Summary
Affinity diagramming is used to sort large amounts of data
into logical groups. Existing items and/or new items identified
by individuals are written on sticky notes which are sorted
into categories as a workshop activity. Affinity diagramming
can be used to:
- analyse findings from field studies
- identify and group user functions as part of design
- analyse findings from a usability evaluation
Benefits
Affinity diagramming is a simple and cost effective technique
for soliciting ideas from a group and obtaining consensus
on how information should be structured.
Method
Planning
- Arrange a meeting of participants with the relevant expertise
that will last one to two hours.
- Write any existing items on sticky notes.
- Use a room where you can fix flip chart paper to the wall
using Blue Tack.
At the meeting
- Explain the problem to the participants, and if appropriate
allow participants to create their own items as a brainstorming
activity.
- Ask participants to stick the notes on the flip chart
paper, close to any other notes on a similar topic.
- If designing, include users as participants, and group
items from a user perspective.
- Once consensus has been reached on the grouping, use a
different coloured sticky note to name each group .
Output
Items clustered by topic.
More information
Affinity diagramming to  analyse
usability issues.
Affinity diagramming for brainstorming.
Variations
For pre-existing items, affinity diagramming is an alternative
to card sorting. Card
sorting finds common patterns in the way different people
group information, while affinity diagramming obtains a consensus
result.
Case studies
Background reading
Beyer, H. & Holtzblatt, K. (1998) Contextual Design:
Defining Customer-Centered Systems. San Francisco: Morgan
Kaufmann Publishers ISBN 1-55860-411-1
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