Heard on the Gemba: We Are Great Problem Solvers, But…

 

I recently heard from a Gemba conversation:

“We are great problem solvers, but the same problems keep coming back.”

Mastering Root Causes: Lessons from Toyota

When the countermeasures are off target, the problems reoccur. If problems reoccur for the same root cause, we have not in fact solved the problem. We have only temporarily contained it. Even if the same problem reoccurs due to a different root cause, it is possible that problem-solving was done without a thorough enough root cause analysis step. Problem-solving has not successfully happened until we can verify that the root causes have been identified and that the countermeasures applied to them are effective.

Taiichi Ohno wrote in the Toyota Production System:

“When a problem occurs, if the root cause analysis is insufficient, the focus of countermeasures can be off. That is why we ask ‘why?’ five times. This is the foundation of the scientific attitude of the Toyota system.”

 

Mapping the PDCA: Toyota’s 8 Essential Steps

In the Toyota way of working called TBP (Toyota Business Practice) there are 8 steps. These are synonymous with practical problem-solving and are mapped against the PDCA cycle.

     1. Clarify the problem

• Start by offering detailed background, context, and historical insights. Observe directly where needed. Draft a clear and concise problem statement, and ensure there’s a consensus on it.

     2.  Break down the problem

• By dissecting complex problems into component issues or themes, narrow the scope and identify any out-of-bounds or areas that can’t be addressed.

     3. Set the target

• Establish a goal derived from the previously clarified and broken-down problem statement.

     4. Analyze the root causes

• Visit the source and use methods like Pareto analysis, Ishikawa diagrams, and 5-why analysis to pinpoint actionable areas.

 5. Develop countermeasures

• Focus on creating multiple experimental solutions for identified root causes instead of seeking a singular solution.

     6. See countermeasures through

• See countermeasures through to their outcomes, persistently trying until the target is met.

 7. Evaluate both results and process

• In order to learn whether the plan was followed or whether shortcuts were taken, whether results were achieved by luck or random variation or actual successful countermeasures, and systematically examine failed experiments or incorrect assumptions exposed while seeing countermeasures through.

   8. Standardize successful practices

• Standardize effective practices, learn from setbacks, share insights, and refocus on the next goals, starting again with the PCDA cycle.

Beyond the Quick Fix: The Power of A3 Problem Solving

True, this method requires more time than simply identifying a problem and rushing to a fix. While swift solutions might be needed for temporary relief, they aren’t true resolutions rooted in addressing the core issue. However, when you meticulously identify and address root causes, problems are genuinely resolved, ensuring they don’t reappear for the same reasons.

The popular A3 thinking or A3 problem solving is nothing more than the process of developing and documenting this collaboratively,  one page of paper, often A3-sized. Becoming great at problem-solving is not a question of speed, brilliance, or heroic effort, it is a dedication to the proven PDCA process and practice, practice, practice…

For more resources please visit www.gembaacademy.com

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