An Affinity Diagram (also known as an affinity map or affinity mapping) is a tool used to organize a large set of ideas or research findings into meaningful groups. In UX, designers often use affinity diagrams after qualitative research (like user interviews or open-ended survey responses). They write individual insights or observations on sticky notes, then cluster those notes by similarity or theme. For example, if several users mention difficulty finding information on a website, those notes might be grouped under a theme like “navigation issues.” By arranging related items together, affinity diagramming helps teams see patterns and prioritize which problem areas or ideas to focus on. It’s a key step in synthesizing research data and discovering common user needs or pain points.