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Card sorting
Organize content in a way that suits users’ mental models.
What?
Card sorting helps uncover user’s mental models for better information architecture, and understand how to organize information in a way so that other people can find it. In an open card sorting exercise, users are asked to cluster the cards based on affinities, and assign the name they want to each of the groups. While in a closed card sorting exercise, users are asked to organize the individual cards into predetermined categories.
Why?
Learn what items go together based on users’ mental models, or to test how intuitive specific labels are.
Who?
Designer/Facilitator, Service Staff, Users, Experts, Stakeholders
Important!
Limit the number of cards so it doesn’t become overwhelming, and randomize the order of presentation.
How?
Card sorting can be either moderated or unmoderated by the facilitator, it can be conducted on paper or using digital tools. Limit the number of cards so it doesn’t become overwhelming, and randomize the order of presentation.