AFFINITY DIAGRAM

The affinity diagram is a technique for organizing a hodgepodge of items (e.g., ideas, facts). It is based on the notion that certain items share a commonality, such as a characteristic.

The affinity diagram offers two benefits. It brings simplicity to something that appears chaotic, and it furthers understanding of the relationships among the items.

for Developing an Affinity Diagram

• Assemble the population of items.
• Identify the overall subject of the diagram.
• Develop the different categories and subcategories for the items.
• Place the items into the appropriate category or subcategory.
• Arrange the categories and subcategories into a hierarchical relationship.