The document provides instructions for conducting affinity mapping, a technique for visualizing patterns in observations from user research. It involves copying highlights from user research onto sticky notes, placing the notes on a wall with no order, grouping related notes, writing themes for the groups, prioritizing bigger groups and those that prevent users achieving goals, and framing the themes as problems to solve such as "How might we..." to inform content design.

1. David McCrae - User researcher
Graeme Claridge - Content designer
Government Digital Service
User research & content design

2. GDS

3. GDS
How will you know how to speak
to customers if you don’t speak
to customers?

4. GDS

5. GDS
Look for behaviour. What do
people do and what do they not
do?

6. GDS
Pain points are caused by unmet
needs. What are they?

7. GDS

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Copy your highlights onto sticky
notes.

9. GDS

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Affinity mapping is a simple way
to visualise and see patterns in
observations

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Step 1:
Put all of the sticky notes on a wall in no particular
order
Step 2:
Group together the sticky notes
your think are related
Step 3:
Write themes for your post it
note groups

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The bigger a group is the more
frequently it happens
The more it stops a user
completing their goal the higher
the priority

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Title your themes to think about
the problem
“How might we…”

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Designing content to match the
user needs

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Does the content match the user
need?

17. GDS

18. Thanks!
David McCrae
Graeme Claridge