[Term Entry] Affinity Diagram

content/uiux/concepts/affinity-diagram/affinity-diagram.md

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+---
+Title: 'Affinity Diagrams'
+Description: 'Affinity Diagram organizes qualitative data into clusters to identify themes and insights.'
+Subjects:
+  - 'Web Design'
+  - 'Web Development'
+Tags:
+  - 'UI'
+  - 'UX'
+CatalogContent:
+  - 'intro-to-ui-ux'
+  - 'paths/front-end-engineer-career-path'
+---
+
+**Affinity diagrams** are a visual method used in UX to organize large sets of qualitative data into meaningful groups. It helps designers synthesize research findings, uncover themes, and prioritize user needs by clustering related insights.
+
+This method is especially useful during the synthesis phase of research when ideas, quotes, or observations need to be interpreted collaboratively.
+
+## When to Create an Affinity Diagram
+
+Affinity diagrams are typically created after collecting qualitative data such as:
+
+- Interview quotes or observations
+- Survey responses
+- Notes from usability tests
+- Brainstorming ideas from team sessions
+
+They are commonly used during:
+
+- Research synthesis
+- Problem framing
+- Ideation and early concept planning
+- Stakeholder alignment workshops
+
+## How to Build an Affinity Diagram
+
+1. **Gather raw data or observations:** Pull relevant user quotes, ideas, pain points, or behavioral notes onto individual cards or sticky notes. Each card should contain one point or idea.
+2. **Sort items into related groups:** Without labels, begin clustering related notes based on similarity. This should be done collaboratively to uncover patterns through discussion.
+3. **Label the clusters:** Once groups emerge, give each one a meaningful heading that captures the underlying theme or insight, such as "Trust issues" or "Onboarding friction."
+4. **Prioritize insights if needed:** Some clusters may represent more critical issues than others. Use dot-voting or effort-impact axes to highlight which themes require action.
+
+![Diagram illustrating an affinity diagram with grouped sticky notes representing themes. Categories include: Tools for Communication, Progress Tracking, Leadership Experience, Improvements & Limitations, Rewarding Aspects, and Challenges in Leading. Each category contains several coloured sticky notes to represent related ideas.](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Codecademy/docs/main/media/affinity-diagram-pl-img.png)
+
+## Benefits of Using Affinity Diagrams
+
+- **Promotes shared understanding:** Team members synthesize data together, helping align on core themes and reduce bias.
+- **Visualizes complexity:** Turning unstructured data into structured clusters helps reveal patterns and gaps that are difficult to identify in raw notes.
+- **Encourages collaboration:** They are especially effective in workshops or design studios where cross-functional teams collaborate to interpret findings.
+- **Enables informed decisions:** Synthesized insights can inform product roadmaps, feature prioritization, and persona development.
+
+## Tools to create Affinity Diagrams
+
+Affinity diagrams can be created using both physical and digital tools, depending on the team's needs and setting. While sticky notes and whiteboards are great for in-person sessions, remote or hybrid teams benefit from digital collaboration platforms. Popular tools include:
+
+- [**Miro:**](https://miro.com) A versatile online whiteboard that supports sticky notes, clustering, voting, and templates tailored for UX workshops.
+- [**MURAL:**](https://www.mural.co/) Offers powerful features for organizing qualitative data, with a focus on team facilitation and design thinking.
+- [**FigJam:**](https://www.figma.com/figjam/) A lightweight whiteboard tool by Figma, ideal for quick brainstorming and affinity diagramming within design teams.
+- [**Figma:**](https://www.figma.com/) Though primarily a UI/UX design tool, it can also be used creatively for diagramming using shapes, components, and team collaboration features.
+
+Choose a tool based on your team's workflow, the amount of data, and the need for interactivity and visual structure.