IMAGINE THAT YOU’RE IN THE GROCERY STORE.

 You’re working your way through your shopping list,

and you grab some avocados in the produce department, a gallon of milk in the dairy department, and
some pretzels from the chip aisle.

As you get further down your list, you realize you also need bananas. Back to the produce area you go.
Oh wait, you also need eggs. You trek across the store again to the dairy section.

Before you know it, you’ve gone back and forth several times. Wouldn’t it have been easier (not to
mention more efficient) if you’d grouped your shopping list based on where the items are located in the
store?

Well, that’s exactly what an affinity diagram is used for.

In this article, we’ll take you through the ins and outs of affinity diagrams. We’ll show you when to use
affinity mapping, how to prepare for it, and how to create your own. But first, let’s clarify what an affinity
diagram is.
Kat Boogaard

Contributing Writer at Miro

Kat is a Wisconsin-based writer who covers topics related to careers, self-development, and freelancing.

What is an affinity diagram?

An affinity diagram (sometimes known as an affinity map or affinity chart) is a visual tool that helps you
organize information from a brainstorming session. You’ll sort ideas into different groups or categories
based on their relationships to one another.

For example, let’s say your core concept is to improve customer experience. All ideas relating to
improving the customer experience will fall under this heading in the diagram. You’ll cluster similar ideas
together and create a visual representation of the steps you can take to improve your customer
experience.

The diagram structure itself is pretty simple. It makes it easy to break down complex information,
allowing everyone to understand the different elements of your key concept.

Although affinity diagrams are typically used as part of the brainstorming process, they can also be used
in other areas. They help teams improve their processes, create new and innovative solutions, reach a
group consensus, and mediate any professional conflict.

Create your own affinity diagram

What is an affinity diagram example?

The easiest way to understand an affinity diagram is to see one, so let’s add some clarity by looking at a
brief and simple example.

Perhaps you’ve heard a lot of complaints about the way your team handles meetings. So, you sit down
with your team members to get a grasp on their biggest complaints. Then, after the brainstorming
session, you work together to group those grievances based on shared themes.

Here’s what you end up with:

Keep in mind that this is a very simple example, and many affinity diagrams go a step further to sort
ideas based on hierarchy. Don’t worry — we’ll get to that a little later. But for now, this is the barebones
structure you need to understand.

Who invented affinity diagrams?

Affinity mapping was invented in the 1960s by Japanese anthropologist Jiro Kawakita. Affinity diagrams
are sometimes called the K-J method after Kawakita.

Affinity diagramming is one of the Seven Management and Planning Tools used in Japan and worldwide
to help organizations make better decisions. These tools include:

 The Affinity Diagram

 The Tree Diagram

 The Interrelationship Diagram

 The Matrix Diagram

 Prioritization Matrices

 The Process Decision Program Chart (PDPC)

 The Activity Network Diagram

While this is helpful context to have, this article focuses exclusively on the affinity diagram and how it
can help your team.

When should you use affinity mapping?

Here’s the short answer: when your brainstorming session is over.

Affinity diagrams shouldn’t be used as a brainstorming tool but rather as a way to organize, consolidate,
and act on the ideas from the brainstorming exercise.

An affinity map is an effective tool to use when:

 Your brainstorming session is over.

 You’re solving a complex problem.

 You have a large number of ideas or a lot of data to work with.

 You’re eager to think outside the box.

To put it simply, think of an affinity diagram as a tool that brings order to chaos. Rather than bouncing all
over the grocery store, this tool helps make a large amount of information more manageable and
digestible — and, as a result, way more actionable.

What should you do before you start an affinity diagram?

Ready to jump right in? Not so fast. There are a few things you should know beforehand so you can use
this diagram as effectively as possible.

1. Invite a diverse group of team members

To get the best ideas during a brainstorming session, you need different mindsets, perspectives, and
personalities.

Try inviting people from other departments and varying levels, as well as a few people who have no
background knowledge of the problem at hand. This will help you avoid groupthink (when a group of
people make bad decisions due to their urge to conform). You’ll maybe even get a few suggestions that
wouldn’t have dawned on anyone else.

2. Assign a leading role

Every meeting needs a facilitator — and that includes a brainstorming session. A good facilitator will
need:

 Listening skills to help participants express their ideas.

 Analytical skills to turn brainstorming insights into action items.

 Communication skills to steer the conversation when necessary.

You can be the facilitator, or you can ask one of your colleagues with these skills to lead the meeting.

