Assembly ( Leader: Mary )
1. Background
3. Target
4. Analysis
Shop: Device-K Assembly
Update: Dec. 15, 2010
Coach
Andy
Dec. 15, 10
Manager
5. Countermeasures and plan
6. Result & next challenge
- Device-K isour next main product!
- Increasein variety of mounting/ casing
types
- Quality isa key successfactor in
assembly aswell asin thechipprocess
Device-K Sales Plan by Product Ty pe
Sales
380% # of Major
Types
3 10
Device-K Sales Plan by Product Ty peDevice-K Sales Plan by Product Ty pe
Sales
380%
Sales
380% # of Major
Types
3 10
# of Major
Types
3 10
# of Major
Types
3 10
2. Current state (Based on November data)
Actual output
First Pass Rate(FPR)
target
Mp
Demand
Yield Ratetarget
Yield Rateactual FPR actual
Actual output
target
Mp
Demand
Yield Ratetarget
target
Mp
Demand
Yield Ratetarget
Mp
Demand
Yield Ratetarget
Scratches aremost often identified at inspection:
48%of assembly defects
End of November, 2008
Metrics Target Actual
Output
/Demand 100% 99.2%
Yield Rate 97% 85.2%
First Pass
Rate (FPR) 90% 65.1%
End of November, 2008
Output
/Demand 100% 99.2%
First Pass
Rate (FPR) 90% 65.1%
Not improved in
thesethreemonths!
92%of defects werecaused
by Assembly !
Bad
chip
Assembly
defects
Bad Chip vs. Assembly Defects
Bad
chip
Assembly
defects
Bad
chip
Assembly
defects
Assembly
defects
Bad Chip vs. Assembly Defects
Most scratches are
repaired by re-polishing
= Waste!
re-polishing
NG:
Scratches
Inspection
About 20 sec. /p
(1) Z eroscratches!
(2) Reducemissed crimps of 12%
FPR = 90%
* Based on November data
4-2. Trial-1: On-lineinspection just after line#1
crimper
Exit of crimper On-lineinspection!
4-3. Second observation: types of scratches
Straight
28%
Rounded
70%
Others
2%
Fixing crimper head 4 alsoreduced missed crimp
defects.
Observed only in line#2 Next gosee-2
Observed in all lines Punch press?
4-4. Hypothesis &gosee-2: First stepof assembly line#2?
From punch
press Straight scratches areobserved here!
Entranceof line#2
Blade
spring
Small
pimple!
#
1
2
3
4
Action item
Fix crimper head
Dec. 5th 12th 19th 26th Jan.
Fix bladespring
On-lineinspection Trial Prep. 2-shift inspection
Responsibility Status
Done
Done
On
track
Mary &Jack
with Facility Team
Jimmy
Mgr. Assembly
Reduceinventories
between processes
Stopmachines alternatively
MaintainImplement VM
Team On
track
2nd week of Dec, 2008
FPR 90% 90.2%
2nd week of Dec, 2008
FPR 90% 90.2%
(1) Remaining Defects
1) Scratches(2%)
2) Missed crimp(1%) 3) Others
(2) “Why”after current countermeasures
1) Broken head – why?
2) Pimple– why?
#2
#3
#1
#2
#3
#1
#2
#3
#1
4-1. Hypothesis &gosee-1: Assembly line#2?
Problem Solving A3

