[Sigia-l] card sorting

[Todd R. Warfel]

On Wednesday, June 4, 2003, at 04:28 PM, Boniface Lau wrote:

> Because I know what I am talking about.

Dear enlightened one,

Many would disagree. Your examples might be correct in relation to 
sorting as applied to ballots, however, it is not correct with respect 
to IA. If you've done card sorts in the context of IA, as we've been 
discussing all along, you'd know this.

> So, instead of questioning your experience, I simply step you through
> the process of sorting things into groups.

There's one major problem with your description. It's not reflective of 
how a card sort typically occurs in real life. Once again, if you've 
ever done one, you'd know this.

> But the neuroscientist knows that there is much more to how we see.
> Different parts of the brain are involved in order to see.

First of all, card sorting is hardly rocket science or neuroscience for 
that matter.

Tell you what, I'll make you a deal. You come to NY and I'll train you 
on how to do card sorts on content and/or feature inventories for my 
standard rate. And perhaps with a little real world experience, you'll 
"see."

> Since you cannot even walk us through your process, you are NOT
> equipped to argue with anyone on whether order needs to be observed to
> sort things into groups.

Yes, oh enlightened one. You must be correct. After all with absolutely 
no experience in this area, you clearly know more about this than any 
of us in the group.

I wonder who you'd rather perform a brain surgery on you - a surgeon 
with 10 years actual experience and a medical degree from a very 
accredited school, or someone who claims to know because they read a 
book on it once, yet has no medical degree nor any real experience.

Personally, I'd pick the former. But it's your brain...

Cheers!

Todd R. Warfel

_//message first [method second]
-=========================-
User Experience Architect
Cornell University Lab of Ornithology
[P] (607) 254-2477
[F] (607) 254-2415
[E] todd.warfel at cornell.edu
-=========================-

In theory, theory and practice are the same,
but in practice, they're not.