3. Prepare your supplies and space

To brainstorm and eventually create your affinity diagram, you’ll need the right supplies. Find a quiet
space where you and your team can collaborate without distractions.
Grab some sticky notes and pens if you’re meeting in person. They’ll allow you to take visual notes
during the brainstorming session. Use the Miro affinity diagram template if you’re meeting remotely. You
can also use our virtual sticky notes to create the effect of working in person.

4. Review your notes

Great news, you’ve finished your brainstorming session! But before you create your affinity diagram, you
need to spend some time reviewing the information you’ve discussed. This will help you wrap your head
around what happened during the session and how you can start to group ideas together in the affinity
map.

If you’re concerned about the amount of time it’ll take to review your notes and add them into an
affinity diagram, use Miro to help. Our intuitive online whiteboard makes it easy to upload and visualize
your notes, review information, and share it with your team.

3 steps to create an affinity diagram

You have what you need, and you’re ready to pull your team together, roll up your sleeves, brainstorm,
and then use an affinity diagram to bring some order to your brilliant ideas. Here’s how.

1. Run a brainstorming session

Remember, your affinity map is a tool you use after  you’ve brainstormed ideas. To get started, jot down
the problem you’re trying to solve or the question you’re trying to answer at the top of your whiteboard
and then record individual ideas on sticky notes.

You aren’t categorizing them yet. The point is to just get as many ideas out of your brain and onto notes
as you possibly can. That will give you plenty to work with when it’s time to create your affinity diagram.
2. Categorize your ideas

Now that you have a jumbled mess of sticky notes to work with, it’s time to organize them into common
themes. Start by taking one sticky note and turning it into the first top-level category.

Next, look at another sticky note and ask yourself if it belongs in the same group as the first. If not,
create another group. Continue with that process, evaluating each sticky note to add it to an existing
group or create an entirely new one.

When all is said and done, you should have anywhere from three to 10 related groups, which you can
name based on their common theme. One important thing to keep in mind: your categories shouldn’t be
predetermined before your brainstorming session. They should emerge organically as you sort through
your ideas.

3. Act on your ideas

Information without action doesn’t do any good. Once you’ve created your affinity diagram, use it to
create action items and timelines that push you to solve the problem at hand.

Once you’ve identified your groups, you can take things one step further with some additional filters and
organization tactics, such as:

 HIERARCHY: If there’s a clear hierarchy between your stickies (there doesn’t have to be!)
Miro’s affinity mapping template allows you to group stickies based on the level of idea.

 PRIORITIZATION: With a grasp of common themes, you and your team can prioritize the groups
based on your goal. Miro’s voting feature makes this easy.
Also, information without action doesn’t do any good. So, once you’ve created your affinity diagram, use
it to create action items and timelines that push you to actually solve the problem you discussed.

How to use the affinity diagram template in Miro

Using the affinity diagram template is easy with Miro. Our online whiteboard allows teams to jump
straight into the affinity mapping process. Start by selecting our affinity diagram template and follow
these steps:

STEP 1: Start recording your ideas in the template and sort them into categories. Involve everyone in the
team — you can share the template online if they work remotely.

STEP 2: Examine your ideas and identify similarities. Discuss these with your group (either in person or
via Miro’s video chat) and start to draw connections between concepts. Collaborators can also add sticky
notes to share their perspectives.

STEP 3: Group your related concepts in the template. Repeat this until you’ve organized all of your ideas
in the template. And don’t worry if some ideas don’t fit in any of your categories. You can come back to
them later.

STEP 4: Review your affinity diagram to make sure everyone is happy with the outcome.

USE OUR FREE AFFINITY DIAGRAM TEMPLATE TODAY.

How to use an affinity diagram to organize UX research

Almost half of businesses are prioritizing customer experience above pricing and product over the next
five years. Why? Because customers want a good experience with the companies they buy from.

86% of customers are willing to pay more for a good experience. 17% will walk away after just one bad
experience. If you’re not able to offer a good user experience, you risk losing business.

Using an affinity diagram, you’ll get deeper insights into the user experience (UX). You’ll be able to
organize your customer research and user interviews to identify areas of improvement and make a plan
of action.

BUT HOW EXACTLY SHOULD YOU USE AN AFFINITY DIAGRAM TO ORGANIZE YOUR UX RESEARCH?

Truth be told, that’s up to you. There’s no right or wrong way to use an affinity diagram to organize your
UX research. It depends on what information you have and how you want to group it.

