The affinity diagram organizes a large number of ideas into their natural relationships. If you wish to share it with others outside your team, send them a view or edit link, or you can export them as SVGs or in several image formats and add them to company wikis, websites, presentations or documents. While an affinity diagram may present interesting data and useful ideas, the exercise itself should lead to further analysis. Select Category Headings and Clarify … here’s where you can question. And you can add different colors to help different categories stand out. The term “saturate” relates to the method in which everyone covers or saturates the “space” with images an… Write down the information you have gathered from your brainstorming session, research, surveys, etc. You can edit these online instantly to kickstart your project. The rest of the headings were added after the grouping emerged. It is a part of Seven Management and Planning Tools, it is usually used right after brainstorming to sort large numbers of ideas into the corresponding groups. It is the organized output from a brainstorming session. It was created in the 1960s by Japanese anthropologist Jiro Kawakita. Improvement teams can then analyze these groups and determine how they affect workflow and processes. Following are the simple steps you need to go through when creating an affinity diagram. Agreed on a statement of the issue or problem. This idea creation method taps a team’s creativity and intuition. Notice that one of the notes, "Safety," has become part of the heading for its group. 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. An affinity diagram, above all, stimulates discussion about a problem or issue, opening up possibilities for improvement or solution. Company SQBOK seeks to understand the difficulties around and excessive time needed for onboarding new employees. See Figure 3 (below). 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Seeking to better understand the barriers to on-time delivery of medications, the team created an affinity diagram in six steps. The following example comes from a hospital setting. Generate useful discussions that will lead to innovation/ effective solutions etc. The following example comes from a hospital setting. An affinity diagram shows the relationships between information, opinions, problems, solutions, and issues by placing them in related groups. Online Affinity Diagram mapping process. Company SQBOK can now track these four areas and assign them to the appropriate groups for resolution. Details of this exercise, which highlights improvement opportunities for the team, are shown in the table below. You can use affinity diagrams to: Organize the results of a brainstorming session. The key to using this tool is by organizing these scattered ideas by their running themes, patterns, or categories. 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. Sort (Silently). Step 3: Based on the similarities you identified earlier, come up with header names for each group. Tips: Use markers so words can be read clearly even from a distance. Affinity diagrams are also used to highlight creativity and perception of a group of individuals or team. The Affinity Diagram tool is used to consolidate a large amount of information into groupings or clusters of ideas that have a natural 'affinity', i.e., that have a common thread running through them. Make changes and move ideas around as necessary. These themes are referred to as affinity sets or affinity groups. Five broad areas of performance were identified: product quality, equipment maintenance, manufacturing cost, production volume, and safety and environmental. Quality Glossary Definition: Affinity diagram, Also called: affinity chart, affinity mapping, K-J Method, thematic analysis. An Affinity Diagram is a graphic tool designed to help organize loose, unstructured ideas generated in brainstorming or problem solving meetings and gathers large amounts of language data (ideas, opinions, issues) and organizes them into groupings based on their natural relationships. This technique accesses the great knowledge and understanding residing untapped in our intuition. Also known as the K-J method, affinity chart, and affinity mapping, an affinity diagram is a tool that is used to organize data gathered from a brainstorming session, research, meeting, etc. Tips: It is very important that no one talk during this step. Being one of the Seven Management and Planning Tools, the affinity diagram is commonly used in project management to organize, analyze and prioritize ideas and tasks. When can you use it? Develop innovative solutions. It gets used to create, systematize, and unify information related to a problem, product, complex issue, or process. https://www.pqsystems.com/.../DataAnalysisTools/affinity_diagram.php Affinity diagram directions. Using a simple Affinity Diagram technique can help you discover embedded patterns in your data (and sometimes break old patterns) of thinking by sorting and clustering language-based information into relationships and sexual health. Example of Affinity Diagram Template Affinity Diagram Example. A few affinity diagram templates are included in the post as well. When ideas are grouped to the team’s satisfaction, select a heading for each group. Figure 1 shows the list team members brainstormed. Often it is useful to write or highlight this note in a different color. It is a project management technique that is very effective during brainstorming sessions in order to organize ideas. It is also important to call