A3 Reporting
Introduction
Work
Smelt aluminum with 4 induction furnaces
and 1 reflection furnace
Distribute the solution by lift truck after
adjusting elements
2
Procedure Summary
3
Element adjusting distributionBase
Metal
Measuring
Reflection furnace
throw
Induction furnace
Start manufacturing of New
product (ISU head) in August
Plan to increase production in
November
Department plan
It is determined that reflection
furnace will be used
Impossible with the current rate
of operation
Unpractical countermeasure
for production increase
1
2
3
II. Background (reason for tackling this problem)
Reflection 310
Furnace $/T
Induction 430
Furnace $/T
Comparison of energy cost
TL RV JM TO
Theme: Increase OperationalAvailabilityof Reflection Furnace
Section 1
Section 2
Section 3
Section 4
5
4
4
MEGroup 111
Group 112
Group 211
Group 212
Casting
Dept
Structure
1
I. Outline of Workplace
• Standard: 90 % operation will be required on all reflection furnaces
• Discrepancy: between Standard and the Current Situation is 5%
• Current situation: 85% operation on all reflection furnaces
• Extent: 85% operation has been occurring since July 1, 2006
 Rationale: increasing operation of reflection furnace will improve productivity
and meet required production demands for a new product (ISU Heads
III. Analysis of current situation – pinpointing the problem
Current rate of operation 85%
Increase to 90% (by October)
Average breakdown per month 41
Decrease to 20 or less
IV. GOAL
•There are two potential causes of not being capable of meeting our future operation
rate of 90% 1. too many breakdowns
2. too much time spent doing maintenance
• Examination of records shows present level of maintenance is planned
• Investigation found largest cause of breakdowns is Clamp Misoperation
▲ Problem: Cannot meet future production
requirements at current operation rate
 WHY? Larger percent of breakdown
 WHY? 52% of breakdowns due to clamp misoperation
 WHY? Sliding part in clamp guide bar binding
 WHY? Spring on guide part not moving freely
 WHY? Dirt build up in grease on spring
 WHY? No seal on housing for spring on clamp guide bar (ROOT CAUSE)
V. CAUSE ANALYSIS
• Two countermeasures will be tested to address the root cause
1. Clean springs frequently (short term)
2. Install seals in spring housing (long term)
• Root cause will be tested by cleaning to remove dirt build up
• If binding is eliminated seals will be ordered as permanent countermeasure
• Cost of seals (less than that of cleaning) is justified by their long term effectiveness
VI. COUNTERMEASURES
Date: 1/5/2007
•Compile weekly breakdown reports, including % of operation and % of breakdown
•Determine % of daily breakdowns due to clamp misoperation
•If clamp misoperation still accounts for more than 2% breakdowns, it will be re-analyzed
Average %
of operation
What Where Who when
Clean Springs On guide bars Maintenance 1/15/07
Check Impact of Cleaning
Springs
Inspect Springs Daily
Review BreakdownReports TL (self) 1/17-31/07
Order dust seals Through companyPurchasingDept. Group Leader 2/1/07
Insert dust seals Slidingpart of guide bar Maintenance When seals received(3/1/07?)
VII. IMPLEMENTATION
VIII. FOLLOW-UP
5%
10%
85%
Operations
Required Maintenance
Breakdown
5%
5%
90% Operations
Breakdown
5%
5%
90% Operations
Breakdown
7
17%
4
10%
21
52%
9
21%
Clamp Misoperation
Chain Slack
Cluch Slipping
Other
DiscrepancyStandard
80
90
100
51/1 03/1 51/2 82/2 51/3 03/3
Expected
Target
Problem Solving A3

A3 Reporting
Introduction
Problem Solving A3

A3 Reporting
Introduction

A3 Reporting
Introduction
Problem Solving A3
Template

A3 Reporting
Introduction
Date:
A3 REPORT - PROBLEM SOLVING
VI. Countermeasure
VII. Cost/Benefit Analysis
III. Current Condition
IV. Cause Analysis
II. Background
Orig.
V. Target Condition
IX. Follow-Up
Plan Actual Results
Approval:I. Theme V.P. G.M. GLM DLM Mgr.
When?
VIII. Implementation Plan
What? Where? Who?
Problem Solving A3
Template

Problem Solving A3 Report Review Date:Presented by:
Title / Theme:
Background Information:
Current Situation – Problem Identification:
Target:
Root Cause Analysis:
Proposed Countermeasures:
Monitor Results and Standardize:

