#A3 project management template update#

#A3 project management template update#

The team must update all standard work, work instructions and process control plans, etc. Actĭuring this phase of the A3, the team should take action to standardize the process changes or improvements. This can be accomplished in many ways, including but not limited to additional quality checks, Statistical Process Control (SPC) data, process or product audits and customer feedback. The A3 team should next confirm the effectiveness of the countermeasures. Therefore, proper levels of management should be kept informed throughout the process to assure adequate resources are available for implementing any corrective actions. Some countermeasures may require repair or replacement of tooling or other capital expenditures. In some cases, support from outside resources or test facilities are required. The plan should include the team members, resources and time required to complete each task. DoĪ plan for implementation of the corrective actions should be developed.

Corrective actions that do not have an owner or due date are seldom achieved. The countermeasures must be clearly defined, achievable by the person responsible and have a due date. Permanent countermeasures or corrective actions must then be determined to address the root cause. Whatever method selected, it is important to get past the symptoms of the problem and down to the root cause. The tools could include, but are not limited to data analysis or completing a Cause and Effect or Ishikawa diagram followed by a 5 Why exercise. The team should perform a Root Cause Analysis (RCA) of the problem by using various quality tools. Many companies are adopting the SMART goal approach. The goals should be specific, measureable, realistic, achievable and timely. This could include a percentage of improvement in process throughput, reduction in number of defects per unit or processing time. The A3 team should set goals regarding the improvement desired as a result of the exercise. Prioritize the issues and identify the point of occurrence or escape point. There also may be more than one issue contributing to the problem or more detail required to properly address the problem.

Ask any relevant 5W (What, When, Where, Who, Why) and 2H (How, How many / How often) questions. Next, the team should breakdown or further define the problem. The purpose of containment is to prevent further problems from occurring or prevent the current problem from causing negative effects to other processes, products or departments. In some A3 formats, a section is included for immediate countermeasures or containment actions. What value will be realized by completion of the A3 exercise?.State your goals and explain how performing the A3 and closing the gap would benefit the organization.How is the current status different from the desired state or operational standard?.Describe the current situation or status.Define the ideal state, the operational standard or the desired condition.The first step is to define the problem or identify the need for improvement: The basic steps and where they fall into the PDCA structure are listed below: Plan One thing that all of the forms seem to have in common is that they follow the PDCA problem solving process. The following paragraphs provide information regarding the basic steps and some tools used to complete the A3. The A3 Report can utilize various forms depending upon the organizations needs and preferences. The exact number of steps used is not as important as the end result. The number of steps can vary due to the different formats being used for the A3 Report. The A3 Report usually consists of multiple steps following a PDCA structure of Plan, Do, Check, Act. The A3 Report and the A3 way of thinking are valuable tools for Lean initiatives and for integrating a problem solving culture throughout the organization. Its use should be determined based upon the size of the problem and its impact on the business or organization. With resources being limited, completion of a formal A3 Report may not be applicable to every problem. It is an excellent tool for managers and supervisors to share problem solving techniques with their teams. The A3 Report fosters a problem solving / continuous improvement mindset within the participating team members.

While the A3 Report is an effective communication tool, it is actually much more valuable as a problem solving and critical thinking tool that can be used to drive continuous improvement. The A3 Report format can be used to more effectively communicate all of the pertinent information with greater visual impact. Some problem solving tools involve numerous pages of information, multiple charts and graphs and lengthy reports.