Research
Affinity Diagramming
Transform scattered ideas into actionable insights. This exercise uses collaborative sorting to reveal patterns in Post-Up sticky notes. Participants create logical groupings to build shared understanding.
Duration
25 mins
Group Size
3-8
Category
Research
Difficulty
Easy
Participants will organize ideas into clusters. They'll identify themes and create shared understanding. The goal is collaborative category naming.
The team will complete an affinity diagram. Organized data will provide a foundation for synthesis.
Decide on predetermined or emergent categories. Emergent usually works best. Discourage talking during silent sorting. Outliers can be innovative. If the team struggles with naming, try "I noticed..." prompts. Some ideas fit multiple categories. Take photos of the final groupings. Sometimes, people struggle to let go of their initial ideas; remind them it's about the collective understanding.
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