What needs to be finished first
At least one on-site observation of the affected process has been completed, so the problem is grounded in real observation rather than hearsay.
An initial causal chain or a comparable structured hypothesis set exists, so the analysis part of the A3 starts with data instead of assumptions.
What needs to be ready before start
A3 paper or digital template in DIN A3 with eight sections (Background, Current State, Goal, Root Cause, Countermeasures, Plan, Follow-up, Sign-off); pencil; data printouts from the last 30 days; sketches of the current situation from the Gemba Walk.
One owner as the A3 learner who holds and writes on the sheet; one coach or mentor who guides through questions rather than solving; two to three people from the affected process as fact providers.
Problem context with time period and impact in numbers; Gemba notes; existing metrics or run charts; known quick fixes and their effect; stakeholders whose sign-off is needed at the end.
90-120 min for the first draft, 2-3 coaching iterations over 1-2 weeks
Print the A3 template or set it up in Miro. Place Background top left and Goal top right. Current State and Root Cause in the middle left, Countermeasures and Plan on the right. Follow-up at the bottom. Sign-off field bottom right. The owner writes with pencil, the coach only asks questions.
The one question this method answers
Which root cause behind the problem can be shifted with a testable countermeasure so that the target state is demonstrably reached?
Marker: Sektion
| Step | Duration | Action | Hint |
|---|---|---|---|
1Section 1: Background and Goal | 15 min | Describe the problem in no more than four sentences with date, frequency, and impact. Define the Goal with a measurable target metric and deadline. Background gives the business reason, not the team history. | If the background takes more than one paragraph, the problem is not cut tightly enough. The owner must set the target value before the analysis, otherwise the Goal will later be bent to fit the proposal. |
2Section 2: Current State | 20 min | Draw the current state with concrete data and a sketch of the process. Times, volumes, error rates in numbers. Mark hot spots where the problem occurs. | A sketch beats text. If the Current State is only bullet points, the process view is missing. At least one run chart or Pareto per hot spot. |
3Section 3: Root Cause | 20 min | Derive a Why chain or fishbone from the hot spots. Choose one to three main root causes that can be backed by data. Document other paths and mark them as rejected. | One data point per root cause, not a guess. If all causes are only behavioral descriptions, the process view from Gemba is missing. |
4Section 4: Countermeasures | 20 min | Define one or two countermeasures per root cause with owner, deadline, and expected effect. Separate quick fix and sustainable measure clearly. Support the effect with a hypothetical number. | If all countermeasures are training or awareness, the analysis is too shallow. At least one measure must act on the process or system itself. |
5Section 5: Plan and Follow-up | 15 min | Create an implementation plan with milestones and responsibilities. Define the follow-up date and measurement setup (which metric when against which target). Obtain sign-off from coach and sponsor. | Without a follow-up date on the calendar, the A3 stays theory. The owner should set the date immediately and test the measurement source before sign-off. |
What comes out at the end
A one-page A3 document (paper or PDF) with the eight sections Background, Current State, Goal, Root Cause, Countermeasures, Plan, Follow-up, Sign-off, each with sketches or run charts and named owners per measure.
Filename with date, problem title, and version number (v0.1 draft, v1.0 sign-off, v1.1 after follow-up). Keep iterations side by side, do not overwrite. Add the follow-up result to the sign-off section with a date.
Compact working template for A3 Problem Solving with context, input, output artifacts, and next step.
A one-page structured method for problem, analysis, countermeasures, and follow-up.
When and for what do we use this method?
Which data, observations, decisions, or materials are available?
Short notes along the runsheet.
Owner, date, and success signal.
Concrete filled scenario, fictional example
Concrete filled scenario, fictional example
Background: Scrap rate on assembly line 3 rose from 2.1% to 4.7% in April 2026, adding EUR 18,400 per month in costs.
Goal: Reduce the rate to below 2.5% by 30.06.2026 while keeping cycle time stable.
Current State (Gemba 02.05.): 73% of defects occur at station 4 (fastening), Pareto in appendix 1. Run chart shows an increase after the shift change on 18.04.
Root Cause: Torque driver was replaced on 17.04.; the new driver was calibrated to 4.2 Nm instead of 4.8 Nm. Maintenance tickets were closed without a calibration check.
Countermeasures:
Follow-up: Measurement review on 02.06.2026, target value <2.5%. Sign-off: @sponsor.
Recognize symptoms and steer against them
The owner writes the measure in the background already, and Goal and Current State are adjusted afterward to fit.
Have the coach complete Background and Goal before any solution discussion. If solution sentences appear, take the pencil and rewrite them.
Current State and Root Cause consist of bullet text without numbers, sketches, or charts.
Enforce one data source per section. If no data exists, data collection is the first countermeasure.
The sheet is filled once, presented, and filed away. No follow-up, no iterations.
Agree on a coaching cadence (at least three coaching sessions). Fix the follow-up date in the sign-off section before handing it over.
Background names three different problems and the Current State becomes fuzzy.
One problem, one Goal per A3. If there are multiple topics, run separate A3s in parallel or cut the scope before Section 2.
The mentor dictates measures and the owner only writes them down.
Coaching rule: only questions, no statements. The owner must formulate each measure themselves, otherwise they will not carry it later.
Countermeasures consist only of workarounds or extra checks.
At least one measure per root cause must act on the system or standard. A quick fix can be noted in parallel, but it does not replace anything.
Done signals checkable in under a minute
Go to the profile for purpose, similar methods, and sources or continue to the next method in the catalog.