Introduction
Project leaders will keep track of team progress using an A3 Report.
Introduction
Benefits of the A3
•
It is an on-going visual guide of where
you are and what happens next.
•
Think of it as both a map and a checklist.
•
This is your hands-on tool for the whole
DMAIC process.
D
A3
Begin by thinking about your problem
What areas
can I target?
What do I
want to fix?
What is the
problem’s
background?
How does this
relate to my
mission, vision,
etc.?
1. Problem Statement:
D
A3
Begin by thinking about your problem
Where do we
stand?
How can I
measure this?
2. Current Situation:
How does
this process
run?
Should I consider
time, cost,
survey scores or
something else?
D
A3
Then by thinking about your ideal
Where do we
need to be?
How far would I
like to get?
What are some
measurable
targets?
When would I
like to get there?
3. Target Goals:
D
Project Charter
• Be sure to include briefly:
• Who is being impacted? (This
is your customer.)
• What is the issue that is
impacting the customer?
• Where and when do the
customers encounter the
problem with the process?
• What is the impact to the
customer when the problem
occurs?
D
Project Charter
 Be sure to consider,
• What authority do we have?
• What processes are we addressing?
• What is not within scope?
• What are the starting and ending
points of the process?
• What components of the business
are/are not included?
• What, if anything, is outside of the
project boundaries?
• What constraints must the team work
under?
D
Project Charter
BEWARE Scope Creep
PROCESS
• Not
your
job!
Upstream
Process
• Stick with
beginning
/end points.
• Not
your
job!
Downstream
Process
Create boundaries and
maintain them!
D
Project Charter
What is a metric?
• A measured variable that can be tracked
and used to detect errors, inefficiency, or
improvement. It can be a process
metric or and organizational metric.
Process metrics apply to specific
processes or programs like time, cost, or
quality.
Organizational metrics address
organization-wide issues like employee
satisfaction and turnover.
Choose one or more to describe
accurately your process’ efficiency.
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Project Charter
Kinds of Metrics
• Time Metrics
– Value-added
time
– Non-valueadded time
– Processing
time
– Cycle time
• Cost Metrics
– Cost savings
– Opportunity
cost
– Decreased
waste
• Quality Metrics
– Customer
satisfaction
– Percent
complete and
accurate
• Output Metrics
– Backlog
– Work in
process
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Project Charter
You must have a
baseline to measure
improvement.
The Lean Office will help establish
your baseline metrics.
D
A3
Now revise the A3 Problem Statement
• Briefly explain what the project is and what your team
hopes to achieve.
• Also name your metrics.
D
A3
Problem Statement Example:
M
A3
Begin by thinking about your problem
Where do we
stand?
What are some
ways to
measure this?
2. Current Situation:
How does
this process
run?
Should I consider
time, cost, survey
scores or
something else?
M
A3
Then by thinking about your ideal
Where do we
need to be?
What are some
measurable
targets?
3. Target Goals:
How far would I
like to get?
When would I
like to get there?
M
A3
Now revise the A3 Current Situation
• Name your metric and record data from the current
process.
M
A3
Current Situation Example
A
A3
Think about the data you have collected
What
problems can I
identify?
What are the
root causes?
Do my
customers have
relevant input?
4. Analyze the Problem:
A
A3
Now revise the A3 Analyze the Problem
A
A3
Analyze the Problem, Example
4. Analyze the Problem:
Current Problems: Clemson pays invoices with no
consideration for payment terms.
Root Cause: There is no policy or procedure regarding
discount identification or negotiation. We also recognized
that we write too many checks and would like to move
recipients towards electronic payments to eliminate waste.
Waste Identified: discounts not taken; mailing vendor
checks; invoices waiting on desks for approval.
I
A3
Think about the causes you have found
What are
some ways to
resolve these
issues?
How can we
move closer to
our target?
5. Develop a Solution:
I
A3
Think about how you can verify your solutions
How can we
test our
ideas?
6. Test the Solution:
What
outcomes
should we
achieve?
I
A3
Think about putting your solutions in place
Who’s
cooperation do
we need?
What
resources do
we need?
When do we
need this?
7. Plan Steps for Completion:
I
Solve
Implementation Plan
Who will be on the implementation
team?
What exactly will this step involve?
When will the change take place?
What is the expected outcome of
this step?
I
A3
Now revise the A3 Develop a Solution
I
A3
Develop a Solution, Example
5. Develop a Solution:
Specific changes addressing root cause: Charge a fee to
receive a check; implement a policy stating we will pay
vendors in 30 days.
Steps to get closer to target: identify the top dollar vendors
and work towards capturing discounts from the top 10
initially.
I
A3
Revise the A3 Test the Solution
I
A3
Test the Solution, Example
6. Test the Solution:
We are assuming vendors want to be paid quickly. Once the
system is set up to pay vendors in 30 days, we will take a
sample to determine whether they will accept the
discount.
Clemson is still in the process of determining how best to
charge a fee for writing checks. Some technical
difficulties need to be resolved.
I
A3
Revise the A3 Plan Steps for Completion
I
A3
Plan Steps for Completion, Example
7. Plan Steps for Completion:
.
What
Communicate the
need to import
invoices in a timely
manner
Who
When
Outcome
Procurement ASAP Ability to pay
vendor in specified
time
Establish system to
pay vendor in 30
days
Procurement ASAP Systems has been
established to pay
30 days from
receipt
C
A3
Think about your accomplishments
What are
the results?
What did we
hope to
achieve?
Can we be sure
of our impact?
8. Compare Goals with Results:
C
A3
Think about what you and your team have learned
Thoughts?
Lessons
learned?
Ideas?
9. Reflect on the Project:
C
A3
Now revise the A3 Compare Goals with Results
• Did your team meet the goals you set at the beginning?
If not, explore the reasons why.
C
A3
Compare Goals with Results, Example
8. Compare Goals with Results:
Goal: Move more individuals from check to e-check.
• We have increased the percent of vendors receiving
electronic payments from 6.2% to 30%.
Goal: Capture discounts.
• Many vendors prefer full payment to early payment.
Still, 281 offer a discount for early payment.
C
A3
Revise the A3 Reflect on the Project
• Consider the successes and failures. What experiences
can be applied to future projects?
• Is there room for more improvement? Return to Define!
C
A3
Reflect on the Project, Example
9. Reflect:
There is always room for improvement. We overestimated
the number of vendors we thought would want a discount.
Because of the economy, many vendors decided they
preferred full payment in 30 days rather than a 2% discount
for early payment. We also experienced difficulty with the
check writing fee.
Implementation is the hardest phase and where the project
can fail. To help avoid this, involve more stakeholders in the
early phases.