A3 report template

The seven boxes of the A3 for thinking through a problem from start to finish. It is saved in your browser.

A3 title (the problem or topic)

1. Business contextWhat is the problem or topic, and why does it matter? Brief description.2. Current situationHow the area where the problem appears stands today. Data, not opinions.3. Desired resultWhere you want to get to, measurable and with a date.4. Root cause analysisWhy it happens: 5 whys, Ishikawa, Pareto. Avoid treating only the symptom.5. CountermeasuresWhat is proposed to attack the root cause and reach the objective.6. Action planConcrete actions, with an owner and a due date.7. Follow-upHow and when the result is measured, and what is done if it falls short.

It is saved in your browser. To print it on one sheet, use Ctrl+P.

How it works

It does not calculate anything: it is a template with the seven boxes of the A3, in the order of the guide: business context, current situation, desired result, root cause analysis, countermeasures, action plan and follow-up.

What matters is not the form but the conversation: the guide insists that the A3 is a thinking and mentoring process, not a piece of paper. It is saved in your browser, and to take it to a sheet you can use Ctrl+P. If the follow-up results differ from what was expected, the plan is modified, implemented again and measurement continues; if the effect is positive, it is communicated and becomes the standard.

Sources

These are the ones from the article where the theory behind this tool is developed.

Where does the method come from, and how is it used as a mentoring tool? It is in the article A3 report: solving a problem on one sheet.