What is an affinity diagram?

An affinity diagram is a visual tool used to organize a large number of ideas or data points into related groups or themes, based on their natural relationships. This qualitative analysis method helps teams sort various thoughts, findings, or brainstorming outputs into categories that reflect commonality or connection, thereby making it easier to identify patterns, priorities, or areas for further exploration.

Using this technique promotes collaboration and shared understanding among team members as they classify thoughts collectively. It is particularly useful in problem-solving scenarios, such as during sessions focused on improving processes or when gathering customer feedback, as it helps distill complex, varied information into clear, actionable categories.

Other options present misunderstandings about the affinity diagram’s purpose and application. For instance, describing it as a financial analysis tool misrepresents its general use, as it is not specifically focused on financial data. The notion that the affinity diagram is exclusively for statistical modeling overlooks its broader applicability in organizing qualitative data. Finally, stating that it focuses on individual performance reviews restricts its function to a specific context, whereas the tool is versatile and applicable to many settings beyond just evaluations of individual performance.