Background: The K-J Method was developed as the the Affinity Diagram by Jiro Kawakita in the 1960s and has become one of the Seven Management and Planning Tools used in Total Quality Control.
When repeated in separate cycles focused on different project management activities, the basic K-J brainstorming process becomes a problem-solving process. The method emerged before the internet arrived, so many of the steps, originally accomplished on 3x5 cards and through a suggestion box can now be handled electronically.
Description: The basic cycle described here can performed twice to accomplish two-cycle version consisting of problem definition and idea generation.
A more six-cycle version can accomplish:
DiscussionNext Thinking Method »
All of the items are made available on cards and distributed at random among all participants, who announce the ideas in turn as the facilitator transcribes them on flipchart pages. During this phase, anyone can ask for clarification of any idea brought up and recorded. Although all items may be discussed, debate or criticisms of ideas is not allowed.
Items are then prepared for voting. Re-wording, combining, clustering, and consolidation of items continues until the group arrives at a selection of item suitable for putting to a vote.
Voting
Depending on the number of items in play, point values are assigned to the classifications of best, second-best, third-best, etc. Clear winners should emerge. Where there are ties or unclear vaules, discussion follows in order to resolve them, until the the group defines the desired number of prioritized items.
Dispatching
Individuals and groups take ownership of items and take responsibility for implementing each on a deadline.