Affinity Diagramming

This method organizes qualitative data to reveal common themes associated with problems users are encountering. This method works best with small groups of about 5 evaluators. It is particularly useful for parsing information from interviews, observations and contextual inquiries.

Existing items and new items identified by individuals are written on cards or sticky notes which are sorted into categories as a workshop activity.

Affinity diagramming can be used to:

• Analyze findings from field studies
• Identify and group user functions as part of design
• Analyze findings from a usability evaluation

Building an affinity diagram is a way to interpret customer data and:

• Show the range of a problem
• Uncover similarities among problems from multiple customers
• Give boundaries to a problem
• Identify areas for future study

Planning

1. Arrange a meeting of participants with the relevant expertise that will last one to two hours.
2. Write any existing items on sticky notes.
3. Items are "factoids" (direct observations from studies) and participant's insights and design ideas.
4. Put a user ID number on "factoids" items so customer can be identified.
5. Use a room where you have room to arrange sticky notes.

Steps

1. Add each note or observation to a sticky note and put them on a wall or virtual wall. Explain the problem to the participants, and if appropriate allow participants to create their own items as a brainstorming activity.
2. Organize the sticky notes together into groups of similar notes. Ask participants to stick the notes on the wall close to any other notes on a similar topic.
3. Give each of those groups a name or label to represent what that group means. Once consensus has been reached on the grouping, use a different colored sticky note to name each group.