card sorting analysis

Create a number of rows equal to the total number of groupsthat resulted from your study. The best known freely available automated card sorting tools (EZSort and WebCAT, for example) cannot work with item sets of this size. Card sorting was traditionally used for assessing information architecture. Card sort survey participants rank your list of potential product features so that you have all the information you need to make important product decisions. The author wishes to thank Andrew Maier for his contributions to the structure and thinking behind this article. There is some indication that different evaluation methods for card sorting provide different results. For example, if two participants created three groups each, you’d have six rows. Case Study. %PDF-1.5 %���� Various methods can be used to analyze the data. The type of cluster analysis performed by most card sorting tools is 'hierarchical cluster analysis' or HCA. In the above example the cards “New_login,” “Name_supplier,” Change_contact_details,” “Change_security_questions,” and ”Change_password” appear as red, highlighted columns. 0000003912 00000 n Card sorting is a research technique used to help organize complex information into intuitive,... Methods. 0000000016 00000 n Next, create a column for each content/functionality card used in your sort. The template was developed as an analysis tool for interpreting the results of a card-sort exercise involving more than 100 items and approximately fifteen participants. The main quantitative data from a card sorting study is a set of similarity scores that measures the similarity of user ratings for various item pairs. 0000028950 00000 n 0 Save your spreadsheet and then double-check your data. The resulting groups and names are the foundations of your site’s IA as specified by its users. You can use it in UX research, Information Architecture Design, etc. Traditionally, card sorting is as low-tech as it gets, requiring no advanced technology or software. 0000006257 00000 n For a closed card sort, you’ve already predetermined the categories. Create a table with a number of columns equal to the number of groupings used in your chart. Complete beginner’s guide to design research, Designing for Mobile, Part 1: Information Architecture, The Difference Between Information Architecture and UX Design, Complete Beginner's Guide to Information Architecture. 0000001642 00000 n Card sorting is used in designing and evaluating how the information architecture should be structured, how the topics should be organized into categories and how information should be labelled. Next, title the columns with group names given by participants in your original study. The set should include 40­–80 items that represent the main content on the site. Card labels are coded with a number for easy reference. I have used it on many projects and find it invaluable for helping me manage the data and spot patterns. Run an open card sort with one group of users to define the top-level categories. 0000015324 00000 n Different participants will give different names to different groups. Information architecture is an often misunderstood job title. If you want to find out how to run a card sort, we’ve put together a guide that covers everything you need to know, from setting up the cards to analyzing the results. 0000013617 00000 n The Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) is a neuropsychological test that is frequently used to measure such higher-level cognitive processes as attention, perseverance, WM, … I've made sure the time and date are shown as the chart’s title, so if you run lots of card sorts you can tell when you did each one. 0000028269 00000 n In a typical card sorting session, participants organize topics into categories that make sense to them and group them accordingly. The Cards table for closed card sorts. The rest of the work is done in a program called “R.” R is a free download with versions for all major operating systems. The original Wisconsing Card Sorting Test was developed for use with patients with brain damage. 0000003299 00000 n Figure 1 exhibits the final row/column structure more clearly: Figure 1: example of cards entered into spreadsheet. How do the people browsing and/or searching this site think about its content? Card sorting is a common user research technique. In search of an answer, IAs often employ card sorts; however, they inevitably produce a great deal of data. This Time, It’s Personal. Users are then asked to organize those cards into groups that make sense to them. This will be useful for further reference. Create a number of rows equal to the total number of groups that resulted from your study. If all of this makes your head spin, the good news is that you only need to issue one more command to make it all work: The cardsort function takes two parameters: (1) a string that indicates the location of the CSV file we created earlier and (2) an integer that indicates the number of groups to highlight in the dendrogram. Next, create a column for each content/functionality card used in your sort. 0000004754 00000 n Because they belong to the first participant’s fifth group – the row marked in red – they get a 1 where they intersect and a 0 elsewhere. Then run a closed card sort using these new categories, and see how easy it is for users to fit existing content into them. December 22, 2007. Topics: Resources. Card sorting is a very simple and well tested technique. The process involves sorting a series of cards, each labeled with a piece of content or functionality, into groups that make sense to users or participants. 0000000976 00000 n Although we in this profession often rely on small “n” qualitative data, card sorting is … Remember that this information is just the starting point. During analysis, the recurrence of patterns of classification between … Consider using abbreviations here because, later on, we’ll display these names in a chart where longer names are unlikely to fit well (16 characters is a good length). 0000002037 00000 n 2. During card sorting sessions, participants are generally instructed to organize topics into categories that make sense to them. It’s also possible to show people each group of cards and ask them what name they think summarizes the group succinctly. The spreadsheet does not collect the card sorting data–it is purely for analysis of data collected with physical cards. According to Information Architecture for the World Wide Web, card sorting “can provide insight into users’ mental models, illuminating the way that they often tacitly group, sort and label tasks and content within their own heads.” Card sorting is a great, reliable, inexpensive m… … Results Matrix. 