Also called: Affinity Diagram, Affinity Chart, Theme Sort, JK Method
Follow-up plays: Dot Voting, Note and Vote
See also: Affinity Mapping, Card Sorting, Playback, Silent Storming, Timeboxing
Timing: Planning
Origin: Jiro Kawakita in the 1960s
Run time
3-15 minutes
Group size
1-10
Why: Uncover patterns, generate insights, and facilitate decision-making by visually clustering related items together
When: Use affinity mapping in workshops to categorize and structure ideas, identify common themes, or prioritize actions
This workshop exercise is part of the Workshop Patterns printed card deck.
A collection of workshop exercises that will help you ditch dull meetings and facilitate with confidence. It will help you master the design process and have more productive time with your team. The card deck will be ready for purchase in the end of 2023 and is now undergoing rigorous testing.
Reserve your deck!Instructions for running this play
- Run a brainstorming session, producing individual sticky notes per idea, leading up to this exercise. Examples are Silent Storming, Starbursting, and Assumptions collection.
- Cluster ideas. Ask the group to freely place related sticky notes together in clusters. If two sticky notes are the same, place one of them behind the other one.
- Name each cluster. Name each cluster based on its common theme, placing a sticky note on top of it with the name. Double check if clusters can be combined or should be separated.
- Review outliers. Some sticky notes may belong in smaller clusters.
- Consider using Dot Voting, Blind Voting, or Priority Mapping on each cluster to determine which cluster is more important to the group.
Tips to perfect this play
Master and adapt the play to fit your context and needs.
Tip
You can do affinity mapping both as you go and as one compiled and concentrated session
Tip
Aim for grouping into 3 to 8 clusters.
Tip
Instead of using words, provide participants with drawing materials and ask them to visually represent their ideas or concepts.