Affinity Diagram

What is Affinity Diagram

An Affinity Diagram is a creative, rather than logical process, ideas are grouped into categories that are naturally related and then each category is identified by one concept which ties all the ideas together. Affinity Diagrams can be used to gather and organize ideas, opinions, issues, etc. An Affinity Diagram can help to identify patterns within data providing recourse for further investigation or action

When to use it?

 The affinity diagram is recommended when facts or thoughts are uncertain and need to be organized, when preexisting ideas or paradigms need to be overcome, or when ideas need to be clarified, and when unity within a team needs to be created.

1. Adding structure to a large or complicated
2. Breaking down a complicated issue into broad
3. Gaining agreement on an issue or situation

History of Affinity Diagram

The affinity diagram, or also known as the KJ method (after its author, Kawakita Jiro), is one of the most widely used of the Japanese management and planning tools. The affinity diagram was developed to discovering meaningful groups of ideas within a raw list. In doing so, it is important to let the groupings emerge naturally, using the right side of the brain, rather than according to preordained categories.

Steps to construct an Affinity Diagram

1. State the issue or problem to be explored, with a clear statement of the problem.
2. Brainstorm ideas for the issue or problem. Each participant should think of ideas and write them individually on index cards, sticky notes, or have a recorder write them on a flip chart.
3. Collect the cards or sticky notes, mix them up and spread them out
4. Arrange the cards or sticky notes into related groups. Pick out cards that list related ideas and set them aside. Then group ideas that seem to belong together.
5. When most of the ideas have been sorted, you can start to enter titles for each affinity set. Create a title or heading for each grouping that best describes the theme of each group of cards.

Example Topic: How to do a Good Project

Generated Thoughts by the Group:

• Have a proper planning before action

• Set clear roles

• Have four management skills

• To have a number of rehearsals before presentation

• Strive for improvement

• Fair/ No bias

• Willingness to share

• Be responsible

• Proper planning

• Time Management

• Set clear strategy

• Do research for supporting data

• No free riders

• Has a focus when meeting

• Has patience

• Responsible leader

• Proper planning

• Put in effort with commitment

• Never give up

• Individual brainstorming

• Research knowledge

• Strive for improvement

• Fair/ No bias

• Willingness to share

• Be responsible

• No free riders

• Do your part

• Work together

• Organised & interested

• Combine ideas

• Must say out when you have something that you don’t agree

• Have a proper chain of communication

• Has a focus when meeting

• Has patience

• Put in effort with commitment

• Never give up

• Attend to everyone

• Communicate well

• Get all opinions of everything

• Work together collectively

• Have cooperation with each other

Categorized Obstacles: Now Solutions Can Be Devised

Skills

• Individual brainstorming

• Research knowledge

• Responsible leader

• Proper planning

• Time Management

• Set clear strategy

• Do research for supporting data

• Have a proper planning before action

• Set clear roles

• Have four management skills

• To have a number of rehearsals before presentation

Individual attitude

• Strive for improvement

• Fair/ No bias

• Willingness to share

• Be responsible

• No free riders

• Has a focus when meeting

• Has patience

• Put in effort with commitment

• Never give up

Teamwork

• Do your part

• Work together

• Organised & interested

• Combine ideas

• Get all opinions of everything

• Work together collectively

• Have cooperation with each other

Communication

• Must say out when you have something that you don’t agree

• Have a proper chain of communication

• Solve conflicts

• Have listening skills

• Attend to everyone

• Communicate well

Understanding

• Understand one another

• Discuss & have all members to understand completely

• Understand the objectives of the project

Recommended links

• Six Sigma

• Skymark

• SaferPak

• Krysak

Back to top