Affinity Diagram
An affinity diagram groups many individual notes into clusters so the themes in research or brainstorming become visible.
Also called affinity map or affinity mapping.
Intermediate◷ 20–40 minFree · no login
Lots of notes. What are they really telling you?
How to use it + an example
How to use it
- 1Write one finding or idea per note.
- 2Silently move notes into groups that feel related, without naming them yet.
- 3Name each cluster and rank which themes matter most for the design brief.
Example
Forty survey comments about the school library cluster into noise, seating and finding books, and seating becomes the brief.
When to use it: After collecting lots of research data or ideas, to find the patterns before defining the problem (MYP Design Criterion A).
Define: Say exactly what you're solving.
Your turn ↓
What did you find out?
Dump every observation, quote and note you have. Then sort them into clusters, name each one, and find the themes that connect them.
Look back. Which cluster grew bigger than you expected?
Try next
- Five WhysDig to the root cause of a problem by asking "why?" five times.Try it free →
- Fishbone DiagramMap all possible causes of a problem in a structured visual.Try it free →
- SWOT AnalysisEvaluate Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats.Try it free →
For teachers: Define stage · 20-40m. Free, no login. One of the 45 design thinking tools on StudioLoom, which also puts them inside lessons so students’ thinking is saved with their project.