Use of A3-method by engineering students in industry projects

Abstract

The A3 problem-solving method, developed at Toyota, is taught in many different educational programmes and used in industry and service organizations. Although the interest in the A3-method is growing, there is little systematic research on the way it supports users in problem solving and communication. In this paper, a study is presented on the appreciation of the A3-method as it is used in industry assignments performed by higher education students. A survey was performed, with closed and open questions, to gain the experience of 133 senior bachelor students. The study shows that students, especially appreciate the structure offered by the A3-method. The concise A3-format is, furthermore, helpful in the communication with stakeholders. The study also identifies the difficulties students experience while executing the elements in the A3-method. Several of these difficulties are related to the industrial context of the problem. A lot of companies lack a structure and culture in which continuous improvement is thoroughly embedded.

Keywords:

• A3-method
• continuous improvement
• industry projects
• problem-solving
• university-industry cooperation
• project-based learning

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Gerlinde Oversluizen

Gerlinde Oversluizen MSc., is a researcher at the research group Lean/World Class Performance at the HAN University of Applied Sciences. Her field of interest being planning and control of manufacturing processes. At this moment she is the main researcher of in a research project to the possibilities of a digital twin shop floor control to support the planners in SMEs to weigh different planning scenario’s.

Jannes Slomp

Jannes Slomp is a Full Time Professor World Class Performance at the HAN University of Applied Sciences and director of the HAN Lean-QRM Centre. His interests concern lean and quick response manufacturing, automated and digital technologies, and lean product development. In his current position, he is responsible for setting up and running innovative research projects, together with industrial partners.