YOUR TECHNOLOGY PARTNER IN:	AFFINITY DIAGRAM	This page last updated on 09 Feb 2010. © All Rights Reserved, 2006.08.22.
CONSULTING 8 ROLES WE PLAY OUR CONSULTING TOOLBOX OUR MODUS OPERANDI INNOVATION MANAGEMENT PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT CIP vs. INNOVATION LEAN CONCEPTS IMPLEMENTATION CASES PROJECT MANAGEMENT 5 PHASES 9 KNOWLEDGE AREAS GENERAL MAINTENANCE MANAGEMENT MAINTENANCE DEVELOPMENT MAINTENANCE MODELS BENCHMARKING METHODS TO OPTIMIZE INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS CHANGE MANAGEMENT WHY CHANGE? 5 PHASES OF CHANGE BEHAVIORS AND BELIEVES 4 CHARACTERS CHANGE CONSIDERATIONS HOW TO CHANGE KNOWLEDGE  MANAGEMENT LEARNING SYSTEMS LEARNER TYPES LEARNING METHODS LEARNING ASSESSMENTS SOCIAL ANALYSIS IMPLEMENTATION ABOUT..... WHO WE ARE OUR VISION OUR MISSION OUR STRATEGY OUR CONSULTANTS OUR POLICY	This methodology is when people write their ideas on slips of sticky note paper (or stationery ovals) which are then stuck up on the board or wall for all to see and work with.  An Affinity Diagram is constructed using the following steps: 1. Review the issue to be addressed.  Make sure that everyone is clear on the issue and what we are trying to obtain (causes, solutions, options etc.) It is best to open up the issue by asking questions that will result in the outcomes being written down. 2. Provide each participant with a pad of sticky note paper and an Artline 30 pen.  3. Participants write down ideas BIG AND BOLD, one idea per page.  This is done in silence.  Participants do not discuss ideas with each other or with facilitator. 4. Continue until participants have finished writing down all the ideas they can think of.  Collect ideas and paste up the pieces of paper in random order.  (Do not put all of ones participant’s ideas together) 5. When all ideas are up invite participants to get up and read each other’s ideas in silence. Ask if there are any other ideas they would like to add.  Second level of thinking usually produces the best results. 6. Invite participants to “group” ideas by moving the pieces of paper around on the board/wall.  Let them do this until no more movements are happening. 7. Encourage the participants to look at the grouped ideas and to come up with a “unifying heading” for each group of ideas.  Write each heading on a sticky note and put it above the relevant group of ideas. One benefit of the Affinity Diagram is that the best solutions are often the result of taking several different ideas and then “building” on some of them  A potential exposure of Affinity Diagram is that discussions tend to take place and no ownership is established.  It is best to get the group to agree that they all own all of the ideas and they debate the issue not the person who wrote it.	Your Solutions Designer. P.O.Box 2715, Krugersdorp, 1740, Gauteng, South Africa admin@peproj.com Brain Storming: "Release Your Creativity!!" Affinity Diagram: "Unify Ideas?" Brain Writing: "108 Ideas, under 30 minutes, from 6 participants" The Delhi Method: "Elicit Ideas" Random Simulation: "Analogize your Problems" Mind Mapping: "Visualize your Notes"