How to write an A3 report: step by step, with an example

To write an A3 report, work through six boxes on one sheet: background, current condition, goal, root cause, countermeasures and follow-up.

An A3 is a single sheet of paper, named after its size, that tells the story of a problem from background to follow-up. The page limit forces you to understand the problem well enough to explain it simply.

John Shook's book Managing to Learn describes the A3 as a way for managers to coach. The steps below follow the usual layout.

The layout

The left side holds the plan: background, current condition, goal and root cause. The right side holds countermeasures, the plan, results and follow-up. Together they form a PDCA cycle.

1. Background and problem statement

Explain why this problem matters now, in terms of safety, quality, delivery, cost or customers. Then describe the gap between what should happen and what actually happens.

Do not hint at a cause or a solution yet. Coaching question: would someone from another department understand why it is worth solving?

2. Current condition

Go and see at the gemba. Draw the process as it really works, with data on how often the problem occurs, where and how large it is.

Coaching question: how do you know? Was this observed, or taken from a report?

3. Goal

Set a specific, measurable target and a date. The goal should close all or part of the gap in the problem statement.

4. Root cause analysis

Use five whys, a fishbone diagram or both to move from symptoms to causes. Verify the likely causes with data or a quick test before acting.

Coaching question: if you removed this cause, would the problem disappear? How could you check that cheaply?

5. Countermeasures and plan

List countermeasures that address the verified causes, each with an owner and a date. Call them countermeasures, not solutions, because they are hypotheses until the results come in.

6. Follow-up

Check results against the goal. If the target was met, update the standard work so the gain sticks. If not, return to the root cause analysis.

A3 report example

Problem: orders for one product line ship late more often than the customer allows. Current condition: a week of observation shows most late orders waited for a credit check.

Root cause: credit checks run once a day, in a batch. Countermeasure: check small orders automatically and review the rest twice a day. Follow-up: late shipments fall, and the new check becomes the standard.

Common mistakes when writing an A3

Common mistakes are writing the solution into the problem statement and filling in the root cause without data. Another is treating the A3 as a form to complete alone, without a coach asking questions.

For larger, data-heavy problems, a DMAIC project may suit better. Root cause analysis software can hold A3s for teams across sites.

Frequently asked questions