To give you some inspiration. Here are some examples of UX affinity groups that could be analyzed:

 Answers to your specific research questions

 Summary of observations, UX data, and research study

 Suggestions for improving your product or service

 Ideas about your UX strategy

Remember that these are just suggestions. All of these topics will vary depending on your research and
goals.

Common questions about affinity diagrams

Have a few more questions about affinity diagrams and how they can be your team’s secret sauce for
implementing big ideas? We have answers to some commonly-asked questions.

How does an affinity diagram work?

An affinity diagram works by organizing and categorizing your brainstorming ideas into categories based
on their similarities. It makes it easier for teams to visualize their next steps and create an informed
action plan.

What does affinity mapping do?

An affinity mapping session is another way of saying that you’re creating an affinity diagram. It’s the
process involved in bringing your diagram to life. It involves reviewing your brainstorming session, adding
ideas to your affinity diagram (or affinity map, whichever you prefer), and grouping similar ideas
together.

What should be included in affinity mapping?

It’s hard to say exactly what should be included in an affinity map. It varies depending on the
brainstorming session you’ve had, how many ideas you want to include, and what you want your
outcome to be. Most affinity diagrams will be split into a hierarchy that features a top-level concept. All
other ideas are grouped within this hierarchy.

How do you facilitate affinity mapping?

A good place to start is by using Miro’s affinity diagram template. Our template is ready for you to use
immediately, allowing you to facilitate the affinity diagram process as quickly as possible. You can invite
colleagues to your board, share information, and collaborate throughout the entire process. You can
even customize our existing template to create an affinity map that’s perfect for your team.

What are the best practices for creating affinity diagrams?

Here are a few important things to keep in mind to make the most of the affinity diagramming process:

 AVOID PREDETERMINED CATEGORIES. You and your team should brainstorm freely and only
come up with categories once all ideas are out on the table, so to speak.

 START WITH A CLEAR OBJECTIVE. For example, a question you’re trying to answer or a problem
you’re trying to solve.

 DESIGNATE A LEADER OR FACILITATOR. You need someone who can keep the conversation
focused. It’ll help you avoid wasting time on unnecessary topics and tangents.

Turn ideas into action with an affinity diagram

Sure, bouncing around the grocery store with a disorganized shopping list eventually gets the job done.
But is it the best way to be productive?
If you’d grouped your list into common themes, you could’ve saved time, reduced stress and frustration,
and had a more successful shopping trip (because you’ll avoid getting all the way home only to realize
you forgot bread).

That’s what an affinity diagram does for you and your team. It brings order to all of your brilliant ideas,
so they’re not only easier to understand — but easier to act on.

FAILURE MODE AND EFFECTS ANALYSIS (FMEA)

Quality Glossary Definition: Failure mode effects analysis (FMEA)

Also called: potential failure modes and effects analysis; failure modes, effects and criticality analysis
(FMECA)

Begun in the 1940s by the U.S. military, failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA) is a step-by-step
approach for identifying all possible failures in a design, a manufacturing or assembly process, or a
product or service. It is a common process analysis tool.

 "Failure modes" means the ways, or modes, in which something might fail. Failures are any
errors or defects, especially ones that affect the customer, and can be potential or actual.

 "Effects analysis" refers to studying the consequences of those failures.

Failures are prioritized according to how serious their consequences are, how frequently they occur, and
how easily they can be detected. The purpose of the FMEA is to take actions to eliminate or reduce
failures, starting with the highest-priority ones.

Failure modes and effects analysis also documents current knowledge and actions about the risks of
failures, for use in continuous improvement. FMEA is used during design to prevent failures. Later it’s
used for control, before and during ongoing operation of the process. Ideally, FMEA begins during the
earliest conceptual stages of design and continues throughout the life of the product or service.

 When to use FMEA

 FMEA procedure

 FMEA example

 FMEA resources
Failure Modes and Effects Analysis Example

WHEN TO USE FMEA

 When a process, product, or service is being designed or redesigned, after quality function

deployment (QFD)

 When an existing process, product, or service is being applied in a new way

 Before developing control plans for a new or modified process

 When improvement goals are planned for an existing process, product, or service

 When analyzing failures of an existing process, product, or service

 Periodically throughout the life of the process, product, or service

FMEA PROCEDURE

Note: This is a general procedure. Specific details may vary with standards of your organization or
industry. Before undertaking an FMEA process, learn more about standards and specific methods in your
organization and industry through other references and training.

1. Assemble a cross-functional team of people with diverse knowledge about the process, product
or service, and customer needs. Functions often included are: design, manufacturing, quality,
testing, reliability, maintenance, purchasing (and suppliers), sales, marketing (and customers),
and customer service.

