Clustering ideas / options

Why Cluster Develop themes Understand relationships between ideas / options Avoid / identify duplication Organise and structure ideas Aid action planning

When to cluster During or after brainstorming If you are working with lots of discrete pieces of data e.g. requests /requirements / feedback / actions

How to Cluster – method 1 Ensure each idea / option is on its own post-it / piece of paper Take the first two ideas / options Ask group members ‘is it the same or different’ If it is the same place them together, if they are different place them apart Do this for each idea / option, comparing each option with others until all ideas / options have been assigned to a group If the idea / option belongs in more than one group, make a copy of it and place it in both groups Discuss and agree the name of the first cluster and put the name on a different coloured post-it Repeat for each cluster

How to Cluster – method 2 Ensure each idea / option is on its own post-it / piece of paper on a large piece of paper or flipchart Ask the whole group to come up to the ideas / options and individually, without discussion, group related ideas together If an idea is constantly getting moved between groups, ask the group members to duplicate the idea and place it in each group After about 10 minutes / when group members are no longer moving ideas around stop the activity Discuss and agree the name of the first cluster and put the name on a different coloured post-it Repeat for each cluster

How to Cluster – method 3 You may already have some categories which the ideas need to be organised into e.g. small, medium, large projects or issues that are related to systems, people or processes… Create categories (if on post-its use a different colour) Ensure your categories are clearly defined During clustering ask which category the issues relates to and place the idea in the correct category.