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By establishing the culture and mindset behind creation of A3 reports, businesses can emulate Toyota's efficiency and effectiveness

New book explains the value of both the A3 report and the process leading to its development and management

NEW YORK (March 28, 2008)... Notably flexible and brief, the A3 report has proven to be a key tool in Toyota's successful move toward organizational efficiency, effectiveness, and improvement, especially within its engineering and R&D organizations. The power of the A3 report, however, derives not from the report itself, but rather from the development of the culture and mindset required for the implementation of the A3 system. In other words, A3 reports are not just an end product but are evidence of a powerful set of dynamics that is referred to as A3 Thinking.

In Understanding A3 Thinking: A Critical Component of Toyota's PDCA Management System, the authors first show that the A3 report is an effective tool when it is implemented in conjunction with a PDCA (plan do check act)-based management philosophy. Toyota views A3 Reports as just one piece in their PDCA management approach. Second, the authors show that the process leading to the development and management of A3 reports is at least as important as the reports themselves, because of the deep learning and professional development that occurs in the process. And finally, the authors provide a number of examples as well as some very practical advice on how to write and review A3 reports.

Understanding A3 Thinking --

• Demonstrates how dynamic A3 Thinking can positively impact corporate culture
  
• Explains why the A3 report is especially effective tool when implemented in conjunction with a PDCA-based management philosophy
  
• Provides a number of examples as well as some very practical advice on how to write and review A3 reports.

About the Authors
Durward K. Sobek II is an Associate Professor of Industrial and Management Engineering at Montana State University. He is a recognized expert in product development systems, and has been researching and observing Toyota for many years. He has recently researched an application of the A3 methodology to healthcare and product development, and has authored numerous articles, given presentations and conducted workshops on this award-winning work.

Art Smalley is President of Art of Lean, a consulting company specializing in advanced TPS implementation. Art was hired and trained as a manufacturing engineer with Toyota in Japan to support the start up of Toyota facilities overseas. During his tenure with the company he was immersed in the culture of Toyota and A3 report writing methods by his Toyota mentors. Art authored the Shingo Research Prize award winning workbook Creating Level Pull in conjunction with the Lean Enterprise Institute in 2003. More recently, in the spring of 2006, Art was inducted into the Shingo Manufacturing Prize Academy for lifetime contributions in the field of lean manufacturing.

About Productivity Press:
Productivity Press is the premier source of authoritative information on organizational improvement, offering the broadest selection of books and learning tools about lean methodologies, based on the Toyota Production System. Our health care product line is a primary source of leading-edge publications, workbooks, tools, and resources to improve the overall performance and quality of the healthcare system. For more information visit our website at ProductivityPress.com. Productivity Press is a division of The Taylor and Francis Group, www.taylorandfrancis.com

In Understanding A3 Thinking: A Critical Component of Toyota's PDCA Management System

Price: $40.00

To request a review copy, contact Ralph Bernstein at 212-216-9864 or Ralph.Bernstein@taylorandfrancis.com.