A3 sheet is a valid tool to help evaluating and finding the reason of process deviation. Usually people are keen on using it the first time. The first steps like meeting, take time to find the actual situation and the root cause, planning the corrective actions are done “as required”, but suddenly something changes and people forget to finish and close it. The evaluation of the effect and the implementation of the new action as a new standard is the real value of this tool.

How to be sure that you close your A3? Set up since the first day the finish date (usually no longer than 60 days later) and talk about your improvements during daily production meeting.