Don't Present Your A3: Share Your A3
In these columns we consistently stress how the A3 process enables collaboration, drives engagement and gets buy-in. In that vein, I wanted to take a minute to stir up some discussion on the actual act of engaging others: sharing your A3.Every time I teach a Managing to Learn workshop, the topic of how to best present A3s comes up. “Eric, I like the problem solving aspect, but I find A3s hard to read on the screen,” people say. Or, “I have to break my A3s into multiple PowerPoint slides so people can read them.”
I try to steer people away from the word “presenting.” The word conjures up images of conference rooms with a big table, an audience scattered about the room, empty seats up front and a projector with a screen. There you are, trying to communicate your message while the others in the room multitask. It's not the best environment to get others engaged.
Sometimes a simple word choice can help us to see a way forward. I would like to suggest that we think less about presenting A3s and more about sharing them.Sharing brings up images of a few people closely engaged on a common item. They are working with each other, not having someone show something to them.
That’s why I recommend that you think of your A3 as a small, portable whiteboard. We often discuss problems with others using an actual whiteboard--use your A3 in the same fashion. And don't wait for major milestones to engage your stakeholders. Share the A3 with them often (think "small lot" sharing). As you do this you can take meeting notes right on the A3 so the engagement doesn't get lost.
How about consensus?
Of course the time will come that you need to bring all the stakeholders together to ensure consensus. Now you will need to “present” your A3; but still think, “share.” One way to share effectively in this situation is to provide a copy of the A3 to everyone at the meeting. It’s only one page (versus 30 or more for a PowerPoint). The stakeholders can look at the screen to follow your story, but they can also reference the hard copy for any details. They naturally feel a stronger sense of ownership over something they can hold in their own hands. Keep one copy for yourself, this is for you to write notes on as the A3 is discussed and you gain additional input. Additionally, this provides you with quick and simple meeting minutes.
The "right" answer
So in summary, SHARE your A3s, do so in SMALL LOTS, and use the A3 itself for both sharing and recording dialogue. What has worked for you? There is no one "right" answer to this issue. it will depend on your unique situation. So I encourage you to share your ideas.
Books
Workshops
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Managing to Learn: The Use of the A3 Management Process
This workshop introduces the A3 management process and the way of thinking represented in the A3 format that capture the heart of lean management. Participants will be provided an overview of various forms and uses of the A3 format and will have an opportunity to create their own A3. Working in small groups, they will be able to read, discuss, and evaluate each another’s A3s. -
Problem Solving to Align Purpose, Process and People
This is an expanded version of our 1-day Lean Problem Solving workshop which is offered exclusively in our office in Cambridge, MA.
Articles
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Lean Product and Process Development Group Update: Leading Companies Share and Learn from Common Challenges:
The Lean Enterprise Institute recently organized a meeting of the Lean Product and Process Development Learning Group that brought together the diverse industries of sub-sea robotics, appliances, consumer electronics, automotive research, contemporary furniture, and drilling equipment. -
How Do You REALLY Put Yourself in Your Customers’ Shoes? A Q&A with Eric Ethington
The customer is king in lean. That's why it's critical to know their values, needs, interests, etc. in order to ensure your product has its niche. Some companies go further than others on this, often spending tens of millions of dollars to learn about their customers. Eric Ethington has a simpler way of getting to the root of your customer experience, and best of all, it doesn't have to break the bank. -
The Snowstorm on Your Server
When looking for a place to implement 5S, your company's server or shared drive might not be the first to come to mind. And yet it's a major cause of waste for so many professionals who spend hours clicking through the sea of similar-looking files. This was the challenge that Eric Ethington faced at a previous job - 5S his company's SharePoint site and eliminate the waste. Here's how he did it.
