This document introduces the A3 problem solving process. The A3 process provides a structured approach to address complex problems involving multiple causes across an organization. It involves planning to understand the current and target conditions, analyzing root causes, developing countermeasures through experiments, checking the results, and acting on lessons learned. An example is provided of using the A3 process to address an increase in serious defects found in code releases. The example walks through planning, root cause analysis identifying potential causes like insufficient testing time and large stories, developing countermeasures like weekly backlog grooming and test automation, and checking for results like reduced defects.

1. Introduction to A3 Process
Adam Gilmore

2. Intro
• “Landing Hot” is a complex problem to solve
• May have multiple causes involving tools, processes, priorities,
culture
• It needs broad input from across the org
• It needs a structured problem solving approach
• I’ve used A3 Process in my past to address these sorts of problem

3. Why A3 Process?
• Lightweight & Structured
• Incremental & Iterative
• Common understanding
• Business Impacts
• Root Causes

4. Plan
• Background
• Why is it important?
• Why should I care?
• Current Condition
• How do things work today?
• What’s the problem and how is it measured?
• Target Condition
• What specific outcomes are expected and why?
• What changes in measures can we expect?
• Root Cause Analysis
• What are the root causes of the problem, not the symptoms?

5. Do
• Countermeasures aka Experiments
• What do we think we need to do to address each root cause?
• What are the predicted results for each countermeasure?
• Run the experiment

6. Check
• Confirmation
• What are the actual results of each countermeasure?
• Did it move us towards our Target Condition?
• Were there any unexpected consequences?

7. Act
• Actions
• What have we learned?
• Should we change our way of working?
• What should we do next?
• Who needs to know?

8. Example - Plan
• Background – in the past 3 releases the number of serious defects
getting into a release has been increasing. This has resulted in
complaints from customers that have caused escalations.
• Current Condition
• Target Condition – zero serious defects found in a release
Plan Code Release
3 weeks
Test
Many serious defects
found in release after 3
weeks
Test coverage is low

9. Root cause analysis
Problem
Consequences
CONSEQUENCESCAUSES
Causes
“So what?”
“Why?”

10. Consequences
Defects are
getting into
production
Customer is
going to delay
launch
CONSEQUENCES
“So what?”
Revenue targets
won’t be met
Customer
perceives low
quality
“So what?”
“So what?”

11. Causes Defects are
getting into
production
Don’t have time
to test
Team isn’t
grooming their
backlog
We aren’t
testing
thoroughly
“Why?”
CAUSES
3 weeks isn’t
long enough
Stories are too
big
“Why?”
“Why?”
“Why?”
“Why?”
“5 Whys”

12. Causes Defects are
getting into
production
Don’t have time
to test
Team isn’t
grooming their
backlog
We aren’t
testing
thoroughly
CAUSES
3 weeks isn’t
long enough
Stories are too
big
Writing stable
tests is difficult
Don’t have
testing
framework
?
?
?
Test framework
isn’t a priority
Release test gate
is not enforced

13. Example - Do
• Countermeasure
• Experiment - ”Team isn’t grooming their backlog”
• Have a team groom their backlog once per week for the next 6 weeks
• Grooming involves the team splitting stories so they are smaller and writing acceptance
tests together
• In the sprint spend time writing automated acceptance tests for the now smaller stories
before starting the next story – perhaps pair up to do this
• Measures
• Test coverage will increase as we are spending time writing tests
• Defects found in release should decrease for that team as defects are now found earlier
and fixed during the sprint
• Velocity will reduce as stories will only be counted as done when they have automated
acceptance tests

14. Example - Check
• Have the Defects found in a release reduced?
• If so, what were the wider effects (Velocity, Test Coverage, other)?
• If they didn’t reduce, why not?

15. Example - Act
• What have we learned?
• What other countermeasures do we need to implement?
• Do we need to standardize and communicate?
• If so, how and who?

16. Resources
• A3 Template - https://www.crisp.se/gratis-material-och-guider/a3-
template
• Cause-Effect diagrams -
http://blog.crisp.se/2009/09/29/henrikkniberg/1254176460000
• Search “A3 Process” – lots of info