A3 Reporting
Introduction
Hoshin Kanri A3

A3 Reporting
Introduction
Proposal A3

A3 Reporting
Introduction
Status Report A3

A3 Reporting
Introduction
Advantages of using A3 Report
 The A3 Report is a way to look with “new eyes” at a specific problem or an
objective identified by direct observation or experience
 The graphic nature of the A3 Report contributes to deep understanding of the
current condition and the target condition
 Root cause analysis is not new to problem solving, but the A3 Report offers a
simple and consistent way to achieve and document it.
 Creating the Target Condition is easy because we so deeply understand what is
wrong with the Current Condition.
 There is tremendous power in having a single problem solving method in which
management and staff members develop confidence

A3 Reporting
Introduction
Structure of Generic A3 Report
 The information on the report should “flow”. A3 report should have a clear starting
point and a clear finishing point. It resembles a P-D-C-A process
 A perfect A3 Report should answer any possible questions that your audience
might have regarding a selection and a solution to this problem
 Some basic elements that should appear on every report are:
 Theme or a Title
 Problem Background Information
 Description of a Current Situation – Problem Description
 Targets and Objectives
 Root Cause Analysis of Current Situation
 Proposed Countermeasures
 Implementation Plan
 Follow up and Review of Results

A3 Reporting
Introduction
Theme or a Title
 A3 report is designed to solve a single problem or an issue; therefore every report
should start with a single “theme” or a title.
 Some basic elements appear on every report:
 Title - clearly state the name of your activity
 Author’s name or Team members names and contact information
 Date it was created or reviewed
 References
 The theme indicates the problem being addressed, and is fairly descriptive. The
theme should focus on the problem, and not promote a particular solution.
 These common elements help the reader identify at a glance whether or not the
report is of interest to them, and find out where to go for more information

A3 Reporting
Introduction
Problem Background
 The background of a A3 report should be a concise statement of what the A3
report is all about. It should answer the question, “What are we trying to do here?”
 The background section includes any appropriate or background information
necessary to fully understand the issue and importance of the problem.
 Items that might be included in this section are:
 How the problem was discovered and where the problem occurred
 Why was this problem selected?
 What is a problem?
 How does this problem relate to the organization’s goals, objectives or values
 What impact does this problem have on equipment, processes, customers, people,
organizational structure, activities, the various parties involved, etc …

A3 Reporting
Introduction
Current Condition
 Before a problem can be properly addressed, one must have a firm grasp of the
current situation. If the analysis of causes is done properly, then the problem is
already half-solved.
 Observe the work processes first hand, and document one’s observations.
 Create a diagram that shows how the work is currently done. Any number of
formal process charting or mapping tools can be used, but often simple stick
figures and arrows will do the trick.
 Quantify the magnitude of the problem (e.g., % of customer deliveries that are late,
number of stock outs in a month, number of errors reported per quarter, % of work
time that is value-added); if possible, represent the data graphically.

A3 Reporting
Introduction
Targets and Objectives
 Targets are numeric values that show what level of improvement must be achieve.
 It is important to express targets quantitatively whenever possible.
 Targets and Objectives are SPECIFIC and PRECISE. Goals are the “concept”
 Objectives measure progress being made toward the achievement of a goal. They
declare what will be accomplished by a certain date.
 Objectives should have a single aim and end-product or result that is easily
verifiable.
 Objectives should start with a verb (an action - what), a target (how much of what),
and a date (when this will be accomplished)

A3 Reporting
Introduction
Root Cause Analysis of Current Condition
 For the A3 Report, the current condition needs to be an image illustrating how the
current process works.
 It’s important to label the diagram so that anyone knowledgeable about the
process will be able to understand it.
 Major problems also need to be included. Put them in storm bursts so they are set
apart from the diagram.
 Hand-drawn diagrams (in pencil) are often the most effective because they can be
done quickly and changed easily on-the-spot.

