GB206 A3 Problem-Solving 1-18-2019

Six Sigma Green Belt:
Part 2, Module 6
A3 Problem-Solving
Template
1
A3 Problem-Solving
Template
Module 06
1. A3 Overview
2. A3 Input Form and DMAIC
A3 Project Form Objectives
 Understand the purpose of A3s
 Know how to fill out an A3 for a project
 Review the dialogue that occurs with all A3s
 Understand the A3 content and details needed for each
DMAIC phase
3
Confidential and Proprietary | Littelfuse, Inc. © 2019
1. A3 Overview
A3 General Information
 A3 refers to the size of
the paper used 17
”
– Approximately 11” x 17” or 11”
29.7cm x 42cm
 The benefit to crafting an
A3 is not in the single-
page document, but in
the process of creating it
5
A3 General Information
 A3s are also called “Story
Boards”
 The Littelfuse A3 Process
is based on DMAIC
Other company’s
A3 is based on
Deming’s “Plan-Do-
Check-Act/Adjust”
improvement cycle
6
A3 Template with DMAIC Content
7
A3 Template Halves
PAIN GAIN
8
A3 Example – ABU Molding Changeover
9
Clarifications
 Adaptable based on the story being told
– Example: conveying a company strategy versus a story about a quality
problem
 Ideally the story should be told on one page
– More complicated stories can be told over several panels/pages
– Visual techniques improve the story telling
 As with all stories, it should flow (beginning, middle, and
desired end state)
 It can be an “evolving” story
10
Why Use A3s?
 Help people think through problems or issues (i.e.,
practice critical thinking)
 Provides a mechanism around which a dialogue can take
place
– The dialogue should be two-way (or more) between writer(s) and
reader(s)
 Who will benefit by reading the story?
 Who can help the writer bring the
story to a successful conclusion?
11
The A3 Dialogue
 The A3 dialogue includes:
– Clear problem statement, improvement opportunity, or issue
definition
– Defining who is responsible and who needs to be involved
– The business context and why it was
decided to address the problem or
issue
– The collection of facts from the Gemba
to understand the problem or issue
Continued on next slide…

12
The A3 Dialogue (Cont’d)
 The A3 dialogue includes:
– Identification of all possible root causes
– A comprehensive set of countermeasures
– Actions taken and verified
– Adequate follow up to make all proven
changes the new standard
– Captured and share the learning
13
Why Have a Dialogue?
 Coach
 Learn together
 Gain support
 Bring out the best ideas and
countermeasures
14
Using A3s
 When will Littelfuse use A3s?
– For lean/six sigma projects
– To help plan kaizen events and kaizen blitz events
– Prior to meetings intended to potentially change processes or
protocol
– For annual improvement priorities to support strategy deployment
(hoshin kanri)
15
A3 Timeframe
 What is the normal pace for completing an A3?
– Depends on project complexity
– Defined by timeframe of project execution
 Filling out an A3 will be difficult when you first begin using
them
– Practice improves skill
– Second nature
16
2. A3 Project Form and
DMAIC
A3 – Step by Step
18
A3 Exercise – A Healthier Lifestyle
19
A3 – Step 1: Title / Heading
 Title / Heading
– A3 Title: A single sentence describing the story
– Project Leader: Who is the team leader, leading the team to solve
the problem?
– Team: Who are the team members, what are their roles and
responsibilities?
– Executive Sponsor: Who is the executive sponsor?
– Date: Date of last revision
20
A3 – Step 2: Define
 Define & State Problem or CI Opportunity (Define)
– Problem Statement: A simple statement that describes the problem
– Scope: Puts boundaries on the project; it is recommended to note items
not included to avoid scope creep
– Goal: Specify desired end state of the project in clear/concise terms
21
Gemba Walks
 Gemba
– A Japanese term meaning “the real place”
 In business, the gemba is the
place where value is created;
where the work is done
– In a manufacturing environment, it
refers to the factory floor
– In an office environment, it could be
the sales department, where a
service provider interacts directly with
the customer
22
Problem Statements
 A good problem statement will answer the following questions:
– What is the problem or defect?

