Book: “The A3 Workbook: Unlock Your Problem-Solving Mind”

(CRC Press: Boca Raton, FL) -- The A3 format was developed by Toyota for telling the story of improvement. It provides a way of communicating a proposed idea or a problem on a single A3-sized sheet of paper, encouraging efficiency, clarity, and disciplined thinking. A3 problem solving identifies a problem, describes an objective, and summarizes fact finding and action steps.

In the preface of The A3 Workbook: Unlock Your Problem-Solving Mind (Productivity Press, 2010), author Daniel D. Matthews writes, “I realized that although there are some very good books on the market that discuss the A3, there was nothing that walked people block by block through the A3 format and how the problem-solving process fits in with each block. I also wanted to create a workbook that could be used at every level in the organization to develop the basic problem-solving skills that are required to make continuous improvements.”

This one-of-a-kind workbook takes readers step-by-step through the development of an A3. It provides all employees at all levels with a method to quickly identify a problem, analyze its root cause, select appropriate countermeasures, and communicate necessary actions to decision makers. Coming at quality in two ways, this book provides a practical tool for solving specific problems while also encouraging the development of a corporate culture that empowers all its employees to support continuous improvement. The A3 Workbook can facilitate participation, ownership, and responsibility across an entire organization.

Features

• Offers insight into using one of the key tools that made the Toyota Way so effective
• Provides a unique step-by-step guide for producing an A3 report
• Offers the insight of a  highly respected trainer who has 30 years of experience with the Toyota Production System, Training Within Industry, and A3 reporting
• Encourages the development of a corporate culture that embodies continuous improvement
• Explores how to manage and leverage A3 to increase organizational capabilities and efficiency
• Includes several worksheet templates that can be reproduced and used in future problem solving efforts.

   
About the author

Uniquely qualified to write this book, Daniel D. Matthews has more than 14 years experience as a supervisor and manager with Toyota Motor Manufacturing and Toyota Industrial Equipment Manufacturing. He is skilled as a trainer, coach, and implementer of lean manufacturing, having trained hundreds of associates in the methods of the Toyota Production System (TPS). During his time with Toyota, Matthews became an experienced instructor of A3 problem solving and  the “training within industry”(TWI) program, which is widely recognized as the foundation for lean manufacturing. In the classroom and on the shop floor, Matthews has helped leaders and associates in build the skills needed to support a lean culture, including problem solving, team building, facilitation, coaching, communication, conflict management, and leadership.

During his time with Toyota, Matthews became an experienced training within industry instructor and perfected his expert trainer, coach, and implementer of lean manufacturing, having trained hundreds of associates in the methods of the Toyota Production System (TPS). with 30 years of experience in lean implementation and training within industry (TWI). Fourteen of those years he spent with the Toyota company, which created and made use of the A3 as a core component of continuous quality.

Included in Daniel Matthews’ 30-year career is more than 14 years of supervisory and management experience with Toyota Motor Manufacturing and Toyota Industrial Equipment Manufacturing. He is skilled as a trainer, coach, and implementer of Lean Manufacturing, having trained hundreds of associates in the methods of the Toyota Production System (TPS). During his time with Toyota, Daniel became an experienced Training Within Industry (TWI) instructor. The TWI program is widely recognized as the foundation for Lean Manufacturing. Daniel has helped both leaders and associates build the skills they need to support a Lean culture, including problem solving, team building, facilitation, coaching, communication, conflict management, and leadership both in the classroom and on the shop floor. Daniel’s skills as a TWI and A3 Problem Solving instructor have led to speaking engagements in the printing, automotive, and general manufacturing industries.

Daniel graduated summa cum laude from Indiana Wesleyan University with a degree in business administration where he was a two-time recipient of the Outstanding Business Professional Award.

About The Author