Several members of a small company have just returned from a workshop on the methods of six. May 03, 2015 affinity diagram helps categorize and organize a large number of fragmented uncertain information into logical cohesive groups. The affinity process is formalized in an affinity diagram and is useful when you want to viewgraph 2. Seven management and planning tools solution from the business productivity area of conceptdraw solution park provides templates, samples and readytouse vector stencils that will help you design the professional looking. An affinity diagram is an analytical tool used to organize many ideas into subgroups with common themes or common relationships. They help you to see all aspects of the problem and to figure out how these aspects are related. Developed by jiro kawakita in 1960, this tool is also called the kj method and it works by taking series of facts, data and ideas under a particular theme and organizing them into different clusters based on their affinity or relationship with one. Determine the issue or aspect of business that will be the focus of the affinity diagram.
The affinity diagram helps a group to develop its own system of thought about a complex issue or problem. An example of an affinity diagram is shown in figure 3. Can be converted into various formats like jpg, png and pdf. For example, teams may use the groups identified through an affinity diagram exercise to develop the teams problem or opportunity statement. This tool is the worlds most popular business graphics software and the first program that makes it possible. This method may uncover significant hidden relationships. Several members of a small company have just returned from a workshop on the methods of six sigma. One can also use this tool when having different ideas in mind to do something. For example, members of a leadership team may use the diagram during strategic planning to organize their thoughts and. The diagrams are flexible and can be used for doing projects and achieving objectives. Example identify how to successfully implement change. Affinity diagram software affinity diagram conceptdraw. An example of this is shown in the following illustrative examples.
Were included some photos of affinity diagrams thats conducted for our clients. Creating an affinity is the process of looking for similarities or characteristics that can suggest a relationship. Example of affinity diagram template excel templates. They use an affinity diagram to organize and understand the results and find a whole new product line in natural animal figures that reflect current environmental concerns. If you have fewer than 15 data points, affinity diagramming may not be necessary. The design department of a manufacturer of porcelain figurines brainstorm new product ideas.
Also known as the kj 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. Quickly get a headstart when creating your own affinity diagram. It is typical situation were affinity diagramming can be. In this article well take a look at an example using some pictures we took following a brainstorming session. Affinity diagrams are your most basic brainstorming tools.
The process of developing an affinity diagram seems to work best when there are no more than five or six participants. This is a great tool to use when sorting voice of the customer data under broad issues categories. The affinity diagram is a convergent thinking tool used to organize or cluster ideas and data. The affinity process is great for grouping data gathered during research or ideas generated during brainstorms. Smartdraw allows you to create an affinity diagram. Affinity diagram helps categorize and organize a large number. The affinity diagram is a powerful and easy to use brainstorming technique.
Problem solving tool quality tools affinity diagram description of affinity diagram. Affinity diagram software conceptdraw diagram is a powerful diagramming and vector drawing software that allows quick, easy and effective create the affinity diagrams. T example that was a quick tour of the steps involved in developing an affinity diagram. An affinity diagram is a method used to organize many ideas into groups with common themes or relationships. This affinity diagram addresses what a quality leadership steering committee in a manufacturing plant wants to accomplish in the coming year. Affinity diagram thus poses a clear and organized view of a complex and huge task or issue. Download free printable affinity diagram template samples in pdf, word and excel formats. It is also called the kj method named after jiro kawatika. Teams can use affinity diagrams as a means of consolidating ideas and information into manageable groups for further prioritization.
Affinity diagram helps categorize and organize a large number of fragmented. It is one of the seven management and planning tools. Affinity diagram implementing continuous process improvement. Affinity diagrams are also used to highlight creativity and perception of a group of individuals or team.
Affinity maps are referenced during the creation of personas, information architecture, context scenarios. An affinity diagram can be used to engage each individual within a team, foster collaboration, and improve the ability of the team to address complex issues. It is applied in conjunction with causeeffect diagram for quality design and quality improvement. Affinity diagram example affinity diagram process quality. The method is reported to have been developed by jiro kawakita and so is sometimes referred to as the kj method. Here are a few things to keep in mind as you make your first affinity diagram. 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.
An affinity diagram is the organization of ideas into a natural or common relationship. An affinity diagram is commonly used during ideageneration brainstorming sessions to stimulate creative rightbrained thoughts. The affinity diagram is one of the new seven management tools. Plan template luxury 22 payment schedule templates word excel pdf. The affinity diagram is a method which can help you gather large amounts of data and organise them into groups or themes based on their relationships. After generating ideas, group them according to their affinity, or similarity.
The affinity diagram is similar to the mind mapping technique, that generates ideas linking up other ideas to form patterns of thoughts. A free customizable affinity diagram template is provided to download and print. Affinity diagram template 2 free templates in pdf, word. I believe that doing an affinity diagram exercise is more efficient in a. Affinity diagram templates are broadly used in brainstorming procedures to reach at a productive and favorable idea or decision based on multiple similar ideas. This template shows a sample affinity diagram, demonstrating how ideas might be categorized in response to problem that needs to be addressed. Illustrative examples the following example demonstrates the use of an affinity diagram to elicit, capture and organize a set of customeruser requirements for a domestic washing machine. The affinity diagram, also known as the kj method was developed by dr. Affinity diagrams often lead to the creation of more detailed cause and effect diagrams.
