analyse-problem

Decision Router

IF investigating a recurring issue, incident, or major improvement opportunity → produce a complete A3 analysis IF the problem is a trivial one-line fix or minor bug → skip (A3 is designed for significant, recurring, or systemic issues) IF deeper root cause work is needed → use Five Whys or Fishbone analysis within section 4 of the template IF the situation evolves during investigation → update the A3 as a living document until closure

Analyse Problem

Structured one-page problem documentation and resolution planning using the A3 format — named after the paper size that constrains analysis to concise, complete thinking.

Core Principle

Force complete, concise root-cause-to-resolution thinking onto a single page. If it doesn't fit, the problem isn't well enough understood yet.

Process

Phase 1: Frame the Problem

1. Background — Why this matters: context, business impact, urgency, who is affected
2. Current Condition — What is happening now: facts, data, metrics, examples (not opinions)
3. Goal/Target — What success looks like: specific, measurable, time-bound targets

Phase 2: Analyze Root Causes

4. Root Cause Analysis — Why the problem exists using Five Whys or Fishbone. Dig until you reach systemic or process-level causes, not just technical details.

Phase 3: Plan and Execute

5. Countermeasures — Specific actions addressing root causes (not vague intentions). Each countermeasure must tie to a root cause identified in section 4.
6. Implementation Plan — Timeline, responsibilities, dependencies, milestones. Distinguish immediate from short-term from long-term.

Phase 4: Verify

7. Follow-up — Success metrics, monitoring plan, review dates. How to verify success and prevent recurrence.

Output

An A3 document covering the full problem lifecycle: background, current state, goal, root cause, countermeasures, implementation plan, and follow-up. Written to conversation. Can be used as a historical record for organizational learning.

Template

TITLE: [Concise problem statement]

1. BACKGROUND — Why this matters
2. CURRENT CONDITION — What's happening (data, not opinions)
3. GOAL/TARGET — Specific, measurable targets
4. ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS — Five Whys or Fishbone
5. COUNTERMEASURES — Actions tied to root causes
6. IMPLEMENTATION PLAN — Who, what, when, dependencies
7. FOLLOW-UP — Success metrics, monitoring, review dates

Design Decisions

One-page constraint

The A3 paper size is the forcing function. If the analysis genuinely requires more space, the problem scope is too broad — decompose into sub-problems and produce multiple A3s.

Countermeasures tied to root causes

Section 5 must reference section 4 explicitly. Every countermeasure must trace to a specific root cause. This prevents treating symptoms.

Living document until closed

The A3 should be updated as understanding grows or the situation changes. Only close it when the follow-up metrics confirm success and prevention measures are in place.