A3 Report is a terrific way to implement Deming’s PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act). Toyota uses it for problem solving. You can use this technique too. Don’t fear, it’s simple. Here goes an example:
Fig.1: A3 Report
Theme: Stress free morning procedures
Background: School starts at 8.20. The children need to sleep as long as possible. They must leave home at 7.45 in order to catch the school bus.
Current Condition: Lack of time almost every morning. Stress creates bad atmosphere in family. Value stream map (see fig.2) indicates that value adding processes only takes 17 out of 45 minutes.
Fig.2 Value Stream Map
Goal: Ready to leave for the bus within 45 minutes without stress.
Root Cause Analysis: Why stress? Because a considerable amount of time is spent on T2. Why is so much time spent on T2? Because Groa has to wait for the hair brush. Why does she have to wait? Because her sisters use the hair brush.
Countermeasures: 1) Mother buys two more hair brushes. Due Friday. 2) Father reserves space for new hair brushes, when they are not used. Due Saturday. 3) Father will measure if T2 decreases after (1) and (2) is done.
Effect Confirmation: T2 decreases. The whole value stream shrinks in time. Stress is gone.
Follow-up Actions: 1) Mother will buy another two hair brushes. It’s a backup in case of one ordinary is lost. Due Tuesday.
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I love how you used a common everyday situation and improved it with a vsm!
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