2. Identify the scope of the FMEA. Is it for concept, system, design, process, or service? What are
the boundaries? How detailed should we be? Use flowcharts to identify the scope and to make
sure every team member understands it in detail.

3. Fill in the identifying information at the top of your FMEA form. (Figure 1 shows a typical
format.) The remaining steps ask for information that will go into the columns of the form.
Figure 1: FMEA Example

4. Identify the functions of your scope. Ask, "What is the purpose of this system, design, process, or
service? What do our customers expect it to do?" Name it with a verb followed by a noun.
Usually one will break the scope into separate subsystems, items, parts, assemblies, or process
steps and identify the function of each.

5. For each function, identify all the ways failure could happen. These are potential failure modes.
If necessary, go back and rewrite the function with more detail to be sure the failure modes
show a loss of that function.

6. For each failure mode, identify all the consequences on the system, related systems, process,
related processes, product, service, customer, or regulations. These are potential effects of
failure. Ask, "What does the customer experience because of this failure? What happens when
this failure occurs?"

7. Determine how serious each effect is. This is the severity rating, or S. Severity is usually rated on
a scale from 1 to 10, where 1 is insignificant and 10 is catastrophic. If a failure mode has more
than one effect, write on the FMEA table only the highest severity rating for that failure mode.

8. For each failure mode, determine all the potential root causes. Use tools classified as cause
analysis tools, as well as the best knowledge and experience of the team. List all possible causes
for each failure mode on the FMEA form.

9. For each cause, determine the occurrence rating, or O. This rating estimates the probability of
failure occurring for that reason during the lifetime of your scope. Occurrence is usually rated on
a scale from 1 to 10, where 1 is extremely unlikely and 10 is inevitable. On the FMEA table, list
the occurrence rating for each cause.
 10. For each cause, identify current process controls. These are tests, procedures or mechanisms
that you now have in place to keep failures from reaching the customer. These controls might
prevent the cause from happening, reduce the likelihood that it will happen or detect
failure after  the cause has already happened but before  the customer is affected.

11. For each control, determine the detection rating, or D. This rating estimates how well the
controls can detect either the cause or its failure mode after they have happened but before the
customer is affected. Detection is usually rated on a scale from 1 to 10, where 1 means the
control is absolutely certain to detect the problem and 10 means the control is certain not to
detect the problem (or no control exists). On the FMEA table, list the detection rating for each
cause.

12. Optional for most industries: Ask, "Is this failure mode associated with a critical characteristic?"
(Critical characteristics are measurements or indicators that reflect safety or compliance with
government regulations and need special controls.) If so, a column labeled "Classification"
receives a Y or N to show whether special controls are needed. Usually, critical characteristics
have a severity of 9 or 10 and occurrence and detection ratings above 3.

13. Calculate the risk priority number, or RPN, which equals S × O × D. Also calculate Criticality by
multiplying severity by occurrence, S × O. These numbers provide guidance for ranking potential
failures in the order they should be addressed.

14. Identify recommended actions. These actions may be design or process changes to lower
severity or occurrence. They may be additional controls to improve detection. Also note who is
responsible for the actions and target completion dates.

15. As actions are completed, note results and the date on the FMEA form. Also, note new S, O, or D
ratings and new RPNs.

FMEA EXAMPLE

A bank performed a process FMEA on their ATM system. Figure 1 shows part of it: the function "dispense
cash" and a few of the failure modes for that function. The optional "Classification" column was not
used. Only the headings are shown for the rightmost (action) columns.

Notice that RPN and criticality prioritize causes differently. According to the RPN, "machine jams" and
"heavy computer network traffic" are the first and second highest risks.

One high value for severity or occurrence times a detection rating of 10 generates a high RPN. Criticality
does not include the detection rating, so it rates highest the only cause with medium to high values for
both severity and occurrence: "out of cash." The team should use their experience and judgment to
determine appropriate priorities for action.

WHAT IS ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS (RCA)?

Quality Glossary Definition: Root cause analysis

A root cause is defined as a factor that caused a nonconformance and should be permanently eliminated
through process improvement. The root cause is the core issue—the highest-level cause—that sets in
motion the entire cause-and-effect reaction that ultimately leads to the problem(s).

Root cause analysis (RCA) is defined as a collective term that describes a wide range of approaches,
tools, and techniques used to uncover causes of problems. Some RCA approaches are geared more
toward identifying true root causes than others, some are more general problem-solving techniques, and
others simply offer support for the core activity of root cause analysis.

