Affinity Diagrams

Affinity diagramming is a categorization method where users sort various concepts into categories.

This method is used by a team to organize a large amount of data according to the natural relationships between the items. Basically, you write each concept on a card and users move the cards to groups based on how they feel the concept belongs with other concepts.

Here's how it works:

Form a team
Gather a team of five or six open-minded people.
Describe the issues
Compose a broad and neutral statement about what you're trying to accomplish.
Create idea cards
Brainstorm a list of concepts, then record each concept on a separate blank card.
Sort the cards into groups
No one speaks during this process to make sure that no one influences someone else's decision.
Create header cards
Create header cards for each group. These header cards should concisely describe what each group represents. Subheader cards can also be used.
Draw the affinity diagram
Draw lines connecting the headers, subheaders, and groups. Connect related groups with lines. The result looks a lot like a typical organization chart.

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