Click to add text Card Sorting and Cluster Analysis Sophie Wood Agency Support Services

State of Michigan Department of Information Technology 2 From Vision to Action 2 Card Sorting & Cluster Analysis What is card sorting and why conduct a card sort study? Card sorting basics Tools for an online card sort study

State of Michigan Department of Information Technology 3 From Vision to Action 3 Why Conduct a Card Sort? To learn from users of the system how they group a list of content, functions or ideas and what they call those groups. To validate the organization of an existing site or application before working on a re-design. To avoid designing a web site or application from the developers/organizations point of view. Takes out opinion when designing a taxonomy for a site.

State of Michigan Department of Information Technology 4 From Vision to Action 4 What is Card Sorting? Card sorting is a method for discovering the latent structure in an unsorted list of statements or ideas. If the informants are representative of the user population for whom the application is being designed, then the result will reflect the structure in which the users expect the ideas or concepts should be presented.

State of Michigan Department of Information Technology 5 From Vision to Action 5 What Card Sorting Ignores Business requirements Strategic direction Technical goals and limitations Existing site/application guidelines

State of Michigan Department of Information Technology 6 From Vision to Action 6 Card Sorting Basics 1.Index cards are prepared. Each card has a single item from the list on the front and a long description on the back. Descriptions are included to clarify what each item represents. Rose The flower of flowers Front of Card Back of Card

State of Michigan Department of Information Technology 7 From Vision to Action 7 Card Sorting Basics 2.Users are asked to sort the set cards into logical groups (cluster) and name each group. BlueRosePansyLemon AppleVioletPeachBrown RedCherryPetuniaGreen

State of Michigan Department of Information Technology 8 From Vision to Action 8 Card Sorting Basics BlueRose Pansy Lemon Apple Violet PeachBrownRed Cherry Petunia Green COLORS FRUIT FLOWERS

State of Michigan Department of Information Technology 9 From Vision to Action 9 Card Sorting Basics 1.Index cards are prepared. 2.Users are asked to sort the set cards into logical groups (clusters) and name each group. 3.Results of the individual card sorts are recorded and analysis is done. 4.Recommendations for organization of site/page/application are made.

State of Michigan Department of Information Technology 10 From Vision to Action 10 Tool for a Web-based Card sort 1.A spreadsheet is prepared with items and descriptions. 2.Card Sort Study is created. 3.Users are invited via to participate in the card sort study via the web. 4.After the card sorts are complete, view cluster tree (taxonomy) of results. 5.Individual results are exportable as.csv file and include names of groups (clusters).

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State of Michigan Department of Information Technology 28 From Vision to Action 28 Summary Card sorting is a way to find out how users see the information/concepts/functions we provide and can provide the basis for a site taxonomy. Tools exist to simplify the creation of a study and the analysis of the results. Cards should be sorted by real users to provide meaningful results. Study results are not necessarily the whole picture and dont include things like business goals and strategic direction.

State of Michigan Department of Information Technology 29 From Vision to Action 29 Any Questions? Sophie Wood