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Start your free trialPrabal Dutta
588 PointsWhy and how Card sorting will help in UCD?
I am having difficult time understanding the relevance of Card sorting as a tool for understanding Content and Context.It would be great if anybody could explain a little bit more in detail.
3 Answers
Dustin Matlock
33,856 PointsCard sorting is a technique used to structure content or a product. It involves a group of users who are not designers and has them organize content in a logical manner using cards, for instance, site navigation or other content. You can kind of think of it as a way for designers to get help thinking out of the boxβapart from actual design stuff. It takes the thinking of a designer or developer and separates it to focus on the user.
Basic Method Described by Wikipedia:
- A person representative of the audience is given a set of index cards with terms already written on them.
- This person puts the terms into logical groupings, and finds a category name for each grouping.
- This process is repeated across a population of test subjects.
- The results are later analyzed to reveal patterns.
So, essentially UCD puts the user first in how they might interact and relate to content, and helps organize and structure information or products. It's an analytical method similar like what Google Analytics is for user activity and site metrics, but this research would help organize information.
Here's a YouTube video to provide a more visual idea of what card sorting is about.
Tommy Gebru
30,164 PointsHey Prabal, if you still need help, there is usually great content located below the video lesson. In your case OptimalSort. Is an online service that offers Card Sorting as a tool to User-Centered Design.
Veronica Rivera
32,599 PointsAbout how many "users" would one have to recruit in order go get enough data to be useful?
Dustin Matlock
33,856 PointsThere was a study done which stated:
Recommendation:
As few as 25-30 participants will likely yield results similar to those of several hundred, provided these participants are representative of actual users and are familiar with the domain being considered. Thus, researchers could save time and money, not to mention the headache of analyzing all the extra data.
Prabal Dutta
588 PointsPrabal Dutta
588 PointsThanks Dustin. Is it related to Optimal sort?
Dustin Matlock
33,856 PointsDustin Matlock
33,856 PointsOptimalSort is a card sorting service. I updated my answer above with a video that should help paint the picture for you.
Prabal Dutta
588 PointsPrabal Dutta
588 PointsI got the picture, Dustin. Thanks.
Matteo Simeone
13,587 PointsMatteo Simeone
13,587 PointsReally useful example, thanks Dustin!