 History of root cause analysis

 Approaches to root cause analysis

 Conducting root cause analysis

 Root cause analysis resources

HISTORY OF ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS

Root cause analysis can be traced to the broader field of total quality management (TQM). TQM has
developed in different directions, including a number of problem analysis, problem solving, and root
cause analysis.

Root cause analysis is part of a more general problem-solving process and an integral part of continuous
improvement. Because of this, root cause analysis is one of the core building blocks in an organization’s
continuous improvement efforts. It's important to note that root cause analysis in itself will not produce
any results; it must be made part of a larger problem-solving effort for quality improvement.

APPROACHES TO ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS

There are many methodologies, approaches, and techniques for conducting root cause analysis,
including:

1. Events and causal factor analysis: Widely used for major, single-event problems, such as a
refinery explosion, this process uses evidence gathered quickly and methodically to establish a
timeline for the activities leading up to the accident. Once the timeline has been established, the
causal and contributing factors can be identified.

2. Change analysis: This approach is applicable to situations where a system’s performance has

shifted significantly. It explores changes made in people, equipment, information, and more that
may have contributed to the change in performance.

3. Barrier analysis: This technique focuses on what controls are in place in the process to either
prevent or detect a problem, and which might have failed.

4. Management oversight and risk tree analysis: One aspect of this approach is the use of a tree
diagram to look at what occurred and why it might have occurred.

5. Kepner-Tregoe Problem Solving and Decision Making: This model provides four distinct phases
for resolving problems:
 1. Situation analysis

2. Problem analysis

3. Solution analysis

4. Potential problem analysis

Root Cause Analysis Diagram

CONDUCTING ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS

When carrying out root cause analysis methods and processes, it's important to note:

 While many root cause analysis tools can be used by a single person, the outcome generally is
better when a group of people work together to find the problem causes.

 Those ultimately responsible for removing the identified root cause(s) should be prominent
members of the analysis team that sets out to uncover them.

A typical design of a root cause analysis in an organization might follow these steps:

1. A decision is made to form a small team to conduct the root cause analysis.

2. Team members are selected from the business process/area of the organization that experiences
the problem. The team might be supplemented by:

o A line manager with decision authority to implement solutions

o An internal customer from the process with problems

o A quality improvement expert in the case where the other team members have little
experience with this kind of work
 3. The analysis lasts about two months. During the analysis, equal emphasis is placed on defining
and understanding the problem, brainstorming its possible causes, analyzing causes and effects,
and devising a solution to the problem.

4. During the analysis period, the team meets at least weekly, sometimes two or three times a
week. The meetings are always kept short, at maximum two hours, and since they are meant to
be creative in nature, the agenda is quite loose.

5. One person in the team is assigned the role of making sure the analysis progresses, or tasks are
assigned to various members of the team.

6. Once the solution has been designed and the decision to implement has been taken, it can take
anywhere from a day to several months before the change is complete, depending on what is
involved in the implementation process.

WHAT IS A TREE DIAGRAM?

Quality Glossary Definition: Tree diagram

Also called: systematic diagram, tree analysis, analytical tree, hierarchy diagram

A tree diagram is a new management planning tool that depicts the hierarchy of tasks and subtasks
needed to complete and objective. The tree diagram starts with one item that branches into two or
more, each of which branch into two or more, and so on. The finished diagram bears a resemblance to a
tree, with a trunk and multiple branches.

It is used to break down broad categories into finer and finer levels of detail. Developing the tree
diagram helps you move your thinking step by step from generalities to specifics.

WHEN TO USE A TREE DIAGRAM

 When an issue is known or being addressed in broad generalities and you must move to specific
details, such as when developing logical steps to achieve an objective

 When developing actions to carry out a solution or other plan

 When analyzing processes in detail

 When probing for the root cause of a problem

 When evaluating implementation issues for several potential solutions

 After an affinity diagram or interrelationship diagram has uncovered key issues

 As a communication tool, to explain details to others

TREE DIAGRAM PROCEDURE

1. Develop a statement of the goal, project, plan, problem, or whatever is being studied. Write it at
the top (for a vertical tree) or far left (for a horizontal tree) of your work surface.
 2. Ask a question that will lead you to the next level of detail. For example:

o For a goal, action plan, or work breakdown structure, ask: "What tasks must be done to
accomplish this?" or "How can this be accomplished?"

o For root-cause analysis, ask: "What causes this?" or "Why does this happen?"

o For a Gozinto chart, ask: "What are the components?" ("Gozinto" literally comes from
the phrase, "What goes into it?")

