Question 1

What is card sorting?

Accepted Answer

Card sorting is a well-established user experience (UX) research method where participants group topics into categories according to criteria that makes the most sense to them. It’s often used to help inform the IA of a site or app. By giving your participants labeled cards to sort, you can gain useful insights into how and why they group content in certain ways.

Question 2

What are the different card sorting methods?

Accepted Answer

There are three types of card sorting methods. In an open card sort, participants sort cards into categories that they determine, and label each category themselves. In a closed card sort, participants sort cards into predefined categories. In a hybrid card sort, participants sort cards into predefined categories, and can also create their own categories.

Question 3

What is card sorting used for?

Accepted Answer

Card sorting is generally used to define navigation structures, organize product categories, and build content taxonomies.

Question 4

Is card sorting qualitative or quantitative?

Accepted Answer

Card sorting data – for example, which cards appeared together most often, and how often cards appeared in specific categories – is quantitative. The responses participants give to follow-up questions is qualitative.

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