A3 Reporting
Introduction
Recommended Solution – Countermeasure
 Toyota calls the improvements countermeasures (rather than the ever-present
“solutions”) because it implies that:
 We are countering a specific problem, and
 It is what we will use now until we discover an even better countermeasure
 The countermeasures address the root cause while conforming to the three basic
principles for design of organizational systems:
 Work activities are specified according to content, sequence, timing, and outcome
 Connections between entities clear, direct, and immediately comprehended
 Pathways are simple, direct, and uninterrupted; are all the steps value-added
 Once the current situation is fully understood and the root causes for the main
problem have been unveiled, it’s time to develop some countermeasures.
 Corrective action are the changes to be made to the work processes that will move
the organization closer to objective, or make the process more efficient, by
addressing root causes.

A3 Reporting
Introduction
Implementation Plan
 In order to reach the target state, one needs a well thought-out and workable
implementation plan.
 The implementation plan should include a list of the actions that need to be done
to get the countermeasures in place and realize the target condition, along with
the individual responsible for each task and a due date.
 Other relevant items, such as cost or resources may also be added.

A3 Reporting
Introduction
Follow up and Review of Results
 Process improvement does not end with implementation.
 It is very important to measure the actual results and compare to the predicted
objective.
 If the actual results differ from the predicted ones, research needs to be conducted
to figure out why, modify the process and repeat implementation and follow-up
(i.e., repeat the A3 process) until the goal is met.
 After we demonstrate that our proposed countermeasures created actual solutions
to a problem than we need to update the existing process (standardize) and
monitor results on frequent basis – did we fix the problem long term?

A3 Reporting
Introduction
A3 Review Process Steps
Discussion between the Author (Owner) and the Coach
1. Assignment of a Problem – Problem Description
2. Review and acceptance of the Problem Situation
Title, Background, Current Conditions, Goals & Targets
3. Review and acceptance of the Problem Analysis
4. Review and acceptance of Proposed Countermeasures
5. Review and acceptance of the Implementation Plan
6. Implementation and Progress Review

A3 Reporting
Introduction
Problem Solving - A3 Report
 A3 Report analyzes a problem or an improvement proposal, then presents a
recommended course of action to achieve this objective
 The objective nature of the A3 creates safe and acceptable problem solving
process; it is never critical of an individual's work.
 The graphic nature of the A3 contributes to deep understanding of the current
conditions and the target conditions
 By receiving and reviewing a report, manager can confirm that his message has
been properly conveyed and understood
 Once the A3 Report is approved than it becomes a method and a “road map”
towards solving the problem or achieving an objective.

A3 Reporting
Introduction
What is a “Good” A3 Report
 An A3 Report contains objective facts, technical data and “resolves” a problem. It
tells a story
 But being technically “right” is only half the battle…
 A good A3 should engage and align the organization
 It forces us to have structured discussion with all stakeholders in the process and
create an acceptable solution that works
 What really makes an A3 a “good one” is not the specific collection of facts and
data that tell how I will solve this problem
 A good A3 is a reflection of the dialogue that created it

Hoshin Kanri - Departmental Improvement Plan
Business Unit VP Plant Manager Dept. Manager Supervisors Project Teams
True North
Strategy Deployment
Hoshin Kanri
Improvement Project A3
 Project Leader creates a PLAN
portion of A3 for each project
 Each A3 PLAN is approved by a
Project Leader’s CoachPlan of Activities
– Project A3s
A3 Format
Departmental
Objectives
Identify and prioritize
improvement projects
Select: Project Leader, Project
Coach and Improvement Team
List of projects
and activities
A3 Format
Approved Projects and
Activities – Plan

A3 Reporting
Introduction
Changing the World. One Transformation at a time
This presentation is an intellectual property of W3 Group Canada Inc.
No parts of this document can be copied or reproduced
without written permission from:
Marek Piatkowski
W3 Group Canada Inc.
iPhone: 416-235-2631
Cell: 248-207-0416
Marek.Piatkowski@rogers.com
http://twi-network.com

A3 Reporting
Introduction
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