-
– Where is the defect being observed?
– When was it observed and is there a pattern?
– How Much and to what extent?
– How Do I Know the sources or what standard we are failing to meet?
23
Good Problem Statements
 A good problem statement will clearly define WHAT is
wrong
– Customers are not satisfied with our service
– Deliveries are late
– Invoices contain errors
 Defining the “defect” will help with answering this

question
24
 A good problem statement will clearly define WHERE the
problem occurs
– Customers in the Northeast are not satisfied with our service.
– Deliveries of GE products are late.
– Invoices from Ford contain errors.
25
 A good problem statement will clearly explain WHEN the
problem occurred
– Customers in the Northeast have been complaining about late
deliveries since November of last year.
– Deliveries of GE product have been late since the merger.
– Invoices from Ford have been shown to contain errors when
produced in the latter half of the month.
26
 A good problem statement will clearly explain HOW
MUCH the problem is
deliveries since November of last year as indicated by a 2%
increase in errors.
– Deliveries of GE product have been an average of 4 days late
since the merger.
– Invoices from Ford have been shown to contain an average of
40% more errors when produced in the latter half of the month.
27
 A good problem statement will clearly explain HOW I KNOW
there is a problem
deliveries since November of last year as indicated by a 2% increase
in errors on the quarterly delivery reports.
– Deliveries of GE product have been an average of 4 days late since
the merger as measured by our company-wide on-time delivery index.
– Invoices from Ford have been shown to contain an average of 40%
more errors when produced in the latter half of the month as indicated
by a high weekly DPMO.
28
Problem Statement Decomposition
HOW MUCH
WHAT
WHERE
“Invoices from Ford have been shown to
contain an average of 40% more errors
when produced in the latter half of the
month as indicated by a high weekly
DPMO.”
HOW I
WHEN KNOW
29
Smart Goals
 Effective goal statements are written using the SMART
format:
• Specific: State exactly what needs to be accomplished
S
• Measurable: Quantify the impact and to what extent
M
• Attainable: Stretch goals with ability to achieve outcome
A
• Relevant: Align the goals to organization’s objectives
R
• Time Bound: Established target dates
T
30
SMART Goals Examples
Measurable
Specific
Increase sales turnover to a minimum of

$2K / month to meet the organization’s
sales forecast by October 31, 2017
Time-Bound
Attainable since the
Relevant goal was written with
enough time to
complete the action
31
SMART Goals Examples
 Increase sales turnover to a minimum of $2K /
month to meet the organization’s sales forecast
by October 31, 2017
 Improve the new product development process
by 50% on 5 new products by the end of 2018
 Decrease 15% of the year-over-year inventory
value by December 31, 2016
 Improve the final assembly cycle time from 0.28
hours to 0.18 hours within 7 days
32
Scope Statement
 Project scope refers to the boundaries of the project
 It is an attempt to outline the range of the team’s activities
 Team should work very hard in its first meeting to clarify
the project scope
 The team champion, the leader, and the team will all be
involved in this process
35
Managing the Scope
 One of the most important project success factors is a manageable
scope
 The Green Belt must focus on:
– An aspect of a larger Black Belt Project
 Example: Supplier quality issue as one contributor to late delivery of finished product
shipments
– A single non-conformance
 Example: Late delivery of a product to a certain customer
– A category of non-conformances
 Example: Late delivery of a certain specialty product line
– A group of non-conformance likely to have similar causes
 Example: Late delivery of all board shipments
36
Project Scope
 IN: Defines what part of the process is “in scope”
 OUT: Defines what part of the process “out of scope”
 Questions to answer:
– Where does the process begin?
– Where does the process end?
– Are there specific aspects of the process being focused on?
– Does it includes other process areas outside of your functional
area?
37
Project Scope Example
 Order processing
– IN: Receipt of customer order to order booking
– OUT: Engineering oversight for incomplete part number
 Business performance disclosure

– IN: Month-end data processing to month-end consolidation
– OUT: Financial forecasting
 Assembly cell throughput

