What is card sorting?

Card sorting is a user experience (UX) research technique used to understand how users categorize and organize information. By asking participants to group a set of labeled cards into categories that make sense to them, UX designers can gain insights into users' mental models and preferences. This method is particularly useful for designing information architecture, such as website navigation, menu structures, and workflows.

The origins of Card Sorting

The origins of card sorting in user research can be traced back to the field of psychology, where it was initially used as a method for studying cognitive processes. It was later adopted by the field of user experience (UX) design as a way to understand how users categorize information, which helps in creating intuitive navigation structures for websites and applications.

While no single person is credited with inventing card sorting, Celeste Paul is noted for creating the Modified-Delphi card sort, a variant of the method. Donna Spencer is also mentioned as a significant figure in the field, having written a book on card sorting and contributed to its methodology

Card sorting began being used in user research around the 1990s, coinciding with the rise of the internet and the need for more user-friendly web interfaces. It has since become a common method in UX research and design, valued for its ability to uncover users' mental models and inform the organization of content in a way that aligns with user expectations.

Understanding the Methodology

Card sorting can be conducted in several formats:

1. Open Card Sorting:
In an open card sort, participants create their own categories and labels. This approach is particularly useful for generating insights into how users naturally categorize information, providing a raw look at their mental models.

2. Closed Card Sorting:
Here, participants sort cards into predefined categories. This method is beneficial when designers want to validate existing organizational structures or fit information into a set framework.

3. Hybrid Card Sorting:
A blend of open and closed methods, hybrid card sorting allows participants to use predefined categories while also creating new ones if necessary. This flexibility can yield richer insights, balancing structure with user intuition.

Top 5 Use Cases for Card Sorting

Let's look at some examples of how card sorting can be used for research in digital products.

1. Website Redesigns

Card sorting helps to restructure existing websites, making them more user-friendly by aligning the information architecture with user expectations.

Example:

E-commerce Website Redesign: An online retailer wants to improve the navigation on their website to make it easier for users to find products. They conduct a card sorting exercise to understand how customers naturally group items like clothing, accessories, and electronics.

2. Information Architecture

Card sorting is used to organize content and features on a website or application, ensuring that the structure aligns with how users think about and look for information.

Example:

University Website Structure: A university aims to reorganize its website to make academic resources more accessible to students and faculty. Card sorting helps determine how to structure departments, courses, and student services.

3. Content Organization

Card sorting helps determine the most logical way to organize large amounts of content, ensuring that users can easily find what they are looking for.

Example:

News Website: A news organization wants to restructure their website to ensure users can easily find news articles by topic. Card sorting helps identify the best way to categorize different types of news content.

4. Mobile App Navigation

Card sorting is used to design intuitive navigation systems for mobile applications, making it easier for users to access different features and functionalities.

Example:

Fitness App: A fitness app developer wants to create an intuitive navigation system. Card sorting is used to determine how users expect to find workouts, nutrition advice, and tracking features.

5. Product Feature Categorization

Card sorting helps categorize and prioritize product features, ensuring that the user interface is logical and easy to navigate.

Example:

Software Dashboard - A software company is redesigning the dashboard for their project management tool. Card sorting helps decide how to categorize and prioritize features like task management, team communication, and project analytics.

Card Sorting in Action:  The Canadian Government’s Website Consolidation Project

As part of an initiative to consolidate hundreds of government websites into a single, user-friendly portal, the Canadian government employed card sorting to determine the best way to organize content across departments.

The government conducted extensive card sorting studies with citizens, government employees, and other stakeholders. Participants were given various types of government-related content, such as information on taxes, benefits, and immigration, and asked to group them into logical categories.

The card sorting results revealed significant insights into how users expected to find government services and information. This led to the creation of a more citizen-centric information architecture, which prioritized common tasks and topics rather than the internal structure of government departments. The redesign made it easier for Canadians to navigate the government portal and access services.

Conclusion

Card sorting is like a behind-the-scenes magic trick in the world of UX design. Its origins in cognitive psychology might sound academic, but at its heart, it’s about making our digital lives simpler and more intuitive. By tapping into how users naturally think about and categorize information, designers can craft websites and apps that feel just right.

As our digital world gets more complex, the importance of clear, user-friendly design only grows. Card sorting isn’t going anywhere – it’s evolving with new tools and techniques that give even deeper insights into user behavior.

In today’s fast-paced design world, one thing remains constant: the need to keep users front and center. Card sorting is a timeless tool in this effort, helping ensure our digital experiences are not just functional, but genuinely enjoyable and easy to navigate. As we embrace new technologies and methods, card sorting will continue to be a key part of creating designs that resonate with users.

FAQ

How many participants do you need for a card sort study?

For most card sorting studies, 15 to 20 participants are often sufficient to uncover the majority of common patterns and trends. This sample size balances the need for diverse input with practical considerations like time and resources.

Can Card Sorting Replace a Tree Task?

Card sorting and tree testing are complementary methods rather than interchangeable ones. While card sorting helps in the initial stages of creating an information architecture, revealing how users think about content categories, tree testing evaluates the effectiveness of that structure. Tree testing involves users navigating through a simplified version of the site’s hierarchy to complete tasks, providing insights into the usability of the structure created from card sorting.