A3 Problem Solver

Overview

The A3 Problem Solver skill provides comprehensive capabilities for structured problem-solving using the A3 methodology. It supports problem statement crafting, root cause investigation, countermeasure development, and PDCA-based follow-up tracking.

Capabilities

• A3 template facilitation
• Problem statement crafting
• Current condition analysis
• Target condition definition
• Gap analysis
• Root cause investigation
• Countermeasure development
• Follow-up tracking

Used By Processes

• CI-002: A3 Problem Solving
• LEAN-003: Kaizen Event Facilitation
• SIX-005: Root Cause Analysis

Tools and Libraries

• A3 templates
• Coaching frameworks
• Collaboration tools
• Progress tracking systems

Usage

skill: a3-problem-solver
inputs:
  problem_type: "problem_solving"  # problem_solving | proposal | status_report
  problem_owner: "John Smith"
  coach: "Jane Doe"
  problem_description: "Customer lead time increased from 5 days to 8 days"
  current_condition:
    metric: "lead_time"
    current_value: 8
    unit: "days"
  target_condition:
    target_value: 4
    unit: "days"
    timeline: "90 days"
outputs:
  - a3_document
  - problem_statement
  - root_cause_analysis
  - countermeasure_plan
  - implementation_schedule
  - follow_up_checklist

A3 Document Sections

Left Side (Understanding)

Section	Purpose
Background	Why is this important now?
Current Condition	What is happening today?
Target Condition	What should be happening?
Gap Analysis	What is the difference?
Root Cause Analysis	Why does the gap exist?

Right Side (Action)

Section	Purpose
Countermeasures	What will we do?
Implementation Plan	How and when?
Follow-up	How will we verify?
Results	What did we achieve?

Problem Statement Criteria

A good problem statement:

• Specific - Clear and measurable
• Observable - Based on data/facts
• Non-judgmental - No blame
• Gap-focused - Current vs. target
• Bounded - Defined scope

Example

Poor: "Quality is bad" Good: "Defect rate on Line 3 increased from 2% to 5% in Q4 2025"

A3 Thinking Process

PDCA Cycle

1. Plan - Understand problem, identify root cause, develop countermeasures
2. Do - Implement countermeasures
3. Check - Verify results
4. Act - Standardize or adjust

Coaching Questions

Section	Coaching Questions
Problem	Is it measurable? Based on data?
Current	Do you understand the process?
Target	Is it realistic? Stretch enough?
Root Cause	Did you verify with data?
Countermeasures	Do they address root causes?
Implementation	Who, what, when?

Integration Points

• Project tracking systems
• Knowledge management
• Coaching platforms
• Performance dashboards