Today’s unprecedented challenges require superior problem-solving skills not only from you as a leader but everyone you manage.
We’ve taken the unmatched A3 problem-solving process described in Managing to Learn, the award-winning, best-selling workbook by management expert and former CEO John Shook, and put it online with live instruction.
This comprehensive training will teach you how to use the potent A3 methodology, based on the proven scientific method of plan-do-check-act (PDCA), to address an important business problem within your organization.

Learning Objectives
What makes the A3 problem-solving approach so powerful is that it is a complete process — a way of thinking, leading, communicating, learning, getting things done, and developing an entire organization of problem solvers.
- Select, define, clarify and investigate a real problem from work.
- Clarify problem situations and define problems as gaps in performance.
- Visualize work processes and focus on the problems in work methods that are affecting performance.
- Investigate and confirm underlying causes and analyze barriers to improvement
- Identify, evaluate, and lead in the selection of countermeasures.
- Lead planning for implementation of countermeasures and follow-up to resolve problems in execution for organizational learning.
What’s Included?
- 14 hours of live, online interaction.
- Feedback from facilitators and peers.
- Assignments between live sessions to begin applying the lessons and complete your A3.
- Opportunities to practice discrete skills with live feedback.
Optional One-on-One Coaching Sessions
Achieve an even deeper level of learning by taking personal coaching sessions with the class instructor.
These optional, half-hour sessions happen at three critical points as you create an A3 in the workshop:
- completion of the problem situation/current situation section;
- completion of the analysis section and whole left side;
- creation of recommended countermeasures and an implementation plan at the start of the right side.
Personal coaching gives you individual “just-in-time” assistance on your challenges in a private, completely safe online space to share and ask questions.
One-on-one coaching with the instructor will increase your professional skills and value to the company. And all three sessions are only $499.
Buy One-on-One Coaching »

Who Should Attend
- Managers, supervisors or executives who want to develop the structured problem-solving, hypothesis-testing, and fact-based, decision-making skills of teams
- Continuous improvement or change management professionals involved in leading major change improvement initiatives
- HR professionals who wish to develop a curriculum and teach introduce structured problem solving and fact-based decision-making skills within their organization
Group Discounts
Register two or more students from your organization and save 12.5% off every registration. This discount will be automatically applied at checkout when you register your group.
Technology Used
- Communication Channel: All our documents and assignments will be hosted on a browser-based platform. By logging onto our e-learning website, you will be able to view all related materials, announcements, and zoom links.
- Zoom: We will host our live meetings on zoom. You will receive an invitation with the meeting link.
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel your registration for online/live-streaming workshops two weeks before the course’s start date for a full refund. A cancellation occurring within two weeks of the workshop dates will be subject to a $350 fee. Once you have attended a workshop session, you cannot cancel your registration. To cancel, please call LEI at (617) 871-2900.
Schedule Overview
The 7 sessions are hosted over 14 weeks with one to two hours of assignments in between. There are optional coaching sessions available for an additional $499 (email registrar@lean.org to inquire).
The sessions will be hosted on the below dates from 12 noon to 2 pm ET in 2023.
*SOLD OUT* January 9th – April 3rd Course
All sessions hosted 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM ET and instructed by Karen Gaudet
- Monday, January 9
- Monday, January 23
- Monday, February 6
- Friday, February 24*
- Monday, March 13**
- Monday, March 20
- Monday, April 3
*Due to the holiday on Monday, February 20th, we will host this week’s session on Friday.
**Due to our company wide Summit happening the week of March 6th, we are pushing this session out one week and holding it on March 13th.
April 17th – June 2nd Course
All sessions hosted 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM ET and instructed by Karen Gaudet
This offering will be 7 sessions over the course of 7 weeks.
- Monday, April 17
- Monday, April 24
- Monday, May 1
- Friday, May 8
- Monday, May 15
- Monday, May 22
- Monday, June 5*
*Due to the holiday on May 29th, we will skip a week.
Session 1 – Select a Problem
• Locate a problem in work content
• Grasp the problem’s scope and impact
• Understand the PDCA cycle as part of the A3 story
Session 2 – Clarify the Problem
• Go to see and hear about problem details first-hand
• Visualize and describe the workflow
• Find facts to confirm problem conditions
Session 3 – Define the Problem
• Describe what should be happening/the target condition
• State the problem as a measurable gap to close
• Set a goal and target for the performance improvement
Optional one-on-one coaching
Review problem situation of A3.
Session 4 – Identify Potential Causes
• Understand cause and effect
• Identify and check direct cause(s)
• Prioritize to the most likely direct cause
Optional one-on-one coaching
Review Analysis section of A3
Session 5 – Confirm True Causes
• Confirm cause/effect relationships
• Analyze to root cause
• Test logic of the 5-Why chain
Session 6 – Select and Evaluate Options
• Engage with others to identify countermeasures
• Evaluate, rank, and propose countermeasures
Optional one-on-one coaching
Review countermeasures section of A3
Session 7 – Make a Plan
• Agree on actions to take, timing, and responsibilities
• Lead scheduled Plan versus Actual reviews
• Identify and resolve problems during execution where needed
David Verble
Lean Coach, Lean Enterprise Institute
Partner, Lean Transformations Group
A performance improvement consultant and leadership coach since 2000, David has been an LEI faculty member for 17 years. Recognized as one of the first Toyota-trained managers to bring A3 thinking from Japan to the United States, he has conducted A3 problem-solving and leadership programs for 30 years. Overall, his work focuses on supporting clients […]
Read more about David Verble
Karen Gaudet
Senior Coach, Lean Enterprise Institute
Karen has over 30 years of experience leading, training, and developing the capability of team members and executives in rapid-growth environments. Most recently, she’s coached clients in various industries as they adopt lean thinking and practices. They include Microsoft (data center construction), Legal Seafood (hospitality); TriMark (distribution); Abiomed (medical research and device manufacturing), and the […]
Read more about Karen Gaudet