When to Use an Affinity Diagram

Affinity Diagrams will often be your first step in a problem solving process. Use this brainstorming tool when you have a large number of thoughts, ideas or facts that are not organized in any coherent manner. Affinity Diagrams are also very useful when traditional solutions to a problem have failed and you need to find new ways to approach a problem. Because the Affinity Diagram emphasis is on creative brainstorming, creating the diagram will often bring to the fore"front previously unrecognized ideas. In addition, the process of grouping together related issues will force you to rethink how issues are connected, which could lead to an entirely new way of looking at a problem.

Learn more about the Quality Improvement principles and tools for process excellence in Six Sigma Demystified (2011, McGraw-Hill) by Paul Keller, or his online Green Belt certification course ($499).