This week, we focused on affinity diagramming, a technique that stood out to me for its ability to transform unorganized user feedback into clear, actionable insights. In our studio activity, we analyzed project data collected through user interviews. By grouping individual comments and ideas into themes, we uncovered deeper patterns and relationships within the data.

The process revealed five key themes: Motivation, Sustainability Value, Communication, Move-out Challenges, and Donation and Reuse Solutions. For example, under “Motivation,” we noticed how factors like social responsibility, cultural norms, and avoiding landlord fines shaped user behavior. Similarly, the “Move-out Challenges” theme highlighted logistical barriers such as time constraints, lack of tools, and overflowing trash bins.

What stood out to me most was how the act of clustering comments helped us see connections that weren’t immediately obvious. For instance, poor communication about recycling practices directly contributed to users feeling unmotivated to adopt sustainable behaviors. This exercise shows how affinity diagrams can break down complex problems and provide a structured way to identify opportunities for improvement.

I learned that affinity mapping isn’t just about organizing data — it’s a collaborative process that fosters critical thinking and empathy. This technique will continue to be a key tool and data organization method as it helps translate raw data into insights that drive impactful design decisions.