| The affinity diagram is a management and planning | | | | • Unambiguous, at least one noun and one verb |
| tool. Use of this tool is based on the understanding that | | | | • Legible, printed neatly, one idea to a card |
| time invested in planning will produce remarkable | | | | Another technique is to generate ideas and have the |
| dividends as the generated ideas and plans are acted | | | | recorder write them directly on a flip-chart or board |
| upon and implemented. Unlike the basic tools for | | | | (without having team members first write them on |
| improvement that deal primarily with collecting and | | | | cards). After all the ideas have been recorded, the |
| analyzing hard data, this tool focuses on issues and | | | | team would then transfer them to cards. |
| ideas, soft data. | | | | 4. Display the completed idea cards. |
| An affinity diagram is the result of a creative process | | | | Randomly lay out the cards so that all the team |
| focused on finding the major themes affecting a | | | | members can see them. |
| problem by generating a number of ideas, issues or | | | | 5. Arrange the cards in natural groupings. |
| opinions. The process identifies these ideas, groups | | | | The purpose of this step is to collect ideas that go |
| naturally related items and identifies the one concept | | | | with each other. In silence, all team members should |
| that ties each grouping together. The team working on | | | | simultaneously begin moving idea cards, collecting and |
| a problem reaches consensus by the cumulative | | | | arranging in columns the cards that each person |
| effect of individual sorting decisions rather than through | | | | believes belong together. All the cards should remain |
| discussion. | | | | visible during this process so that everyone can |
| What can it do for you? | | | | consider and reconsider the arrangement as it |
| Affinity diagrams can help you organize random data | | | | emerges. |
| to show the underlying organization of a problem or | | | | If cards are redundant, overlap them but in such a way |
| issue. They are especially useful if the situation seems | | | | that both can be read. Team members should freely |
| chaotic because there is an excess of ideas, | | | | change cards between groupings or create new |
| influences, objectives or requirements, or if | | | | groupings as they feel appropriate. Team members |
| breakthrough thinking rather than incremental | | | | are allowed to disagree with a placement by making a |
| improvement is required. An affinity diagram can help | | | | new placement or returning to a previous one. Back |
| clarify the broad themes and issues acting on any | | | | and forth moves may occur for some time until the |
| situation. The affinity process lets you sift through large | | | | team settles on an arrangement that is acceptable to |
| volumes of information efficiently and allows truly new | | | | everyone. |
| patterns or approaches to emerge for consideration. | | | | Some cards may be loners that do not seem to fit in |
| Affinity diagrams are especially useful in the measure | | | | any grouping. They should be left that way rather than |
| and analyze phases of Lean Six Sigma methodology. | | | | try to force-fit them into a grouping. |
| How do you do it? | | | | 6. Create headers. |
| 1. The first step is to assemble the right team. | | | | Look for a card in each grouping that describes the |
| The team should consist of five or six people who | | | | central idea that ties the whole group together. In many |
| have knowledge about the situation to be considered. | | | | cases that central idea will not exist yet on a card. If it |
| They should be relatively familiar with each other and | | | | does not, the team should decide on the central idea |
| accustomed to working together and should “speak | | | | and create a concise, usually three to five words, |
| the same language,” but care should be taken not | | | | header card for that grouping. While silence is |
| to bring together the same old people to work on the | | | | important for sorting, discussion should be used for |
| same old problem. Include people with valuable input | | | | selecting or creating headers. |
| who may not have been included in the past. If the | | | | If one or more groupings are unusually large, look for |
| team needs specific information beyond the scope of | | | | sub-groupings within the larger groups. Sub-groupings |
| the members’ knowledge, the team should draw in | | | | should also have headers. Resist the temptation to |
| resource people as temporary team members. | | | | create endless groupings and sub-groupings. Keep the |
| 2. Phrase the issue to be considered. | | | | number of headers between five and ten, if at all |
| The affinity process seems to be most effective if the | | | | possible. |
| issue is loosely or vaguely stated. The more | | | | 7. Draw the finished diagram. |
| explanation or limitation in the issue statement, the | | | | Your finished diagram could simply be Post-it™ notes |
| more likely the thought process will be constrained. The | | | | stuck to flip-chart paper with lines containing and |
| statement should be neutral to avoid limiting or directing | | | | connecting the groupings or 3x5 cards pinned or taped |
| responding ideas. | | | | to the wall. It is a good idea, however, to make an |
| For example, “How are we going to fix our quality | | | | actual drawing of the finished diagram and to share it |
| problems?” might produce a fuller and more | | | | outside the team for comments and modification. The |
| valuable collection of responses if rephrased “What | | | | team should continue to change the diagram until it |
| are the issues affecting product quality?” | | | | reflects the actual situation. |
| When you have decided the phrasing of the | | | | Now what? |
| statement, write it on the top of a flipchart or board so | | | | If your time is limited or you don’t know whether |
| that it is visible to the group. | | | | applying a whole cycle of tools will be valuable, try |
| 3. Generate and record ideas. | | | | making an affinity diagram and see what happens. In |
| This step of the process uses the traditional guidelines | | | | general, an affinity diagram will help add clarity and |
| for brainstorming: | | | | understanding whenever: |
| • No criticism or discussion of ideas | | | | 1. There appears to be chaos in the facts or ideas |
| • Generate many ideas in a short time | | | | relating to the situation |
| • Everyone participates | | | | 2. Old solutions do not seem to be working and |
| • Record the ideas exactly as spoken and not as | | | | breakthrough thinking seems in order |
| interpreted by the recorder. | | | | 3. Support for any proposed solution is critically |
| One technique is to have team members silently | | | | essential to its success. |
| record their ideas on 3x5 cards or Post-it™ notes | | | | Creating an affinity diagram may not be very valuable |
| for some amount of time. Members can then take | | | | if: |
| turns offering ideas one-at-a-time for the recorder to | | | | 1. The solution to the problem is simple |
| write on a flip-chart or board. As the ideas are | | | | 2. The situation demands quick, decisive action. |
| recorded, other team members can use those ideas | | | | Making an affinity diagram will allow you to sift through |
| to help generate additional ideas and additional cards. | | | | large volumes of information and ideas with efficiency, |
| To be most useful, idea statements should be: | | | | however. It will also let truly new ways of looking at a |
| • Concise, about five to seven words | | | | problem or situation emerge for your consideration. |