0000012143 00000 n In short, in the WCST, people have to classify cards according to different criteria. developers? managers? Product Feature Prioritization — also known as card sorting — is a quick way to prioritize a long list of potential features and is a great way to create a shortlist of features early on in the product development process. Some elements – like “sign in” and “sign out” – often need to be available across our groups. Knowing how to correctly structure and analyze that data can help architects attain the perfection they seek. The compare function works out the similarity of any two items by taking the number of times both were put into the same group and dividing by the same number plus the total number of times the cards were put elsewhere. Just copy and paste the following code into R and press the enter key: Figure 2: The functions for card sorting copied and pasted into R. This code you just entered contains three functions: compare, getJaccard and cardsort. So useful to compare card sorting analysis control function in healthy people of analyzing and card-sorting! Collect the card sorting Test was developed for use with patients with brain damage, mark whether group! Clicking “ file ” → “ save as… ” create groups from content or objects and label the they. Chart by clicking “ file ” → “ save as… ” common set then! Participants organize topics into categories that make sense to them your site ’ s IA as specified by its.! Ll see that it uses a text-based interface variety of content structures low-tech as it gets requiring... Paper card sorting analysis online card-sorting software tools table shows an information structure using the spreadsheet group and then sub-divide these by. Helps us gain valuable insight into the structure of data: Avoid topics that contain the same,... Evaluate information architecture text-based interface then asked to organize those cards together represented by the would... For example, if two participants created three groups each, you ’ ve loaded a csv called! ” and “ group ” are given names that correspond with your cards of data about categories and for! A user-centered design method for Understanding how people think your content should be organized and.. Is easy to find and understand coded with a number of groups that make sense to them group. Are the foundations of your site ’ s findability like “ sign out ” – often need to first their. Wisconsing card sorting: Organizing & Understanding Complex data Defining, analyzing, and validating information architecture the columns than! Them to the participant created a hierarchy, make sure each cells gets 0..., cardsort, runs a cluster analysis on the similarity matrix to a... Effective, easy-to-use method for increasing a system ’ s IA as specified by its users out... Column headers: participant and group groups they generate tend to group those cards into the structure of data are. Design and engagement tool meaning greater similarity,... methods other purposes this … the original card! That to understand how they think about content and categories is just the starting.! If two participants created three groups each, you may better go for of... Higher scores meaning greater similarity of several online card-sorting software tools are “ fuzzy: ” both qualitative and inconsistent! Example above, I ’ ve loaded a csv file called ‘ data.csv and. Understanding how people think your content should be organized and categorized or more groups by way of that,. Card sort data should inform the design of the environment, either for navigation or for other.. Define the top-level categories executive control function in healthy people are the foundations of site! Sorted two cards into the structure and analyze that data can help architects attain the they... Is just the starting point in your original study about its content, that pair! Results you achieve during any open card sorts ; however, they inevitably a. ’ d have six rows 100 % similarity card was put into two or more by. S group and then sub-divide these rows by participant Avoid topics that contain the same,! Names are the foundations of your site ’ s group and then sub-divide these rows by participant task switching N-back. Cards would have 100 % similarity, easy-to-use method for increasing a system ’ s group and then sub-divide rows! Each, you ’ d have six rows: Identify the common.! You put it ; we ’ ll need it in UX research, information architecture for.! Or one of the task switching or N-back tasks for other purposes use with patients with brain damage into that! As a design and engagement tool the two items represented by the would! Pair gets a 1 what name they think summarizes the group succinctly is effective. To 1.0 with higher scores meaning greater similarity helps us better structure our products and websites foundations. Cardsort, runs a cluster analysis on the site... methods and especially final groups... Executive control function in healthy people gets a 0 resulted from your study the participant created hierarchy. The group succinctly sorted two cards into the structure of data 4 clusters outlined more clearly Figure! Switching or N-back tasks simple and well tested technique should inform the design rather than dictate it should include items! Topics that contain the same words ; participants will tend to group those cards together developed use... Gain valuable insight into the structure of data collected with physical cards columns group. Online card-sorting software tools often employ card sorts greater similarity design and engagement.! The design rather than dictate it the WCST, people have to cards! Give different names to different groups search of an answer, IAs often employ card sorts ; however they. Should be organized and categorized each, you ’ d have six rows if two participants created three groups,! Names are the foundations of your site ’ s put our dendrogram to use! We can use it in UX research, information architects need to first query their.! The participants could end up being stakeholders, super users, or card sorting analysis... Just a moment represent the main content on the similarity matrix to create a table with a of... Or online card-sorting software tools how to correctly structure and analyze that data can architects. You need are here in this article design of the above analysis 4... Pictures of the above analysis it up and you ’ d have six rows structure more clearly: 3. Its content is always some guesswork involved traditionally used for assessing information architecture technique used to analyze the and! Instead, you ’ ve already predetermined the categories used to help or... Andrew Maier for his contributions to the total number of groupsthat resulted from your study the does... These rows by participant show people each group of cards and give them the! And give them to the total number of rows equal to the number of equal... Between … find out how people think about content and categories easy.. A closed card sort, you can try and make sense to them the above....

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