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Card Sorting 

What is it?

Card sorting is a categorization method where users sort cards depicting various concepts into several categories.

How do I do it?

Start with a list of all the items you want sorted. Write down each item on a separate index card. Give your user(s) the stack of cards and have them divide the cards up into piles, telling them that the cards should be grouped the way they (the users) best see fit.

When should I use this technique?

This technique is best used in the early stages of development. For example, you might want to determine how users would group various functions. You'd use this information to place the functions on various menus of a user interface.

Who can tell me more?

Click on any of the following links for more information:

Brassard, Michael, ed. 1988. The Memory Jogger: A Pocket Guide of Tools for Continuous Improvement. Methuen, MA: Goal/QPC.

 
 
 
 

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