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 explained 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.
Register for June 4th cohort »

Learning Objectives

What makes the A3 problem solving approach so powerful is that it is a complete process -- a way of thinking, managing, 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 selection of corrective actions

  • Lead planning and execution of corrective actions and follow-up to confirm results and reflect for organizational learning

The A3 format puts the problem, analysis, corrective actions, and an action plan on a single sheet of large (A3) paper, often with the use of graphics.

Thus, it fosters communication, consensus building, and root-cause problem solving. (A3 is the international term for a sheet of paper, roughly equivalent to the 11-by-17-inch U.S. sheet.)

The course is taught online and live by instructors over a three-month period so that there is enough time for participants to identify a problem, investigate underlying causes, gain agreement with stakeholders on the countermeasures and develop the plan to solve the problem.

Instructors will have the opportunity to understand your struggle points and prioritize your learning needs to support you through your problem-solving journey.
Register for $1,200 »

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
Register today »
A3 Plan for Errors Delivering to a bakery

Cohort beginning June 4th

1:00 - 3:00 PM ET

  • Session 1: June 4
  • Session 2: June 18
  • Session 3: July 2
  • Session 4: July 23
  • Session 5: August 13
  • Session 6: August 27
  • Session 7: September 17
    • Register for $1,200 »

    Optional One-on-One Coaching Sessions

    Achieve an even deeper level of learning by taking personal coaching sessions with instructor David Verble, who has 30 years of experience teaching and coaching the A3 management process to leaders and managers.

    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.

    Plus, you’ll learn from one of the foremost A3 coaches in the country. David is a former manager of human resource development for Toyota manufacturing at the North American plant and HQ levels. During the 1990s, he led the creation of a series of A3 and plan-do-check-act training programs for North American Toyota and served as master trainer.

    One-on-one coaching with David will increase your professional skills and value to the company. And all three sessions are only $499.
    Sign up for optional one-on-one coaching for $499 »

    Schedule Overview

    The seven sessions are hosted over fourteen weeks with one to two hours of assignments in between and optional coaching sessions available for an additional $499.

    Session 1 – Live Class • PDCA & A3 process
    • Pick a problem
    • Fact
    Session 2 – Live Class • Grasp Current State
    • Performance and work standards
    • Performance gaps
    Session 3 – Live Class • Visualize work flow
    • Problem breakdown
    • Target state
    Optional one-on-one coaching  Review problem situation of A3.
    Session 4 – Live Class • Cause effect
    • True cause
    • Rapid learning experiments
    Optional one-on-one coaching  Review Analysis section of A3
    Session 5 – Live Class • Left side A3 review
    • Identify countermeasures
    Optional one-on-one coaching  Review countermeasures and planning section of A3
    Session 6 – Live Class • Propose countermeasures
    • Agree on a plan
    Session 7 – Live Class • Execution & follow through
    • Self assessment




    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

    Engage your whole team with our group discounts.

    2+ students $1,050.00 each


    Technology Used:  

    Please click here to run through our technology check before registering for this course. 

    • 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.  


    Cancelation Policy

    You can cancel your registration for online/live-streaming workshops at any time prior to the first workshop session for a full refund. Once you have attended a workshop session, you cannot cancel your registration. To cancel please call LEI at (617) 871-2900 or email registrar@lean.org.

    Instructor(s)

    LEI Faculty

    David Verble

    David Verble is a faculty member at the Lean Enterprise Institute for almost 15 years and he teaches the A3 management process, change agent skills and coaches executives on lean leadership. David co-developed the 2 day in person Managing to Learn workshop with John Shook. David learned the A3 process from leaders at Toyota, where he worked for 14 years in Japan and USA. David was responsible for bringing the A3 management process from Japan to North America and created the first A3 training program for Toyota in North America. David has accrued 30 years' experience using the A3 process and teaching it to organizations in diverse industries such as healthcare, manufacturing, and services.

    Product Strategy Manager

    Jikku Mohan

    Jikku Mohan has been responsible for operational improvement, strategy deployment (Hoshin), lean product development and business development both at LEI and partner companies over the past 7 years. Prior to joining LEI, Jikku was a software engineer at Oracle where he developed enterprise software applications. He holds an bachelors degree in software engineering and a MBA degree from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Jikku is interested in operational improvement, strategy formulation and deployment, designing management systems and building products. He looks forward to engage with the lean community on these topics.

    Interested in bringing this workshop to your company?

    LEI will teach any of our workshops or develop a customized program to build capability in your team.

    Whether you need coaching to develop organizational leadership effectiveness, frontline management proficiency, work team or business-unit process improvement capability, or to achieve an organization-wide transformation, LEI can customize a learning plan to meet your needs.
    Talk with a Coach to learn more »