This is an Eval Central archive copy, find the original at freshspectrum.com.
Card sorting is a user experience research method useful in discovering how people organize and prioritize different topics.
The method is pretty simple. You start with a set of topics on notecards or sticky notes. Then you ask your research participant to organize those cards in a way that makes sense to them.
At least that’s the basics, there are all sorts of card sort variations (open, closed, hybrid, moderated, unmoderated) which has been covered on the web in lots of detail. Here are a couple of good sources if you want an in-depth method guide.
- Card Sorting: The Ultimate Guide (in 2024) – Interaction Design Foundation
- Card Sorting: Uncover Users’ Mental Models for Better Information Architecture – Nielsen Norman Group
Card sorting can be used for more than just user interface and web design.
A lot of the guides you’ll find on the web are written to show you how to use card sorting for information architecture. And it is a really good method for discovering where people would expect to find certain pieces of information on a website.
But there are definitely all sorts of different situations where are a card sort could be a really useful research method. Off the top of my head, here are just a few potential uses for researchers and evaluators.
Card sorting to prioritize reporting information.
Are you trying to create a short visual report but don’t know what information should be included or not included? Why not try a card sort with different potential section headings?
Card sorting to determine survey response items.
If you have a really important survey, testing your questions with real survey respondents can provide a lot of insight. Taking it one step further, you can also card sort different response items to see which are most important for inclusion. Or you can card sort the actual survey questions, to determine which questions might provide the best insights.
Card sorting to organize outcomes and activities.
Understanding some of the importance between different program elements, activities, and outcomes could also be discovered through card sorting.
Why you should consider leading a moderated card sort.
Moderated card sorting involves a researcher being present in the room while the user participates in the card sort. The researcher will encourage the participant to think aloud during the process and probe into why they are making certain choices.
Card sorting can provide a lot more insight than just the order and groupings of different topics. By asking participants to think aloud, you can get a ton of added insight into their thought process.
Bonus: Card sorting is a visual qualitative method.
A lot of data people struggle with visualizing qualitative data. Which is not surprising because many “qualitative data visualization” methods involve quantifying the data first.
Card sorting is a visual method. At the beginning and end of the sort you have a natural visual artifact that can be used when illustrating your qualitative reports. Just take a picture (or if you are leading the card sort virtually, take a screenshot).
Unlike most stock photos, process pictures of visual methods are highly relevant and easy to use illustrations.
How to lead a Card Sort using Canva and Zoom.
There are a bunch of virtual tools that can used to lead a card sort. But here is a simple approach using Zoom and Canva.
1. Start a Zoom meeting and share your screen (optional)
This is totally optional, but running a card sort in Zoom (or other video meeting tool) will give you the ability to share your screen and record the process.
2. Create a Whiteboard in Canva
In Canva, go to create a design and choose “Whiteboard.”
3. Add sticky notes.
If you already have the topics you want your participant to organize, go ahead and create sticky notes to share them. There is a Canva shortcut, just click “s” and a sticky note will appear.
4. Change sticky note colors (optional)
The default sticky note is yellow, but you can always change the colors by selecting the sticky notes and clicking on the color button at the top left of the page.
5. Add organizing text blocks.
Here is another Canva shortcut. If you hit the “t” button on your computer a text block will appear. You can use these to include labels on the page.
6. Invite your participant to the Canva file.
You can share your canva document directly with your participant. You just need to click share and then send a “Collaboration link” that anyone can edit.
7. Your participant does not need a Canva account to engage with the document.
By sharing an open link, your participant can just open the link in a web browser. They will be able to interact with the design without signing up or logging into a Canva account. They will just show up in the Canva document as a generic user.
8. Let your participant move the sticky notes around the page and ask them to talk through the process.
Your user will be able to move sticky notes around, change sticky note colors, and even add new sticky notes. It’s just up to you to show them how.
9. Sticky notes can be stacked.
The sticky notes can definitely be stacked. By right clicking on a sticky note you can access the layer menu (which will allow your participant to move a sticky note forward or backward in a pile). Whiteboards are also infinite in Canva, so they can always just order the sticky notes up and down the page or left to right.
Since you are both in the document at the same time, you can always help the participant move items around as they direct the process.
10. Want to use the same sticky notes over and over again?
During the Canva setup process, after you have your sticky notes set, go ahead and make a copy of the design file. Do this for as many interviews as you want to lead. This way you’ll have a visual record for each.
This post is part of a new series on specific design methods. Card sorts are just one of many potentially useful user experience design methods I suggest to researchers and evaluators. If you’re interested in learning more UX design methods, visit my diydatadesign course catalog and look for UX Design 101.