A3 Thinking &

Reporting
What is an A3 report?

A one-page A3 document that includes all relevant

information required to communicate simply, quickly &
effectively and “tell a story” about the subject matter

A-3 Title/Theme

Situation Countermeasures

Targets Implementation

Analysis Follow Up

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 When to use A3 reports

Use a Proposal A3 when:

No current plan or goal exists but a company key need
is not being met
Plan or goal exists but the company need has changed
New direction or policy is made and a strategy is
needed to implement it

Use a Status A3 when

Reporting status of larger goal
Highlighting important problems
Giving formal reviews of projects or when you need
to give an update.

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Make it visual …

Your plan should be series of pictures...

...that anyone could follow

Complexity is not a mark of clear thinking….

……simplicity is
• Less is more
• Use simple declarative sentences.
• Be specific

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Status A3 Layout
STATUS REPORT STORY : DATE: TO: FROM:

THEME TOTAL EFFECT

BACKGROUND

OBJECTIVES UNRESOLVED PROBLEMS / FUTURE ACTIONS (TIMING PLAN)

IMPLEMENTATION
Lean What
ManagementWho
Point: When

CLEAR, LOGICAL story

Logical FLOW
KEYPOINT summary

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 Layout tips
Goal
• Provide a training, which is designed as a complete overview of the Learning Objective
Ford Production System to enable participants to gain knowledge
• Develop and understand Lean Leadership Behaviors and Management
in all areas as well as show that FPS is a total plant operating
Responsibility
system that requires the support of every area and person.
• Utilise Total Immersion Methodology (Hear/See/Do) to develop • Establish FPS Vision for own area of responsibility
knowledgeable leaders who can implement, teach and follow up • Gain knowledge & confidence to teach and use FPS tools
• Develop a critical mass of knowledgeable leaders to markedly
• Develop implementation plan and follow up progress
BPS Lean Learning Academy
accelerate FPS implementation
• Provide resources in training at Ford manufacturing complexes to • Check resources
drive continuous improvement initiatives

Course
Current Status (Jan 2002)
Completed Courses: Saarlouis 11, Windsor 8, KTP 2

•Use numbered list or bullets

Classroom
367 participants as of 10/10/01 SLS WEP KTP
History
Shopfloor Presentation
Observations
28%
22% Directors 4 6 1
• Bootcamp Valencia April 2000 Shop
Classr
Plant Mgrs 8 11 2
oom
- Who do we need to teach? floor

•Avoid sentences
Shadowing Area/Prod. Mgrs 49 57
high level management 11% Group 10
Exercise
- How do we need to teach? Work Supt/Mfg Mgrs 86 50
28%
Assignment 11
shop floor experience 11%
Mfg Group Staff 8 8 3
- What do we need to teach?

•Use italics to focus attention on key points

MP&L Staff 15 3 1
3 week schedule • 14 days class in total (107 hours)
FPS Office 11 4 1
Lean Leadership
Support Functions 8 4
Lean Communication
Suppliers 1 2
Lean Tools
Saarlouis Location (Pilot Project) UAW/CAW 3
Management Responsibility
• Plant 53 hours classroom training
Total 190 141

•Order items based on importance, time etc

36
- central location within Europe mainly by RWD instructors
access for 3 big plants without 54 hours shop floor experience
airtravel 12 hours as team member Further Activities
- high implementation level on FPS 12 hours shadowing • 2002 Schedule
shop floor experience within • Personal Assignments - 9 courses SLS, 10 courses WEP, 10 courses at KTP
Ford environment Workstation QPS - 522 participants scheduled
• LLA Facility Management QPS • Additional Locations
- host 18 participants Kaizen Project - tbe NA VO (Kentucky Truck) Dec 2001

•Leave blank spaces between bullets /

- lean office Lean Office Suggestions - tbe Amazon (South America) 1st qtr 2002
quick setup Lessons Learned A3 • PD-Eng.‘s pend. request
smart stationary • Pilot Suppliers personnel January 2002

numbers
office QPS • Local language courses 2002
suggestion scheme for Foremen, Production Engineers

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 Layout tips
Goal
• Provide a training, which is designed as a complete overview of the
Ford Production System to enable participants to gain knowledge
in all areas as well as show that FPS is a total plant operating
ametek Learning Objective
• Develop and understand Lean Leadership Behaviors and Management
Responsibility
system that requires the support of every area and person.
• Utilise Total Immersion Methodology (Hear/See/Do) to develop
knowledgeable leaders who can implement, teach and follow up
BPS Lean Learning Academy • Establish FPS Vision for own area of responsibility
• Gain knowledge & confidence to teach and use FPS tools
• Develop a critical mass of knowledgeable leaders to markedly
• Develop implementation plan and follow up progress
accelerate FPS implementation

•A picture is worth …
• Provide resources in training at Ford manufacturing complexes to
drive continuous improvement initiatives
• Check resources

