Octopus clustering is a visual grouping technique used in ideation and synthesis workshops to organise a large volume of ideas or observations into thematic clusters. Named for the radiating tentacle-like structure it produces on a whiteboard or wall, it extends affinity diagramming by encouraging more dynamic, organic grouping, allowing items to belong to multiple clusters and creating visible connections between overlapping themes. It is faster to run than strict affinity diagramming and produces a richer picture of how ideas relate to each other.
Octopus Clustering
A dynamic clustering method that preserves cross-cutting connections between ideas
A
Designers Academy
29 July 2025 · 4 min read
UXMethods
In brief
Octopus clustering is a dynamic visual grouping technique used in ideation workshops to organize ideas into thematic clusters, allowing items to belong to multiple groups and showing cross-cutting connections for richer insights.
