Affinity Diagram

An affinity diagram is a set of ideas about the topic in question that are grouped based on their similarity. It is a problem-solving tool for chaotic, difficult, and complex problems. This method helps you better understand the problem from a number of diverse, piecemeal, and fragmented verbal data. It can be especially useful in requirements development and design stages of a software development process. Creating an affinity diagram basically has three stages:

1.	Generate verbal data by encouraging people to express their ideas, wants, perceptions, and opinions.
2.	Group data into clusters of similar ideas.
3.	Analyze, clarify, and agree on the problem to be addressed.

Generating valid worded data, spoken as well as written, in people's own words, is crucial. Several sources should be used for this purposethe more sources, the better. Formal and informal meetings, correspondence, interviews, responses to survey questionnaires, and complaints from customers can all be valuable sources of customer data. In a software development process, end users are not the only sources. Valuable data can also be obtained from the management in the customer organization, software developers, outsourcing partners, and the management team in software development organization. Regulatory requirements should also be used as sources of data. But the focus of any requirements development and design data should be the customers and users. Even in new product development, the voice of potential customers is a required input.

After the written data have been obtained, further data can be generated by a brainstorming process involving a group that has some prior experience with working together effectively. Ideally, they should also possess knowledge to deal with the issues to be discussed. The brainstorming format is similar to the one we discussed in cause-and-effect diagrams, described in Chapter 6. Four basic rules should be observed:^[6]

• Criticism is forbidden.

• Wild abandon is encouraged.

• Repetition is acceptable.

• Synergy with the ideas of the other participants should be encouraged.

The pace of brainstorming should be swift and answers and statements should be short to maintain the tempo. This way, you can generate a lot of data without getting bogged down in a particular issue at this stage. It is not uncommon to come up with dozens of ideas within an hour. The following are typical steps in constructing an affinity diagram:

1.	Form a brainstorming team of five to nine people, selecting members who fit the profile just mentioned. Appoint an experienced person as the moderator.
2.	Announce/agree on the topic issue in question (problem statement). It's a good idea for the participants to know the topic in advance. The topic, not the solution, should be stated. It should be something in broad terms, such as "What factors affect total life-cycle costs?" This may be decided in a preparatory meeting. It is important that members undergo training on 7 MP tools before beginning to construct the affinity diagram.
3.	Have the participants record their ideas concisely on sticky notes, no more than one idea per note. The ideas should be written in large letters, each with a noun and a verb, so that they are unambiguous. Mix up the notes and then stick them on the wall, a whiteboard, or a flip chart so that everyone can see them.
4.	Put the ideas into groups by asking everyone to come to the wall and move the notes together to where they fit best, without talking. Some notes may have to be duplicated because they may belong to more than one group. Some items might not belong to any group, but that's fine. The groupings should be done quickly to maintain the pace of creativity. In case of disagreements, just move the notes. Eventually consensus will be attained, because the exercise of groupings is pretty simple. The number of groupings works out to be between six and ten if the exercise is carried out by experienced people.
5.	Divide large groups into subgroups if needed.
6.	Write appropriate headings for each group and subgroup, describing the intent of that group. Each heading is an affinity card. Use clear and concise words for headings. This requires time, patience, and creativity. The moderator plays an important role here, ensuring that creative juices keep flowing and that disagreements are encouraged until consensus is reached.

An affinity diagram is the end product of the collection of these groups and subgroups with appropriate headings. It may be ready for the next step in the planning process or used for further discussion and refinement. The affinity diagram is among the most widely used 7 MP tools. It is basically a team-based creative exercise that uses logical groupings to identify and group major issues related to a problem. These groupings, after they are correctly identified, can lead to innovative solutions. The affinity diagram can be used either as a stand-alone tool or preferably as part of a problem-solving process using other 7 MP tools as needed. Figure 7.2 depicts a typical affinity diagram.

Figure 7.2. An Affinity Diagram