3. Brainstorm all possible answers. If an affinity diagram or interrelationship diagram has been

done previously, ideas may be taken from there. Write each idea in a line below (for a vertical
tree) or to the right of (for a horizontal tree) the first statement. Show links between the tiers
with arrows.

4. Do a "necessary-and-sufficient" check. Are all the items at this level necessary for the one on the
level above? If all the items at this level were present or accomplished, would they be sufficient
for the one on the level above?

5. Each of the new idea statements now becomes the subject: a goal, objective, or problem
statement. For each one, ask the question again to uncover the next level of detail. Create
another tier of statements and show the relationships to the previous tier of ideas with arrows.
Do a "necessary-and-sufficient" check for each set of items.

6. Continue to turn each new idea into a subject statement and ask the question. Do not stop until
you reach fundamental elements: specific actions that can be carried out, components that are
not divisible, root causes.

7. Do a "necessary-and-sufficient" check of the entire diagram. Are all the items necessary for the
objective? If all the items were present or accomplished, would they be sufficient for the
objective?

TREE DIAGRAM EXAMPLE

The Pearl River, NY School District, a 2001 recipient of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, uses
a tree diagram to communicate how district-wide goals are translated into sub-goals and individual
projects. They call this connected approach "The Golden Thread."

The district has three fundamental goals. The first, to improve academic performance, is partly shown in
the figure below. District leaders have identified two strategic objectives that, when accomplished, will
lead to improved academic performance: academic achievement and college admissions.
Tree Diagram Example

Lag indicators are long-term and results-oriented. The lag indicator for academic achievement is Regents’
diploma rate: the percent of students receiving a state diploma by passing eight Regents’ exams.

Lead indicators are short-term and process-oriented. Starting in 2000, the lead indicator for the Regents’
diploma rate was performance on new fourth and eighth grade state tests.

Finally, annual projects are defined, based on a cause-and-effect analysis, that will improve performance.
In 2000-2001, four projects were accomplished to improve academic achievement. Thus this tree
diagram is an interlocking series of goals and indicators, tracing the causes of systemwide academic
performance first through high school diploma rates, then through lower grade performance, and back
to specific improvement projects.

WHAT IS AN AFFINITY DIAGRAM?

Quality Glossary Definition: Affinity diagram

Also called: affinity chart, affinity mapping, K-J Method, thematic analysis

The affinity diagram organizes a large number of ideas into their natural relationships. It is the organized
output from a brainstorming session. Use it to generate, organize, and consolidate information related to
a product, process, complex issue, or problem. After generating ideas, group them according to their
affinity, or similarity. This idea creation method taps a team’s creativity and intuition. It was created in
the 1960s by Japanese anthropologist Jiro Kawakita.

WHEN TO USE AN AFFINITY DIAGRAM

 When you are confronted with many facts or ideas in apparent chaos

 When issues seem too large and complex to grasp

  When group consensus is necessary

Typical situations are:

 After a brainstorming exercise

 When analyzing verbal data, such as survey results

 When collecting and organizing large data sets

 When developing relationships or themes among ideas

 When reducing attributes to categories that can be addressed at a higher level

AFFINITY DIAGRAM PROCESS

The affinity diagram process lets a group move beyond its habitual thinking and preconceived categories.
This technique accesses the great knowledge and understanding residing untapped in our intuition.
Affinity diagrams tend to have 40 to 60 items; however, it is not unusual to see 100 to 200 items.

Materials needed: Sticky notes or cards, marking pens, and large work surface (wall, table, or floor).

Step 1: Record each idea with a marking pen on a separate sticky note or card

(During a brainstorming session, write directly onto sticky notes or cards if you suspect you will be
following the brainstorm with an affinity diagram.) Randomly spread notes on a large work surface so all
notes are visible to everyone. The entire team gathers around the notes and participates in the next
steps.

Tips: Use markers so words can be read clearly even from a distance. With regular pens, it is hard to read
ideas from any distance. Written ideas should be between three and seven words long.

Step 2: Look for ideas that seem to be related in some way and place them side by side

Attempt to look for relationships between individual ideas and have team members simultaneously sort
the ideas (without talking) into five to 10 related groupings. Repeat until all notes are grouped. It’s okay
to have “loners” that don’t seem to fit a group. It is also okays to move a note someone else has already
moved. If a note seems to belong in two groups, make a second note.

