Card sorting
Card sorting is a rapid, reliable and inexpensive method for elucidating the mental model of the users of a given product by revealing statistical patterns in how they associate items; for example, where they expect to find content or functionality in a web site. By understanding the users' mental model, the information architecture of a product can be improved, which in turn makes it easier to use.
There are two basic types of card sorts:
- Open card sorts require participants to sort items with no pre-established categories provided, and then define the categories they create. Open card sorts are useful as input to information structures in new or existing sites and products.
- Closed card sorts require participants to sort items into pre-established categories. Because of the constrained nature of the exercise, closed card sorts are less common and generally less useful, and are conducted to validate an existing architecture, or when adding new content to it.
Card sorting is applicable to early stages of product design, often before the first wireframes are created, facilitating the design process by removing assumptions about a product's fundamental structure.
Sophisticated on-line tools such as Websort allow card sorting to be conducted rapidly and inexpensively with large numbers of participants, who respond to an invitation to participate in a card sort much as if they were being invited to respond to a survey; results can be achieved in as little as a week.
UXagility has conducted several on-line card sorts using a variety of on-line tools and for several purposes, such as to develop initial site information architecture, to organize content in a Support system, etc.