Training Details
🗓️ Date: May 29, 2025
⏰ Time: 8:30-Noon
❇️ Location: TBD & Via Zoom
💵 Cost: Free for Lean Jax Members; $75 for Non-Members
Register Here.
Training Overview
🟢 Join us on May 29 for Part I of Lean Jax’s two-part series on A3 Problem-Solving and Root Cause Analysis!
🟢 This interactive virtual training session will introduce you to the A3 methodology, a powerful framework for addressing critical organizational challenges. You’ll sharpen your skills in root cause analysis, empowering you and your team to identify and resolve underlying issues effectively.
🟢 In this session, you will learn to distill key insights—such as problem identification, analysis, corrective actions, and action plans—onto an 11 by 17-inch piece of paper, streamlining your approach to A3 thinking. Connect with a community of problem solvers eager to tackle challenges collaboratively.
🟢 This foundational training will prepare you for the next part of the series, where you'll explore countermeasures and develop actionable improvement plans.
🟢 Don’t miss this opportunity to elevate your skills and contribute to a culture of continuous improvement!
Learning Objectives
✅ Leverage the A3 problem-solving framework as a disciplined, visual structure that supports all Lean improvement efforts, enabling teams to systematically identify, analyze, and resolve organizational challenges for sustainable, breakthrough results.
✅ Use the "Is/Is Not" approach to properly scope and define problem statements, ensuring clarity and focus.
✅ Visualize and analyze the current state of a critical value stream through data collection, Gemba observation, and visual tools like charts and graphs.
✅ Create tangible, SMART target conditions to guide focused improvement efforts.
✅ Conduct root cause analysis using Pareto analysis, Fishbone diagrams, and the Five Whys to identify impactful causes and underlying issues.
✅ Develop a preliminary A3 report that documents the problem, current state, root causes, and SMART target conditions in a structured, actionable format.
Training Outline
Introduction & Importance of the A3 Framework: Discover how the A3 problem-solving framework provides a disciplined, visual structure supporting all Lean improvement efforts. Understand how it systematically helps teams identify, analyze, and resolve organizational challenges to deliver sustainable, breakthrough results.
Hands-On Exercise; Developing a Problem Statement: Practice creating clear, focused problem statements using real or simulated scenarios. Apply the "Is/Is Not" approach to effectively scope and communicate the problem.
Visualizing the Current State: Go to the Gemba to observe facts firsthand and gather relevant data. Use visual tools like charts, graphs, and process maps to depict the current condition of a critical value stream.
Setting SMART Target Conditions: Develop tangible, SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) target conditions to guide focused improvement efforts.
Prioritizing Potential Causes with Pareto Analysis: Identify the most impactful potential causes using Pareto charts, focusing on the "vital few" issues that will drive the greatest gains.
Root Cause Analysis Techniques: Use tools like Fishbone diagrams and Five Whys to systematically uncover and verify root causes. Practice applying these tools in simulated scenarios.
Assignment; Create a Preliminary A3: Develop a preliminary A3 report that documents the problem, current state, root causes, and SMART target conditions. (This will be submitted as homework for the next session.)
Next Session; Bridging the Gap & Delivering Improvements: Focus on prioritizing countermeasures and developing action plans to bridge the gap from current state to a desirable future state.