# analyse-problem

Comprehensive one-page problem documentation using the A3 format, covering Background, Current Condition, Goal, Root Cause, Countermeasures, Implementation Plan, and Follow-up.

* Purpose - Complete problem documentation for significant issues
* Output - Structured A3 report with actionable implementation plan

```bash
/analyse-problem ["problem description"]
```

## Arguments

Optional problem description to document. If not provided, you will be prompted for input.

## How It Works

1. **Background**: Why this problem matters (context, business impact, urgency)
2. **Current Condition**: What's happening now (data, metrics, examples - facts, not opinions)
3. **Goal/Target**: What success looks like (specific, measurable, time-bound)
4. **Root Cause Analysis**: Why the problem exists (using Five Whys or Fishbone)
5. **Countermeasures**: Proposed solutions that address root causes (not symptoms)
6. **Implementation Plan**: Who, what, when, how (timeline, responsibilities, dependencies)
7. **Follow-up**: How to verify success and prevent recurrence (metrics, monitoring, review dates)

### Named after A3 paper size

This format forces concise, complete thinking that fits on one page.

## Usage Examples

```bash
# Document a production incident
> /analyse-problem "API downtime due to connection pool exhaustion"

# Analyze a security vulnerability
> /analyse-problem "Critical SQL injection vulnerability discovered"

# Plan a major improvement initiative
> /analyse-problem "CI/CD pipeline takes 45 minutes"
```

### Example Output Structure

```
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
                    A3 PROBLEM ANALYSIS
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

TITLE: API Downtime Due to Connection Pool Exhaustion
OWNER: Backend Team Lead
DATE: 2024-11-14

1. BACKGROUND
• API goes down 2-3x per week during peak hours
• Affects 10,000+ users, average 15min downtime
• Revenue impact: ~$5K per incident

2. CURRENT CONDITION
• Connection pool size: 10 (unchanged since launch)
• Peak concurrent users: 500 (was 300 three weeks ago)
• Connections leaked: ~2 per hour (never released)

3. GOAL/TARGET
• Zero downtime due to connection exhaustion
• Support 1000 concurrent users (2x current peak)
• Achieve within 1 week

4. ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS (5 Whys)
Problem: Connection pool exhausted
Why 1: All connections in use, none available
Why 2: Connections not released after requests
Why 3: Error handling doesn't close connections
Why 4: Try-catch blocks missing .finally()
Why 5: No code review checklist for resource cleanup

5. COUNTERMEASURES
Immediate: Audit all DB code, add .finally() for cleanup
Short-term: Increase pool size, add monitoring
Long-term: Migrate to connection pool library with auto-release

6. IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
Week 1: Fix leaks, increase pool, add monitoring
Week 2: Optimize slow queries, create best practices doc
Week 3-4: Evaluate and migrate to better pool library

7. FOLLOW-UP
• Success Metrics: Zero incidents for 4 weeks
• Monitoring: Daily pool usage dashboard
• Review Dates: Weekly check-ins until resolved
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
```

## Best Practices

* Use for significant issues - A3 is overkill for small bugs or one-line fixes
* Stick to facts - Current Condition should have data, not opinions
* Countermeasures address root causes - Not just symptoms
* Clear ownership - Every action item needs an owner and deadline
* Living document - Update as situation evolves until problem is closed
* Historical record - A3s become organizational learning artifacts


---

# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://cek.neolab.finance/plugins/kaizen/analyse-problem.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.