Card Sorting

A research technique in which users organize topics into groups to create an information architecture that suits their expectations.

Gather the items or topics that the participants will be asked to organize. These items should represent the main content within your information architecture, such as items in a navigation or products in your catalog. Write each item on an individual card.

Ask the participants to sort the items one at a time into groups that make sense to them. Encourage them to think out loud, as this can give you valuable insight into their thought process.

Once the topics have been sorted, ask the participant to label each group with the term they think best describes it. This step reveals what each participant's mental model is and will be helpful when determining what to eventually label categories within your information architecture.

Ask the participants to explain their rationale for each of the groupings they created. This helps you uncover why each participant made the decisions they did, identify any difficulties they experienced, and gather their thoughts on any topics that remain unsorted.