Course
Current Status (Jan 2002)
Completed Courses: Saarlouis 11, Windsor 8, KTP 2
Classroom
367 participants as of 10/10/01 SLS WEP KTP
History
Shopfloor Presentation
Observations
28%
22% Directors 4 6 1
• Bootcamp Valencia April 2000 Shop
Classr
Plant Mgrs 8 11 2
oom
- Who do we need to teach? floor
Shadowing Area/Prod. Mgrs 49 57
high level management 11% Group 10
Exercise
- How do we need to teach? Work Supt/Mfg Mgrs 86 50
28%
Assignment 11
shop floor experience 11%
Mfg Group Staff 8 8 3
- What do we need to teach?
MP&L Staff 15 3 1
3 week schedule • 14 days class in total (107 hours)
FPS Office 11 4 1
Lean Leadership
Support Functions 8 4
Lean Communication
Suppliers 1 2
Lean Tools
Saarlouis Location (Pilot Project) UAW/CAW 3
Management Responsibility

•Refer to graphs – don’t repeat info in text body

• Plant 53 hours classroom training
Total 190 141
36
- central location within Europe mainly by RWD instructors
access for 3 big plants without 54 hours shop floor experience
airtravel Further Activities
•Label axes
12 hours as team member
- high implementation level on FPS 12 hours shadowing • 2002 Schedule
shop floor experience within • Personal Assignments - 9 courses SLS, 10 courses WEP, 10 courses at KTP

• LLA Facility
Ford environment
•Show target and use appropriate scale Workstation QPS
Management QPS
- 522 participants scheduled
• Additional Locations
- host 18 participants Kaizen Project - tbe NA VO (Kentucky Truck) Dec 2001
- lean office •Indicate status Lean Office Suggestions - tbe Amazon (South America) 1st qtr 2002
quick setup Lessons Learned A3 • PD-Eng.‘s pend. request
smart stationary
•Tell the real story
• Pilot Suppliers personnel January 2002
office QPS • Local language courses 2002
suggestion scheme for Foremen, Production Engineers
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 Benefits of A3 Thinking

Shared understanding – Grasp the situation!

Promotes Continuous Improvement mindset (PDCA)
Encourages front-line decision-making
Cost control
Process management
Management based on data
Teamwork / Organizational Thinking
Documented History/Knowledge Management
“A3 Book of Knowledge”

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 A3 Reports

Why Use the A3 Report?

 Enhances logical thinking What / How to accomplish
 Enhances decision-making All facts on one page
 Standardised approach Standard Communication Tool
 Forces all issues to be addressed Any steps / facts left out
 Focuses problem-solving activities 5 Whys, etc.
 Eliminates waste Single piece of paper,
quicker understanding
 Forces you to question: Why do this ? Does it make sense?
Will it improve the current process?
Will it solve a problem?
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Summary

The A3 report is the “currency”of

Proposals
Strategic Planning
Lessons Learned
Status/Recovery

Also provides current status of

Major projects
Important problems (Management report )
Strategies

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A3 Thinking

A3 thinking is planning
What is planning?

“…to devise a scheme for doing, making, or arranging.”

“…the design of a desired future and of effective ways

of bringing it about.”

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A3 Reports (Examples)

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 A3 Reports (Examples)
Lessons Learned Report Story. Date 26/06/02 To: John Naughton From: Roy Foreshaw
1 Objectives 3 Observations & Key Leaning Points

To learn about the FPS tools and techniques being demonstrated 1. New 8D format – Problem solving.
through the LLA, and to look for a common approach to drive 2. Safety near miss reporting – Safety.
the business. 3. Work group meeting involvement – People.
4. Managed diaries – Communication.
2 Activity 5. Control of ISR element process – Systems.
To observe, learn and actively partake in 6. Auditing of QPS – Standardisation.
the learning experience from the LLA, 7. New Yamazumi boards – Standardisation.
through practical application of the tools 8. Value stream mapping – Total cost.
and techniques. Whilst maintaining an 9. SMF improvements – Materials.
open minded approach.

5 Actions
4 Results.
 Key learning points need to be captured into training
1. New sheet helps focus on 6 sigma Define, Measure, Analyse, packages and delivered at all levels.
Improve, Control.
2. Identifies near miss as an opportunity for improvement rather  Block or area champions need to be trained to coach
than as a problem. teams.
3. 5 minute meetings held at set times create involvement and
ownership, which leads to commitment.  Develop agreed master schedule time lines with area
4. Gives management the time to coach and audit the process managers.
inputs.
5. Provides visual factory through master schedules being
visible at all times.
6 Timing Plan
6. Operators expect to be audited & know their key issues.
7. Provides a more compact board layout. What Who When
8. Identifies opportunities for total cost management and
Approval Production 1st week in July.
reductions through the use of FPS tools. operations mgr
9. Line side delivery systems have enabled savings in line side Area mgr commitment Area managers 2nd week in July.
inventory. Ticket system was particularly good. Supt brief Area 3rd week in July.
Superintendents Target August 1st.
Information cascade Area
4th week in July.
Champions
Area
Block booking of diaries 4th week in July.
Superintendents

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A3 Reports (Examples)

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A3 Report Proposal
DESCRIPCION DEL PROBLEMA FECHA: No Reporte: Reporta::

Metricos: (costo, tiempo, variabilidad, robustness)

Inicial Actual Meta
Set up Avg. Time 4 hrs. 1.5 hrs. 10 minutes

OBJETIVO Scrap (Adjustments) $32,000 $20,000 $0

# Set Ups 700 /Mo 583/Mo L/ 500/Mo

Training None OTJ Completed
Set up effectiveness None 72% 100%

ANALISIS PLAN DE ACCION (TIMING PLAN)

QUE QUIEN CUANDO

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