A3 Problem Solving for Continuous Improvement
46mBeginner2026-06-10
Authors
Sam Yankelevitch
Author, Trainer, International Conference Speaker
Course details
A3 helps companies learn and achieve sustainable solutions. When problems don’t have a single root cause, a cross-functional team approach is required to identify multiple contributing causes and find holistic solutions. The A3 process guides your team through a step-by-step process laid out on an 11 x 17-inch worksheet. In this course, lean author Sam Yankelevitch explains how to adopt the A3 process in order to approach problems, improve results, and drive organizational learning. Discover how to clarify the role of each stakeholder, identify and quantify the problem, find multiple contributing causes, and brainstorm countermeasures. Plus, learn how to create an action plan that everybody agrees on, measure results, and share lessons learned with the rest of your organization.
Skills covered
Operations ManagementIntroduction toProject ManagementBusiness Analysis and Strategy
Concepts
Introduction
- Effectively addressing problem-solving
- What is A3 problem-solving
Defining the Problem and the Stakeholders
- Define participant roles
- Define the problem clearly
Quantifying Problems and Solutions
- Metrics - Current state
- Metrics - Desired state
Finding Causes and Potential Solutions
- Identify contributing causes
- Find the deeper root causes
- Brainstorm potential countermeasures
The Action Plan to Solve the Problem
- Agree on the action plan
- Periodic follow-up
- Plan, do, check, act (PDCA)
Did You Solve the Problem
- Compare results against plans
- Share lessons learned
- Using A3 to establish a standard
Conclusion
- Next steps