Toyota Way Fieldbook : A Practical Guide for Implementing Toyota's 4Ps

solving story, to a story that gives the status of a project, to an information story.
There is a natural flow between these story types. Often, projects will begin with
a proposal story to get approval to invest resources in the project, and then, as
the project progresses, there will be a story of the problem-solving process, sta-
tus stories at key milestones in the project, and an information story to present
the results. Each person crafts the A3 for the specific purpose of their “story,”
but there are some standard formats taught within Toyota.
In some cases the A3 is used to propose a change, for example, in a process or
the purchase of equipment (called “business cases” in some companies). For these
“proposal stories,” it is necessary to complete an A3 with the problem statement,
analysis of current conditions, a proposed action (the change or purchase), and the
anticipated result (both cost and improvement expected). Sufficient information
should be presented so a decision can easily be made. At Toyota any major expen-
diture is an important decision, and if sufficient information was not presented,
the A3 preparer would surely be sent back to gather additional facts. A format for
the proposal story is shown in Figure 18-2.
A “status story” reports at key milestones in an important project (Figure 18-3).
Examples include an annual plan, a review of a project, and a design review in
engineering a new product. This story must start with clear objectives, the

378 THETOYOTAWAYFIELDBOOK

Basic concept, Background, or

Basic Strategy, and

How it fits into the big picture

INTRODUCTION

How to deploy

Basic Concept

(Vital Points)

PROPOSAL

PLAN

How to deploy plan

Schedule / Timeline

ACTION PLAN (SCHEDULE)

THEME

AUTHOR:______________________ DATE: ______________

What? /How? Why? What Who

Expected Responsibility

Effect

Reason for

Required

Condition

Required

Condition

Unresolved issues and

How to overcome obstacles

i.e., How to negotiate with related departments,

anticipated problems and resolutions

UNRESOLVED ISSUES

Figure 18-2. Proposal story