Tips: It is very important that no one talk during this step. The focus should be on looking for and
grouping related ideas. It is also important to call these “groupings.” Do not place the notes in any order
or determine categories or headings in advance.

Step 3: Begin a discussion with your team

From these relationships, attempt to define categories and create summary or header cards for each
grouping or category. You can discuss the shape of the chart, any surprising patterns, and especially
reasons for moving controversial notes. Make changes and move ideas around as necessary. When ideas
are grouped to the team’s satisfaction, select a heading for each group. To do so, look for a note in each
grouping that captures the meaning of the group. Place it at the top of the group. If there is no such
note, write one. Often it is useful to write or highlight this note in a different color.
Tips: Header cards should clearly identify the common thread for all groupings and should be descriptive
of that thread.

Step 4: Combine groups into "supergroups," if appropriate

Assign all ideas to the identified categories by placing ideas under header cards.

Tip: Base assignment on “gut feel,” not through contemplation.

AFFINITY DIAGRAM EXAMPLE #1

The ZZ-400 manufacturing team used an affinity diagram to organize its list of potential performance
indicators. Figure 1 shows the list team members brainstormed. Because the team works a shift schedule
and members could not meet to do the affinity diagram together, they modified the procedure.

Figure 1 Brainstorming for Affinity Diagram Example

The team members wrote each idea on sticky notes and placed the notes, in random order, on a rarely
used door. Over several days, everyone reviewed the notes and moved the notes into related groups.
Some people reviewed the evolving pattern several times. After a few days, the natural grouping shown
in Figure 2 (below) had emerged.

Notice that one of the notes, "Safety," has become part of the heading for its group. The rest of the
headings were added after the grouping emerged. Five broad areas of performance were identified:
product quality, equipment maintenance, manufacturing cost, production volume, and safety and
environmental.
Figure 2 Affinity Diagram Example

AFFINITY DIAGRAM EXAMPLE #2

The following example comes from a hospital setting. Seeking to better understand the barriers to on-
time delivery of medications, the team created an affinity diagram in six steps.

1. Assigned a group leader for the activity.

2. Agreed on a statement of the issue or problem.

Tip: Stating the problem in the form of a question (“What are the barriers to on-time delivery of
medications?”) can often prove useful.
 3. Brainstormed and recorded ideas.

Tip: You have two main options for gathering ideas from team members. Participation by everyone in the
group is assured with silent recording (option b, below), but traditional brainstorming can also generate
ideas.

1. Traditional brainstorming—In order around the group, each person writes an idea or
response to the question on a 3” x 5” card while announcing the content of the card to
the group.

2. Silent recording—Each person writes responses on 3" x 5" cards or sticky notes, one idea
per card, until all team members have exhausted their store of ideas.

4. Attached all of the cards to the wall, grouping similar ideas together. For example, the team
posted together all topics that suggested that the pharmacy may be understaffed.

Tip: After posting all ideas the first time, fine-tune the groupings by moving cards from one pile to
another to reflect closer ties. Team members should talk with each other as they arrange the ideas.

5. Labeled each final grouping with a header identifying the general topic that all items in the
group share. See Figure 3 (below).

6. Reviewed final groupings and headers. By walking around and examining the posted notes, all
members of the group had an opportunity to see the groupings and then to comment on them.
Figure 3 Affinity Diagram On-Time Delivery of Medications

Next Steps: Making Connections to Other Tools

While an affinity diagram may present interesting data and useful ideas, the exercise itself should lead to
further analysis. The team can now use a interrelationship diagram, for example, or even a cause-and-
effect diagram to get to root causes for late medications.

An affinity diagram, above all, stimulates discussion about a problem or issue, opening up possibilities
for improvement or solution. 

AFFINITY DIAGRAM EXAMPLE #3

Company SQBOK seeks to understand the difficulties around and excessive time needed for onboarding
new employees. A team of hiring managers, new employees, human resource managers, and peer
employees conducted a brainstorming session and identified 15 problems. In an affinity diagram process,
all of the ideas were written down on "sticky" pages affixed to a board.

A separate group charged with managing the onboarding process was asked to identify any
commonalities or relationships between the ideas. The group identified four main categories: training,
paperwork, regulatory, and technology. Each idea was categorized under these general areas. Company
SQBOK can now track these four areas and assign them to the appropriate groups for resolution. The
process also highlights areas of deficiency.

Details of this exercise, which highlights improvement opportunities for the team, are shown in the table
below.

