Affinity diagramming

Affinity diagramming involves organizing a large number of ideas or observations into groups based on their natural relationships, which can help identify patterns and themes that may not be immediately obvious. When using affinity diagramming, start by generating a large number of ideas related to the problem or challenge at hand. For example, if the challenge is to improve the customer experience for a grocery store, we might generate ideas related to store layout, product selection, checkout experience, and customer service.

Once we have generated a large number of ideas, we can then group them into categories based on their natural relationships. This process can be done by physically arranging sticky notes or cards with individual ideas on a wall or board or using a digital tool for virtual collaboration. The groups should be based on shared characteristics or themes that emerge from individual ideas.

For example, we might group ideas related to store layout and product selection together, as they both relate to the physical environment of the store. We might then group ideas related to checkout experience and customer service together, as they both relate to interactions with store employees. Once we have grouped the ideas, we can then rank them based on their potential impact and feasibility.