these “groupings.” Do not place the notes in any order or determine categories or headings in advance. This will prevent any disagreements and allow everyone the freedom to follow their instincts. Directions: An affinity diagram is a visual tool that organizes ideas by themes often used in brainstorming sessions to determine both root causes and potential solutions for a problem. Creately has multiple pre-drawn affinity diagram templates that you can easily edit to fit your needs. The header should convey the relationship between the ideas in a single word or phrase. Use it to generate, organize, and consolidate information related to a product, process, complex issue, or problem. Affinity diagram templates are broadly used in brainstorming procedures to reach at a productive and favorable idea or decision based on multiple similar ideas. Affinity diagrams provide a way to help with idea generation and organizeing your ideas after a brainstorming session is done. While an affinity diagram may present interesting data and useful ideas, the exercise itself should lead to further analysis. Figure 1 Brainstorming for Affinity Diagram Example. They can sort out uncertain, disorganized or overwhelming observations about a process, and they inspire participation and support from a group, rather than applying a solution handed down from higher levels of management. Why should you use it? Here are some pros and cons of this variation: Benefits. After a few days, the natural grouping shown in Figure 2 (below) had emerged. under meaningful categories that are based on common relationships or themes. With regular pens, it is hard to read ideas from any distance. Synthesizing ideas into a simple visual framework allows teams to develop new solutions that they might otherwise miss. By hierarchically grouping the data, or affinity notes that reveal the problems and needs, it acts as the voice of the customer and the issues become the basis for user requirements. Do MSA on the data. Affinity diagrams rely on Post-It notes to create the visual map. Copyright © 2008-2020 Cinergix Pty. Use it to generate, organize, and consolidate information related to a product, process, complex issue, or problem. It can be widely used in the planning stages of a problem to organize the ideas and information. The affinity process is great for grouping data gathered during research or ideas generated during Brainstorms.The method is also called “Space Saturate and Group”. The team members wrote each idea on sticky notes and placed the notes, in random order, on a rarely used door. To do so, look for a note in each grouping that captures the meaning of the group. Each idea was categorized under these general areas. This is where an Affinity Diagram comes in (also known as an affinity chart or K-J method after its founder Kawakita Jiro). However, if you come across ideas that don’t fit into any of the categories, you can place them on their own. Gather your team and review it. Directions: An affinity diagram is a visual tool that organizes ideas by themes often used in brainstorming sessions to determine both root causes and potential solutions for a problem. Ltd 2020 | All rights reserved. Improve processes. Randomly spread notes on a large work surface so all notes are visible to everyone. Affinity diagrams provide a way to help with idea generation and organizeing your ideas after a brainstorming session is done. Written ideas should be between three and seven words long. If data needs to be collected then have a data collection plan and sampling methodology and strategies identified. (During a brainstorming session, write directly onto sticky notes or cards if you suspect you will be following the brainstorm with an affinity diagram.) © Cinergix Pvt. ASQ celebrates the unique perspectives of our community of members, staff and those served by our society. Drive group consensus. Prioritize It is one of the Seven Management and Planning Tools. Cause and Effect Diagram. Present your analysis to others in the company in an easy-to-understand manner. Example: Problem with Prescription Delivery Ltd. All rights reserved. All rights reserved. This template shows a sample affinity diagram, demonstrating how ideas might be categorized in response to problem that needs to be addressed. You’ll see that the four basic steps are: Brainstorm … all ideas are good. Some people reviewed the evolving pattern several times. Node Fishbone Diagram. When problems are too complex and extensive to comprehend. You’ll see that the four basic steps are: Brainstorm … all ideas are good. Collectively, we are the voice of quality, and we increase the use and impact of quality in response to the diverse needs in the world. Formalized in the 1960s by Japanese anthropologist Jiro Kawakita, affinity diagrams can also be referred to as affinity charts, affinity maps, or the KJ method. The group identified four main categories: training, paperwork, regulatory, and technology. For affinity diagramming of research findings, some teams prefer to sort the sticky notes after each participant’s test session, and again after all (four to eight) sessions. You can discuss the shape of the chart, any surprising patterns, and especially reasons for moving controversial notes. Affinity diagram Use an affinity diagram to gather large numbers of brainstorming ideas and put them into logical groups. Affinity diagrams are ideal for sorting large amounts of data or long lists of ideas into related groups. After generating ideas, group them according to their affinity, or similarity. The focus