Affinity Diagram: What is it?

An affinity diagram is the organized output from a brainstorming session. It is one of the seven management tools for planning. The diagram was created in the 1960s by Kawakita Jiro and is also known as the KJ method.

The purpose of an affinity diagram is to generate, organize, and consolidate information concerning a product, process, complex issue, or problem. Constructing an affinity diagram is a creative process that expresses ideas without quantifying them.

The affinity diagram helps a group to develop its own system of thought about a complex issue or problem. A group can use an affinity diagram at any stage where it needs to generate and organize a large amount of information. For example, members of a leadership team may use the diagram during strategic planning to organize their thoughts and ideas. Alternatively an improvement team can use the diagram to analyze the common causes of variation in its project. The diagram is flexible in its application and is easy to use.

The above article is an excerpt from the "Affinity Diagram " chapter of Practical Tools for Continuous Improvement Volume 2 Statistical Tools. This reference book is available from PQ Systems.