– IN: Parts received in assembly cell to final inspection
– OUT: New part introduction
38
A3 Exercise – Steps 1 & 2
 Individually, fill out the Title / Heading section of the A3 form
 Fill out the Define & State the Problem section of the A3 form
– Write an answer to each of the 5 questions:
 WHAT
 WHERE
 WHEN
 HOW MUCH
 HOW I KNOW
– Combine your 5 answers and write it into a problem statement
– Define and write the project scope
– Define and write the SMART goals
 Time duration: 15 mins
 Debrief: 10 minutes
39
Breakout Exercise 1: Helpful Hints
40
A3 – Step 3: Measure
 Background / Initial Condition (Measure)
– List the current conditions (current state)
– Use graphical techniques to show current state performance (Pareto
Chart, Run Chart, Histograms, etc.)
– Insert drawings or photographs to illustrate current state (Process Map)
41
A3 – Step 3: Measure
 “Background / Initial Condition” Dos and Don’ts
– Always go to the gemba (“actual place”)
 Take the time to gather necessary information
 Must observe current conditions
 The problem or issue is at the gemba; perhaps the solution is, too!
– Take pictures and videos as needed
– Determine critical measures for the process
– Baseline the scale of the problem
42
A3 – Step 4: Analyze
 Problem Analysis (Analyze)
– Analyze the current situation
– Identify “root cause(s)” of the problem or issue
 Insert the Cause & Effect diagram(s)
 Insert the 5 Whys analysis
 Summarize experiment results thru hypothesis test(s)
43
A3 – Step 4: Analyze
 “Analysis” Dos and Don’ts
– Always involve “stakeholders” in identifying root causes
– DO NOT jump to conclusions
– DO NOT be too quick to discard possible causes
– Test and verify most if not all causes
44
Stakeholders
 Who might the stakeholders be if the project was to make
a peanut butter and jelly sandwich?
45
A3 – Step 5: Target / Future State
 Target / Future State
– What are the desired outcomes of the new process?
– Insert future state process map
– Highlight activity reductions
– Outline future state benefits
46
Key Questions for Target / Future State
 Have you identified the true root
causes? What is
the gap?
 Can you show the gap between the
target and the current condition?
 Did you fully grasp the whole
situation from the gemba?
 Did you clarify business objectives?
From Managing to Learn, John Shook

47
Key Questions for Target / Future State (Cont’d)
 Did you uncover the right (i.e., most meaningful)
information to support the analysis?
 Did you identify the root cause(s) that contributed to the
gap?
 Did you capture this material in the most clear and
concise manner, i.e., one that clarifies true problems,
invites analytic questions, and suggests direct
countermeasures?

48
A3 – Step 6: Improve
 Countermeasures (Improve)
– Short-term actions that verifies effectiveness of proposed
countermeasures
– Long-term actions that addresses root cause(s) or to reach a
“future state”
– Consider contingency plans to anticipate barriers
49
A3 – Step 6: Improve (Cont’d)
 Countermeasures (Improve)
– Identify alternative countermeasures
– Gain consensus on countermeasures
 Agreement by the group that address the reasonable concerns of all
stakeholders
 All group members agree to fully support the implementation of the
selected countermeasures
 It is not unanimity or majority rule
– Experiment and learn by doing
50
Key Questions to Countermeasures
 Has every reasonable, alternative countermeasure been
considered?
 Have the alternatives been identified through engagement of
stakeholders (people within the process, customers of the process)?
 Do the countermeasures address root causes?
 Can you justify why the proposed countermeasures are necessary?
 Have you gone to the gemba to gather information and to identify
countermeasures?