should be on looking for and grouping related ideas. Tip: Base assignment on “gut feel,” not through contemplation. For example, the team posted together all topics that suggested that the pharmacy may be understaffed. The placement of the cards doesn’t have to make sense, keep them at random. We hope the templates we have added here will help you get a headstart. Assign all ideas to the identified categories by placing ideas under header cards. Assigned a group leader for the activity. on separate cards. Also known as the K-J method, affinity chart, and affinity mapping, an affinity diagram is a tool that is used to organize data gathered from a brainstorming session, research, meeting, etc. It is a visual map that organizes ideas into categorized clusters after the initial brainstorming. We have also included some best practices; stick to them for more effective results. When there are many ideas or facts in disarray. You can use affinity diagrams … Start by writing the problem statement at the top of the diagram. After generating ideas, a facilitator sorts them according to … The affinity diagram can be a useful tool whether you are brainstorming ideas, sorting through research data, improving a process or solving a problem. Place it at the top of the group. It is also okays to move a note someone else has already moved. The method is reported to have been developed by Jiro Kawakita and so is sometimes referred to as the K-J method. Tips: Header cards should clearly identify the common thread for all groupings and should be descriptive of that thread. The Affinity Diagram, also known as a KJ diagram, is a business tool invented for organization the large quantity of ideas and data. 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. The entire team gathers around the notes and participates in the next steps. Use it to generate, organize, and consolidate information related to a product, process, complex issue, or problem. An Affinity Diagram is an analytical tool used to organize many ideas into subgroups with common themes or common relationships. 66441. After generating ideas, group them according to their affinity, or similarity. The process involves recording thoughts and ideas onto sticky notes and placing them together into like groups and sorting the ideas. It arranges the notes from Interpretation Sessions into a hier-archy that reveals common issues and themes across all users. Affinity diagrams are ideal for sorting large amounts of data or long lists of ideas into related groups. Affinity diagram along with Six thinking hats can help an individual have a 360 degrees view of the problem statement. This is a great tool to use when sorting Voice of the customer data under broad 'Issues' categories. It’s okay to have “loners” that don’t seem to fit a group. Attempt to look for relationships between individual ideas and have team members simultaneously sort the ideas (without talking) into five to 10 related groupings. The affinity diagram is used to assemble the output from a brainstorming session in an organized way. Share them with our readers in the comment section below. It gets used to create, systematize, and unify information related to a problem, product, complex issue, or process. Amanda Athuraliya is the communication specialist/content writer at Creately, online diagramming and collaboration tool. People have been grouping data into groups based on natural relationships for thousands of years; however, the term affinity diagram was devised by Jiro Kawakita in the 1960s and is sometimes referred to as the KJ Method. Tip: You have two main options for gathering ideas from team members. One can also use this tool when having different ideas in mind to do something. 368. Attached all of the cards to the wall, grouping similar ideas together. T he Affinity Diagram is the simplest way to organize field data. When using an online collaboration tool like Creately , you can use a square/ note shape to write them down and keep them aside on one side of the canvas. She is an avid reader, a budding writer and a passionate researcher who loves to write about all kinds of topics. It is the organized output from a brainstorming session. An affinity diagram offers a way to organize output from brainstorming. The affinity diagram is used to assemble the output from a brainstorming session in an organized way. 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. An affinity diagram is an excellent creativity and productivity tool – so long as you know how to use one effectively. In short, the affinity diagram shows the common issues, themes, and scope of the customer problems and needs in one place. Prioritization matrices Activity network diagram Process Decision Program Charts (PDPC) Plan Do Check Act PDCA The affinity diagram method is a technique for problem solving. If a note seems to belong in two groups, make a second note. Adapted from the Quality Toolbox, second Edition, ASQ Quality Press have a data plan! In order to organize ideas and put them into logical groups uses and! That all items in the 1960s by Japanese anthropologist to: organize the results of a brainstorming is... Also give us a sense of where most people ’ s okay to have “ loners ” that don t. Categorize them under a superheaders demonstrating how ideas might be categorized in response to problem that needs be... Related categories cards doesn ’ t seem to fit your needs helps bring out among. And identify patterns a great tool to use the affinity diagram similar ideas way... 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