Venn Diagrams

The concept of the Venn diagram was surveyed by John Venn, as the name of the diagram suggests. He introduced the diagram in 1880, and since then, the Venn diagram became very popular because it is very easy to understand and to use (RUSKEY & WESTON 2005). Sometimes, the Venn diagram is also called Chapati diagram (Chapatis are a round, flat type of bread eaten in India and South Asia).

This use of the Venn diagrams can be very helpful for organisations because it allows the illustration of the extent to which individuals, organisations or projects interact with each other or overlap. By the size of the circle, you can show the importance of an organisation or projects. The bigger a circle is, the more important is a project. The proximity of the circles illustrates how much interaction between the players is ongoing. Overlapping circles represent interacting organisations (see stakeholder analysis starting by stakeholder identification factsheet). There is also the possibility of a subset. This means that a small circle is placed within a larger circle. The small circle stands for a component in a big organisation or project which is symbolised by a big circle. If there are several groups which draw Venn diagrams on the same topic, it could be useful to combine or compare the different diagrams (see also group works). A discussion allows to see differences or similarities in perception, as mentioned above. A further discussion could lead to conflict resolution or organisational capacity building (MSP n.y.).

(Adapted from UT 2006)

The Venn diagram can be used in many different ways, so this guidance has to be contemplated as a general one.

• Individually or in a group, define a “central figure”.
• As the participants draw the diagram, the size of the circle can equal the importance or physical size of the institution; a larger circle is more important than a smaller circle.
• The closeness between circles indicates the strength of interactions. An intersection of circles means a strong relationship between the organisations.
• Possible lines between circles can also show the frequency of contact or the importance of the institutions/organisations.

There are many more possible applications of Venn diagrams. It can help to find out how major institutions or organisations are perceived in a community (UT 2006). It can be used to develop a social map which shows the social structure (FAO 2003). There is also the possibility of classify things after certain criteria (see also problem tree analysis).