Training Orientation is too long

Paperwork Organization charts do not get updated
Regulatory Citizenship establishment process is too lengthy
Technology Badges are not returned quickly

Training Orientation does not cover office hour access times

Paperwork Request for parking pass should be online
Regulatory Drug testing results not available prior to start
Technology System logon access needs to be complete prior to day 1

Training Classes specific to our company are too infrequently offered

Paperwork I4 form difficult to understand
Regulatory Computers are all different models and configurations
Technology

Training Applications needed for each job are different

Paperwork
Regulatory
Technology

Training Requirements for a laptop need to be identified

Paperwork
Regulatory
Technology

Training Badges need access levels established prior to start

Paperwork
Regulatory
Technology
 Training Cell phone policy confusing
Paperwork
Regulatory
Technology

Think of affinity mapping as an essential step in processing your information. Follow the below steps to
create a diagram and turn insights into actionable steps. 

1. Choose a topic

This first step in creating an affinity diagram is to clarify what topic you need to organize or consolidate.
You may need to sort through user research to improve your marketing strategy, or maybe you want to
spark ideas for your next project. 

Not every topic will work for an affinity diagram. Topics that have one of the following goals will work
best:

 Extrapolating user research

 Improving a past project

 Developing ideas for a new product

 Identifying issues with a process

Sometimes, the best way to solve a problem is to look at it from another perspective. Ask yourself
whether the topic you’re processing would be easier to understand if you organized the information
differently. 

2. Create a cross-functional team to brainstorm

A cross-functional team helps you look at your data from various perspectives, because each team
member is bringing their own unique skill set and experiences. For example, you may default to grouping
your ideas by “idea type,” while other team members may find more effective grouping methods, like
“implementation requirements.”

Imagine you’re brainstorming ideas to improve customer relationships. If you sort the ideas by who
came up with them, you likely won’t gain much insight into the product development process. Instead,
identify groups that will push your ideas forward. For a CRM strategy, your categories could include the
impact the idea will make or how complex the idea will be to implement. Work with your cross-
functional team to find the best grouping methods.

Free affinity diagram template

3. List out your facts or ideas

Affinity diagrams are most commonly used for brainstorming sessions. When brainstorming with your
team, use a brainstorming template to organize thoughts or ideas and turn them into actions.

For example, if you’re trying to brainstorm ideas to improve customer relationships, your initial idea list
might include:

 Targeted content

 Social media posts

 Upgraded CRM software

 More direct sales strategy

 Loyalty program

 Email newsletter

Make sure each list item is a singular idea or thought so you can group ideas based on their unique
characteristics. If you’re using affinity mapping for research, pull out relevant facts in your data and list
each one on its own line. 

4. Sort items by category

Once you have an exhaustive list of items, it’s time to look for similarities among ideas or facts.
Categorize items based on the most logical themes. Keep in mind that your grouping style can change
the way you see information—as well as the conclusions you find. 

Topic: Ideas to improve customer relationships.

Ideas: 

 Targeted content

 Social media posts

 Upgraded CRM software

 More direct sales strategy

 Loyalty program

 Email newsletter

Possible categories: 

 By internal vs. external efforts

 By creation complexity

 By impact

 By urgency
You can group the ideas above in a few ways. One category option would be whether your efforts are
internal or external. However, this grouping likely won’t help you narrow down your choices. Instead,
group your ideas by how complex the creation process will be. That way, you can determine which idea
will be the most logical to act on. 

5. Make an action plan

Affinity diagrams help your team find answers so you can more confidently take action. After placing
your ideas in groups, you’ll be able to see what ideas fit best with your goals of development or
improvement. 

Example:

1. Narrow down your ideas: Narrow down your facts or ideas to the data that feels most relevant
to your goals. For example, if your goal is to develop a new software product, remove any items
that don’t involve this audience. 

2. Create an action plan: Once you have a strong set of data, work with your team to incorporate
that data into your campaign or project. An action plan includes the specific steps your team will
take to implement ideas or incorporate research into your project.

3. Map out your timeline: Take the tasks from your action plan and assess how much time you
think the project will take.

4. Follow up on progress: Check in with your team and see how the implementation process is
going. 

When you have clarity on what it takes to implement an idea, you'll feel more confident in the idea or
facts you’ve chosen.

Affinity diagram template

Below, you’ll see an illustration of what affinity mapping looks like. The concept is simple, but how you
map out your diagram is key. Your priority should be to identify similarities among your facts or ideas
that will lead to helpful insight.

Use the free affinity diagram template below and perform the process with your team. Once you create
a digital affinity diagram, make it accessible through your work management system so your team and
key stakeholders can reference it when needed.