Card SortingOpen card sort:
An open card sort allows participants to generate as many categories of information as they want, and name those as they please.
When to use:
Open card sorts are very useful in the early phase of the research and design process.
How to use:
1. Choose the topics (40-80 items);
2. Let the user organize the topics into groups (if possible, ask the participants to think out loud);
3. Let the user name the groups;
4. Debrief the user (optional): ask the users to explain the reason behind the groups they created;
5. If needed, ask the user to make subgroups or instead make bigger groups;
6. Repeat with 15–20 users;
7. Analyse the data: look for common groups, category names or themes, and for items that were frequently paired together.
Advantages:
- More intuitive grouping;
- Simple;
- Cheap;
- Fast;
- Gives access to users’ common vocabulary;
- User focused.
Disadvantages:
- Ignores tasks;
- Is variable;
- The analysis may not go deep enough;
- Takes more time to conduct and to analyse than closed card sort.
Closed card sort:
A closed card sort only allows participants to use a set of predetermined cards and categories.
When to use:
When trying to improve information architecture of an existing product.
How to use:
1. Choose the topics (40-80 items);
2. Users are given a predetermined set of category names and asked to organize the individual cards into predetermined categories;
3. Repeat with 15–20 users;
4. Analyse the data.
Advantages:
- Simple;
- Cheap;
- Fast.
Disadvantages:
- Ignores tasks;
- Is variable;
- Its analysis can take time and it may not go deep enough.