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Affinity Mapping

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The Affinity Mapping section in UserLens helps you organize research findings into meaningful clusters, identify patterns, and build a shared understanding of user needs.

Overview​

Affinity Mapping (also called affinity diagramming) is a technique for organizing qualitative data into groups based on natural relationships. In UserLens, the Affinity Mapping board lets you:

  • Create sticky notes for observations, quotes, and insights
  • Organize notes into thematic clusters
  • Visualize patterns across your research
  • Build evidence for hypotheses

Understanding Sticky Note Types​

Each sticky note has a type that indicates what kind of finding it represents:

TypeColorPurpose
InsightYellowNew discoveries or unexpected learnings
OpportunityGreenPatterns, positive moments, or areas for improvement
BarrierRose/RedPain points, obstacles, or frustrations
QuotePurpleDirect verbatim statements from participants

Choosing the Right Type​

  • Use Insight for synthesized observations: "Users check email before starting tasks"
  • Use Opportunity for positive patterns or ideas: "Auto-save would reduce anxiety"
  • Use Barrier for problems: "Navigation is confusing for new users"
  • Use Quote for exact words: "I never know if my work is saved"

Adding Sticky Notes​

Method 1: Quick Add​

  1. Locate the Add Note button at the top of the Affinity Mapping section
  2. Click to open the note creation form
  3. Enter your note text
  4. Select the note type (Insight, Opportunity, Barrier, or Quote)
  5. Choose a cluster (or leave as default)
  6. Click Add to create the note

Method 2: Add to Specific Cluster​

  1. Find the cluster where you want to add a note
  2. Click the + button on that cluster's header
  3. Enter your note text
  4. Select the note type
  5. Click Add

The note appears directly in the selected cluster.

Method 3: Auto-Sync from Participant Notes​

Notes are automatically added when you save participant observation notes:

  1. Open a participant's edit modal from the Synthesis tab
  2. Add quotes, insights, pain points, or delights
  3. Click Save Changes
  4. Notes sync to Affinity Mapping with appropriate types and clusters

See the Participants & Synthesis Guide for details on the auto-sync feature.

Working with Clusters​

Default Clusters​

UserLens starts with common research clusters:

  • User Frustrations — Pain points and barriers
  • What Works Well — Positive experiences and delights
  • Feature Requests — Desired capabilities
  • Workflow Issues — Process and task-related observations
  • Emerging Opportunities — New ideas and possibilities

Creating a New Cluster​

  1. Click Add Cluster at the end of the cluster list
  2. Enter a descriptive name
  3. Press Enter or click Create

Naming tips:

  • Use noun phrases: "Onboarding Challenges" not "Users struggle with onboarding"
  • Be specific enough to be meaningful: "Mobile Experience" vs. "Issues"
  • Keep names concise: aim for 2-4 words

Renaming a Cluster​

  1. Click the cluster name or the edit icon
  2. Type the new name
  3. Press Enter to save

All notes in the cluster remain associated with the new name.

Deleting a Cluster​

You can only delete empty clusters.

Organizing Notes​

Moving Notes Between Clusters​

Drag and Drop:

  1. Click and hold a sticky note
  2. Drag it to the destination cluster
  3. Release to drop

Via Edit:

  1. Click the note to select it
  2. Click the edit icon
  3. Change the cluster in the dropdown
  4. Save changes

Editing a Note​

  1. Click on any sticky note
  2. Click the Edit button (pencil icon)
  3. Modify the text, type, or cluster
  4. Click Save

Deleting a Note​

  1. Click on the sticky note
  2. Click the Delete button (trash icon)
  3. Confirm deletion

Warning: Deleted notes cannot be recovered.

Filter by Note Type​

Use the filter buttons to show only specific note types:

  • Click Insights to see only yellow insight notes
  • Click Opportunities to see only green opportunity notes
  • Click Barriers to see only rose barrier notes
  • Click Quotes to see only purple quote notes
  • Click All to see everything

Best Practices​

Writing Effective Notes​

Be specific:

  • ❌ "Users had trouble"
  • ✅ "Users couldn't find the export button in the toolbar"

Include context when helpful:

  • ❌ "Slow"
  • ✅ "Dashboard takes 8+ seconds to load with large datasets"

One idea per note:

  • ❌ "Users want dark mode and better notifications and faster load times"
  • ✅ Create three separate notes

For quotes, capture exact words:

  • ❌ "User said they were frustrated"
  • ✅ "I've clicked everywhere and I still can't figure out how to save"

Organizing Clusters​

Start broad, then refine:

  1. Begin with default clusters
  2. Add specific clusters as patterns emerge
  3. Merge similar clusters if they overlap too much

Aim for 5-10 clusters:

  • Fewer than 5: clusters may be too broad
  • More than 10: consider consolidating related themes

Review periodically:

  • After each research session, review cluster organization
  • Rename clusters as your understanding deepens
  • Move notes if they fit better elsewhere

Participant Attribution​

Notes synced from participant observations include the participant ID:

[P01] "The search never finds what I'm looking for"
[P03] Users expect results to appear instantly

This helps you:

  • Trace findings back to specific sessions
  • Identify if issues affect multiple participants
  • Maintain research traceability

Using Affinity Mapping for Synthesis​

Identifying Patterns​

Look for clusters with many notes—these indicate common themes:

  1. Sort clusters by note count (if available)
  2. Review clusters with 5+ notes
  3. Look for sub-patterns within large clusters
  4. Consider splitting large clusters into more specific themes

Connecting to Hypotheses​

Use Affinity Mapping findings to validate or challenge hypotheses:

  1. Open the Hypotheses tab
  2. Review your research hypotheses
  3. Return to Affinity Mapping
  4. Tag or note which clusters provide evidence for each hypothesis

Building Insights​

Transform clusters into actionable insights:

  1. Review a cluster's notes
  2. Identify the common thread
  3. Write a synthesis statement: "Users consistently struggle with X because Y"
  4. Document in your research report or the Coverage tab

Sticky Note Legend​

The legend at the bottom of the Affinity Mapping section reminds you of note types:

ColorTypeDescription
🟡 YellowNew InsightUnexpected discoveries or learnings
🟢 GreenPattern/OpportunityRecurring themes or areas for improvement
🔴 RoseBarrier/Pain PointObstacles or frustrations users experience
🟣 PurpleDirect QuoteVerbatim statements from participants

Frequently Asked Questions​

Q: How many notes should I have?​

There's no magic number. A typical research project might have 50-200 notes. Focus on capturing meaningful observations rather than hitting a target.

Q: Can I export my Affinity Map?​

Yes. Use the Export PDF or Export CSV buttons in the Synthesis tab to download your findings.

Q: What happens to notes if I delete a participant?​

Notes remain in Affinity Mapping. The participant ID prefix stays on the note for reference.

Q: Can I undo changes?​

Individual note edits can't be undone, but the system automatically saves your data. Be careful when deleting notes.

Q: Should I add notes during or after sessions?​

Both approaches work:

  • During sessions: Capture quotes and immediate observations
  • After sessions: Add synthesized insights and organize clusters

Many researchers do quick capture during sessions and detailed organization afterward.

Q: How do I handle duplicate observations?​

If multiple participants mention the same issue:

  • Keep separate notes with participant IDs for traceability
  • Or consolidate into one note with a count: "Navigation confusion (mentioned by P01, P03, P05)"