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A3 Thinking: Facilitator's Guide

This document provides an overview and facilitator's guide for teaching a training session on A3 Thinking using Gemba Academy's online learning content. The guide includes an outline for the training session, which involves introducing A3 reports, watching an introductory video, reviewing key points through discussion, taking a quiz, and discussing how to apply the concepts in the workplace. The key points section defines what an A3 report is, why they should be used, and a typical report layout, focusing on using a single page to tell the story of a problem or improvement through the PDCA process.

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Ermanda Disha
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204 views4 pages

A3 Thinking: Facilitator's Guide

This document provides an overview and facilitator's guide for teaching a training session on A3 Thinking using Gemba Academy's online learning content. The guide includes an outline for the training session, which involves introducing A3 reports, watching an introductory video, reviewing key points through discussion, taking a quiz, and discussing how to apply the concepts in the workplace. The key points section defines what an A3 report is, why they should be used, and a typical report layout, focusing on using a single page to tell the story of a problem or improvement through the PDCA process.

Uploaded by

Ermanda Disha
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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A3 Thinking

Facilitator’s Guide
A3 Thinking Overview
An overview of the A3 Thinking course.

A step by step guide to presenting Gemba Academy’s 5S course to lean learners in all positions. This guide includes
key points, discussion items, quiz questions and answers, and helpful tips. Using Gemba Academy’s online learning
content, any facilitator can teach teams of people how to use A3 reports in their daily work.
A3 Thinking Overview
Preparation and Lesson Plan
Use this page to prepare for each training session.

Resources
• Gemba Academy videos
• Online quizzes

Prepare for a Successful Training Session


• Watch videos and complete quizzes on your own at least one day before the training session.
• Read this guide thoroughly and become familiar with the course content before presenting to
others.
• Prepare a suitable training room for your participants.
• Prepare a computer with internet access and a projector or large screen. Test all equipment
before the training session.
• Have your Gemba Academy username and password ready.

U:_______________
P:_______________

• Choose your quiz style. The most popular option is to use the online interactive quiz,
answering questions as a group with open discussion. Another option is to print the PDF
version and have participants complete the quizzes individually.

Training Session Outline


• Step 1: Introduce the session topic and content to the participants.
• Step 2: Play a video.
• Step 3: Lead a group discussion using this guide. Review key
points, ask prepared questions and have participants fill in Choose Your Quiz
the blanks in their workbooks. Style
• Step 4: Take the quiz and review
responses.
• Step 5: Apply what has been learned
in your workplace.

When questions come up,


encourage other participants to
answer. Responding to questions
with “What does the team think?”
goes a long way to build
engagement.

Helpful
Tip

1
A3 Thinking Overview
Step 1: Session Overview
• Introduce the training topic.
• This module explains what an A3 report is, why to use one, and different ways to use A3s.

• Explain what to expect during this session.


In this session we will:
• Watch “A3 Thinking Overview” (9:19)
• Discuss what we learned from the video using the workbook
• Review the content with a quiz and talk about the results.

• Before you begin…


• Ask your participants if they have heard the term “A3” before. If they have, what do they
think it is?

Step 2: Play “A3 Thinking Overview”

Step 3: Review Key Points

What is an A3 Report?
• An A3 is a single-page report used to tell a story of how a problem or situation was improved by
the methodological application of PDCA.
• The report gets its name from the A3 paper size used in some countries, which is about 297mm
by 490mm (11” x 17”)
• The power of the report isn’t in its size, but the fact that everything is presented on a single
piece of paper.
• Done correctly, the A3 allows the team to identify the most critical elements of a problem by
following PDCA.
• The A3 isn’t going to solve all of your problems or improve anything by itself. Instead it’s the
critical thinking, collaboration, and following PDCA which adds value.
• The A3 format is flexible, but the A3 process is standard; every A3 report is slightly different.
• A3 reports can be used for many things, such as problem-solving, capital expenditure requests,
new hire justification, project planning, and annual planning.

Why Should We Use One?


• All of the information is on one page. This helps us keep things concise and maintain focus on
what’s important.
• It allows us to use visuals and charts in a concise manner.
• It also allows us to build collaboration and consensus.

2
A3 Thinking Overview
A Typical A3 Report Layout
• The header section of the report identifies the theme or topic of the A3, and possibly also the
name of the area, the product, and/or the company.
• Describe the current state: what’s the problem we’re trying to solve? Also use this section to
identify the gap between the target & the actual state.
• Document background and supporting data, share the basic facts and figures, and use helpful
charts & graphs.
• Include a root cause analysis section, using 5 Why and other PPS methods; this should always
lead to action.
• Document the action plan: list countermeasure(s) for each root cause, and list who’s
responsible for the action, what the action is, and when it will be done.
• Check and verify whether the countermeasures were successful. Again, note who’s responsible
for doing this, when it will be done, how it will be done, and how often it will be done.
• In the context of PDCA, the left side of this A3 is focused on Plan (or the first 5 steps of Practical
Problem Solving), while the right side is focused on the Do, Check, and Act phases (or the last 3
steps of PPS).
• Feel free to experiment with different layouts of the A3: you might try a three-column
approach, or devote more space to the current state.

Step 4: Reflection
Give your participants 10-15 minutes to fill out the reflection questions at the end of their
workbooks. When they’re finished, have a short discussion with them. Now that you understand
better what an A3 report is and what it does, do you see how adopting it would benefit your
company? How would it help you in your job? Spend 5-10 minutes discussing.

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