An affinity diagram is integral to organize and synthesize user experience ux data that was collected during research. It is also used during problemsolving sessions when information is subjective or held by different people, but no clear picture of the problem is emerging yet. Apr 05, 2018 the affinity diagram is a convergent thinking tool used to organize or cluster ideas and data. Affinity diagram template affinity diagrams used in organisations can bring creative and new ideas to the spot light that otherwise might not be forth coming. It helps sort seemingly random ideas of a subject into naturally related groups. Often used in form of sticky notes sent up to front of room in brainstorming exercises, then grouped by facilitator and workers. Feb 08, 2016 the main point of an affinity diagram is to find trends, and put things into categories. All about the affinity diagram strategy tools resources. Going through large volumes of data when there is a large amount of data to go through, in the form of an unsorted or unorganized list, for example, it helps to use an affinity diagram in order to lend a degree of structure and organization to the data. Affinity diagramming is simple tool that allows a team to. The affinity diagram is a business tool used to organize ideas and data. They are used to take a chaotic jumble of thoughts and ideas and sort them into coherent groupings like in the above affinity diagram software example. The following example demonstrates the use of an affinity diagram to elicit, capture. Affinity diagram template free affinity diagram online.
An affinity diagram is the organized output from a brainstorming session. The main point of an affinity diagram is to find trends, and put things into categories. Affinity diagrams are a great easy to use tool used to group together ideas or issues. The affinity diagram is a tool used in business planning to organize ideas and thoughts into related categories.
Just in time pick chart portfolio matrix four field matrix root cause analysis data. Affinity diagramming is a very simple but powerful technique for grouping and understanding information. Affinity diagrams help in organizing large amount of data into their natural relationships thereby helping people in making a decision. Prioritization of products or ideas would be the next task for the team. It is also commonly known as kj method named after a famous japanese anthropologist kawakita jiro who made efforts to organize small bits of scattered data into a single, time saving affinity diagram.
By harnessing on everybodys perspectives new ways of doing business can be realised, that may lead to productivity gains and a market place edge. Affinity mapping works best when you limit your participants to five or six. Using the affinity diagram allowed him to find new patterns in the data. Product sales affinity diagram 19942020 smartdraw, llc. Free sketch template for building a meaningful affinity diagram.
This diagram gathers together items, needs or features of similar types. Postit notes or to showcase the processresult somewhere i. The following example comes from a hospital setting. A tool used to organize and present large amounts of data ideas, issues, solutions, problems into logical categories based on user perceived relationships and conceptual frameworking. Wikipedia the affinity diagram example implementing continuous process improvement was created using the conceptdraw pro diagramming and vector drawing software extended with the solution seven management and planning tools from the management area of conceptdraw solution park. They are often used at the end of brainstorming sessions to show trends based on grouped results of the discussions.
Analyze with various other coworkers or team members and it should be able to help you make a decision or see things more clearly. For example, bananas, apples, and oranges would be grouped as fruits, while green beans, broccoli, and. 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. Before we go over the steps used to create an affinity diagram, we need to look at some unique features of the affinity process that are important to its success. Affinity diagram helps categorize and organize a large number of fragmented uncertain information into logical cohesive groups. This results in a lot of interesting snippets, but no clear direction.
It is being widely used for its simplicity and perfectness for creating and organizing ideas in various categories. Affinity diagrams learn how to cluster and bundle ideas and. A group can use an affinity diagram at any stage where it needs to generate and organize a large amount of information. The process of ideation and grouping should be silent. Example of affinity diagram template affinity diagram have many importance role in business that can promote the business with different technique and strategy. Affinity diagram discover 6 sigma online six sigma. Affinity diagram process presentation portfolio slideteam. The goal is to create a limited number of groups which results in better idea selection or a problem that is better understood. A large number of ideas being sorted into their natural relationships is the basic idea of an affinity diagram template. Using the affinity diagram quality assurance solutions. What is an affinity diagram a stepbystep guide with. These themes are referred to as affinity sets or affinity groups. The method is also called space saturate and group.
The affinity diagram is a flexible tool that can respond to different needs. Affinity diagram raw data from customet stakeholders templates. The process involves recording thoughts and ideas onto sticky notes and placing them together into like groups and sorting the ideas. Jul 09, 2009 the process of developing an affinity diagram seems to work best when there are no more than five or six participants. Affinity diagrams are tools for analyzing large amounts of data and discovering relationships which allow a design direction to be established based on the associations. It is different from the diagram in hoshin planning ref. The affinity diagram uses a more organized technique to gather facts and ideas to. Dont try to add hierarchy, process and connections between groups too soon. Affinity diagrams were invented by jiro kawakita in the 1960s, who called this. Affinity diagrams are the ideal brainstorming tool for projects involving large teams, large data sets, or a wide range of ideas.
Use it to generate, organize, and consolidate information related to a product, process, complex issue, or problem. With the smart floating action buttons and handles, you can change item numbers and shape size easily at will. Use an affinity diagram to gather large numbers of brainstorming ideas and put them into logical groups. In particular, affinity diagramming provides a good way to identify and analyze issues. It allows a broad range of ideas to be organized so they can be more effectively analyzed. Branded interactions brainstorming process infographic examples. An affinity diagram shows the relationships between information, opinions, problems, solutions, and issues by placing them in related groups. A diagram can be created in a single brainstorming session or by using minibrainstorming sessions. This results in better idea selection or a problem that is better understood.
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