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Home » Methods » Card Sorting

Card Sorting

5-15 individuals
medium
1-2 hours
  • Digital whiteboard: Miro or Mural
  • Video conferencing: Zoom, Microsoft Teams etc.
Best Practices

Explanation of the method

  1. Identify the content or concepts that need to be organized. Create virtual cards with each piece of content or concept. Below you find a template for such card sorting actitivies.
  2. Share the digital board with participants. Explain the purpose of the card sorting activity and any specific instructions.
  3. Participants drag and drop the virtual cards into groups that make sense to them. Encourage participants to think aloud and articulate their reasoning as they sort.
  4. Facilitate a discussion after the sorting is complete. Explore the reasons behind certain groupings and gather insights into user mental models.
  5. Review the results and look for patterns in how participants grouped the content. Identify areas of consensus and divergence.
  6. Document the final groupings and any noteworthy insights. Use the results to inform the information architecture or content organization.

Advantages

  1. Provides insights into how users naturally categorize information.
  2. Helps design intuitive and user-friendly information architectures.
  3. Reveals potential issues or misunderstandings about content organization.

Disadvantages

  1. Results may vary among participants, requiring careful analysis.
  2. May not capture the reasoning behind certain choices without additional context.

Advice from practice

  1. Pilot the card sorting activity with a small group before conducting a larger session.
  2. Consider combining card sorting with other usability testing methods for a more comprehensive understanding.
Please note that the tools and methods were created as of August 2024 and all Miro Boards are editable.
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