51
A3 – Step 7: Implementation Plan
 Implementation Plan
– Identify all actions necessary to implement the countermeasures
– Develop an Action Plan (What? Who? When?)
– Indicate the progress towards a goal

– Experimentation including conducting a pilot
52
Key Questions to Implementation Plan
 Has problem-solving shifted from quick fixes to root-cause
countermeasures?
 Does the current A3 reflect the input of the key people
involved with the work? Do countermeasures have support?
 Has the A3 continued to evolve through constant iteration as
a result of experimenting with the initially-proposed
countermeasures?
 Are you using the DMAIC cycle to implement the plan and to
gather knowledge from experience?
53
A3 – Step 7: Implementation Plan
 “Implementation Plan” Dos and Don’ts
– Identify all actions necessary, even when it is “early” in the story
– Involve others in the implementation
 Greater rate of success
 Promotes a commitment to succeed
– Determine a review schedule and stick to it
54
A3 – Step 8: Control
 Demonstrate Improvement / Next Steps (Control)
– Define and determine how to verify countermeasures
– Update as new data is obtained
– Consider a table of metrics (before/goal/actual) and/or graphical
techniques (i.e., run charts)
55
– Sometimes a problem cannot be permanently resolved;
implement countermeasures to reduce the likelihood of problem
re-occurance
– Some countermeasures may create new problems
– Countermeasures are subject to change as new circumstances
arise
The key is to put methods in

place to identify when
circumstances have changed
56
– Did the countermeasures achieve the desired results?
 If not, what adjustments in the plan will be made?
 If so, update standard work, execute training, and implement control
plans
– Identify any follow-up actions required
 Continual, periodic measurement, and/or audits
– Share the learning and results with

stakeholders, team members, etc.
57
 “Demonstrate Improvement / Next Steps” Dos and Don’ts
– Return to the gemba to verify effectiveness
 Observe results first hand
 Identify any undesirable effects
– Always share results (good or bad) with stakeholders
 Positive results promote acceptance of new standards
 Negative results represent important learning and an opportunity to try
again
58
 Demonstrate Improvement / Next Steps Dos and Don’ts
– Do not shortcut the process
– Do identify systematic ways to prevent setback
 Bad: “We’ll train everyone”
 Good: “This is now part of our standard work”
– Don’t cave in to resistance
 Show your success
59
Box Score Tab
 Second tab of A3 template
– Provide relevant improvement metrics
60
The A3 Improvement Process
 Footnotes
– Comments to clarify any information in the A3 should be noted. These
include:
 Sources
 References to other documents (e.g. other A3s)
 Timeframe that any data was collected
 Meaning of acronyms, terms, equations, etc.
– Any final notes to “close out” the story should be added
 When story was completed
 Who reviewed and concurred with the results and new standards implemented
61
 Final Dos and Don’ts of A3 Writing
– Get messy
– Pass your A3 around, let it be marked up
– A3s should prompt healthy debates
62
 Final Dos and Don’ts of A3 Writing
– Storytelling in succinct ways takes practice
 Use brief statements, not sentences
 Use visual techniques to convey messages
“A picture is worth a thousand words”
– Use the document and the process. It works!
63
2.6 A3 Test for Understanding
N Question T F
1 SMART stands for Specific, Measureable, Applicable, Relevant and Time-bound
2 A good problem statement addresses what, where, when, how much and how do I
know
3 It’s best to complete A3s by yourself
4 The 2nd half of the A3 form describes the GAIN aspect of the project
5 Stakeholders are persons who have a vested interest in the process
6 Countermeasures are only meant for long term actions
7 A3s provide a mechanism where a dialogue can take place
8 A3 is a living document
9 Pictures take up too much room; therefore, they should not be used in A3s
10 Littelfuse’s A3s follow the Plan Do Check Act framework
64
Questions?
65

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Six Sigma Green Belt:

Continued on next slide…

– What is the problem or defect?

– When was it observed and is there a pattern?

– How Much and to what extent?

– How Do I Know the sources or what standard we are failing to meet?

 Defining the “defect” will help with answering this

Increase sales turnover to a minimum of

 Business performance disclosure

 Assembly cell throughput

From Managing to Learn, John Shook

From Managing to Learn, John Shook

From Managing to Learn, John Shook

– Indicate the progress towards a goal

The key is to put methods in

– Share the learning and results with

“A picture is worth a thousand words”

– Use the document and the process. It works!

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