A Lean Implementer with a passion for continuous learning on all subjects related to business and lean, Matt Wrye is the author of the popular blog “Beyond Lean,” which centers on evolving leadership and changing business. Matt was a past podcast guest of mine (Related Podcast and Transcription: Building a Learning A3) and I asked him, “Where would you warn people not to jump in and use an A3?”
Matt: Well, I don’t know if there’s a place or a type of situation where I would warn them not to use an A3. But what I would warn them on is formatting or the A3 itself. In our example, or in our case, we have multiple A3 formats depending on what type of work we’re trying to do. So if we’re trying to solve a problem, we have one format. If we’re trying to develop a strategy, we have another format. If we are trying to work with a client in scope work, we have a different format.
We’ve used the A3 format in concepts to lay out the work that we need to do but have set it up and put templates in place to meet that need. It’s not a one?size?fits?all. You know, we’re even having a discussion now to say, “Is that’s working for us or not?” and having a reflection piece on it now. I don’t know, because, honestly, from my standpoint, I could see A3’s being used anywhere because it’s a great tool to help foster discussion and bring items to the table. A side benefit of using it and putting it on paper is it actually will focus ?? it’s a small psychology thing ?? the discussion on the issues on the paper and not the person whom you’re talking to.
I’ve even used an A3 one time for no other reason than that I’ve framed up the current state and what I believed the future state needed to be, to go have a discussion with a person where it was believed their area was causing problems in another area. Just by using that and focusing on the piece of paper, we were able to have a discussion and a better understanding where both areas wanted to be, and not the areas pointing fingers at each, saying, “No this is your fault, no this is your fault,” type of thing.
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