Card sorting is a user-centered design method used to help design or evaluate the information architecture of a site. It involves users organizing content into categories that make sense to them, which can provide valuable insights into how your audience thinks about your content.

1. Purpose:

   • To understand how users categorize information.
   • To inform the structure of your website or application.

2. Types of Card Sorting:

   • Open Card Sorting: Participants create their own categories.
   • Closed Card Sorting: Participants sort cards into predefined categories.
   • Hybrid Card Sorting: A combination of open and closed methods.

3. Participants:

   • Typically involves 15-20 participants to gather diverse insights.

4. Tools:

   • Physical cards or digital tools like OptimalSort or xSort.

1. Preparation:

   • Define the goal of the card sorting session.
   • Choose the type of card sorting (open, closed, or hybrid).
   • Prepare a list of items (cards) to be sorted.

2. Execution:

   • Brief participants on the task and its purpose.
   • Allow participants to sort the cards into groups that make sense to them.
   • For open sorting, ask participants to name each group.

3. Analysis:

   • Look for patterns in how participants grouped the cards.
   • Identify common categories and outliers.
   • Use the results to inform your information architecture.

Imagine you are designing a website for a library. You want to understand how users would categorize different types of books and resources. Here's how you might set up a card sorting session:

1. Preparation:

   • Goal: Determine how users categorize library resources.
   • Type: Open card sorting.
   • Items: Fiction, Non-fiction, E-books, Audiobooks, Magazines, Journals, DVDs, etc.

2. Execution:

   • Provide each participant with a set of cards representing the items.
   • Ask them to group the cards in a way that makes sense to them and label each group.

3. Analysis:

   • Collect the sorted groups from all participants.
   • Identify common groupings, such as "Digital Media" for E-books and Audiobooks.
   • Use these insights to design the website's navigation structure.

Task: Conduct a card sorting session for a hypothetical online clothing store. Use the following items: T-shirts, Jeans, Jackets, Dresses, Shoes, Accessories, Sale Items, New Arrivals.

1. Decide whether to use open or closed card sorting.
2. Conduct the session with at least 5 participants.
3. Analyze the results and propose a navigation structure for the store.

1. Type: Open card sorting to gather unbiased insights.
2. Execution: Participants might group items into categories like "Men's Clothing," "Women's Clothing," "Footwear," and "Accessories."
3. Proposed Navigation:
   • Men's Clothing
   • Women's Clothing
   • Footwear
   • Accessories
   • Sale
   • New Arrivals

• Mistake: Not having a clear goal for the card sorting session.

  • Tip: Clearly define what you want to learn from the session.

• Mistake: Using too many or too few cards.

  • Tip: Aim for 30-50 cards to balance comprehensiveness and manageability.

• Mistake: Ignoring outliers in the data.

  • Tip: Consider outliers as they might reveal unique user perspectives.

Card sorting is a powerful technique for understanding user mental models and informing the design of your information architecture. By following a structured approach, you can gain valuable insights into how users perceive and categorize your content, leading to a more intuitive and user-friendly design.