# A3 Report

Operations · `A3 Report` · verification: source checked

An A3 Report is a problem-solving and management practice in which the problem, the analysis, the countermeasures and the action plan are recorded on a single sheet of A3 paper, often with graphics. It is used at Toyota as a standard method for summarising problem-solving exercises, status reports and planning exercises such as value-stream mapping. The report also guides a dialogue between a lean manager and a subordinate, who learns lean thinking and leadership while solving the problem.

## Specification

| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Kind | methodology |
| Origin | Toyota |

## Study notes

- A3 is the international paper size 297 millimetres wide and 420 millimetres long; the closest U.S. size is the 11-by-17-inch tabloid sheet.
- The document states that an A3 is not a template, even though pre-printed A3-sized documents with the problem-solving steps are often called templates.
- The left side of the A3 focuses on elements of the problem or current condition; the right side covers the countermeasures considered, tested and chosen.
- Ownership sits with the author-owner of the A3, the individual whose initials appear in the upper right-hand corner of the paper.
- The A3 owner may not have direct authority over every aspect of the proposal but is identified as the person responsible for getting decisions made and implemented.
- A3 can serve as a storyboard for communication and coordination during a project, and as a report once the effort concludes.
- A3 thinking refers to the systematic approach to resolving problems or improving processes, which can be followed even without recording findings on an A3 document.
- In strategy deployment, advanced lean organisations use A3s as an alignment tool for a standard approach to managing and coaching people.
- Managers coach through questions rather than answers, keeping responsibility for solving the problem with the subordinate.
- Synonym listed in the document: A3.

## Sources

1. [A3 Problem-Solving - A Resource Guide | Lean Enterprise Institute](https://www.lean.org/lexicon-terms/a3-report/) (accessed 2026-10-25)

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