[Sigia-l] card sorting: dealing with multiple placements

[Boniface Lau]

> From: sigia-l-admin at asis.org [mailto:sigia-l-admin at asis.org]On
> Behalf Of Todd R.Warfel
>  
> On Wednesday, May 28, 2003, at 09:19 PM, Boniface Lau wrote:
> 
> > However, my point was that we are using an "ordering" tool for
> > "grouping" purpose. And that point seems to not getting across.
> 
> I guess that's where I see it differently. Card sorting is a tool
> for grouping, not ordering. 

The fact is that card sorter was invented in the late 19th century to
sort census punched cards. Thus, the tool was intended for ordering.

BTW, many years later John von Neumann wrote a sort program and used
the card sorter as performance benchmark.


> I'd argue that some have been using a grouping tool for ordering,
> which is not what it's meant to do.

History aside, arguing that card sorting was not meant for ordering
things is like arguing that sorting was not meant for ordering. It
ignores the established meaning of words.


Boniface