Word: Card Sorting

Definition: A form of UX research in which participants are given a set of cards with words or topics on them. They are then asked to arrange the cards into meaningful groups.

Thoughts: This research methodology is great for organizing and understanding content structure. Many designers will use this technique when determining a site's information architecture. For example, if you are trying to organize a site's navigation you would write down the different site elements on note cards and have the participant arrange them in appropriate and meaningful groups. This will then help you better understand how users will explore and navigate your site.

There are many ways to go about an effective card sort and the good news is, it's very hard to get wrong! Look into "open" versus "closed" card sorts for more information on research practices (or wait a few days until I define those terms 😉 )

Note: this is nothing like blackjack!

Question: What are some of your card sorting techniques and best practices?