Participants:
2-10
11-25
25+
Prep Time:
Time to run:
30 min

Affinity clustering template

A graphic technique for sorting items according to similarity

Courtesy of our friends at

Philosopher Otto Weininger said, “All genius is a conquering of chaos and mystery.” Sometimes in the midst of a project, an overwhelming amount of information or ambiguity threatens to bog down the pace of progress. Affinity Clustering will help you avoid this roadblock. Whether analyzing research data or considering creative ideas, you can use this method to organize items into logical groups. It is an easy way to bring order to chaos!

Patterns are revealed when teams sort items based on perceived similarity, defining commonalities that are inherent but not necessarily obvious. In this way you are able to draw insights and new ideas out of otherwise disparate pieces of information. Discerning patterns among data (or any multitude of items) is also a useful way of taming complexity. As professor Herb Simon said, “Most of the complex structures found in the world are enormously redundant, and we can use this redundancy to simplify their description.”

How to create a Affinity clustering template

Affinity clustering template frequently asked questions

LUMA Institute

Template by LUMA Institute

,

LUMA offers acclaimed in-person training, custom innovation programs, and a unique digital platform (LUMA Workplace), used by innovators in over 70 countries. Leading organizations around the globe rely on the LUMA System of Innovation — a practical, flexible, and scalable approach to Human-Centered Design.