Card Sorting

summary | detail | methodology

Why card sorting?: Card sorting is an effective way to learn about users’ expectations for finding information in a website, intranet, extranet, software application, documentation set, or other information product. Card sorting can be used for exploration, to learn how users themselves would organize the information, or for verification, to test categories and category names that you have developed.
What is card sorting?: In a typical project, participants sort cards containing names of content areas, tasks, documents, or even images associated with the information into groups that seem logical to them. Optionally, they provide names for the groups they’ve created.; Card sorting is a frequent component of an information architecture evaluation, but can be part of the user research for any information-intensive product. It is often used in conjunction with other methods such as ethnographic interviews, usability testing, and search-log analysis.
What does it take?: Focus—For large information products, you cannot evaluate everything. Identify and prioritize the top areas of concern.; Materials—A typical card sorting exercise requires a deck of 20 to 60 cards, with a label on each card.; Time and place—Sessions can take place in your company’s offices (or usability lab), at Tec-Ed’s Midwest test facilities, at a rented facility, or at the user’s home or workplace. Sessions are typically 1–2 hours long. We usually need 2–3 weeks of planning, preparation, and participant recruiting before conducting sessions.