[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 Eric Scheid
>  
> On 31/5/03 10:33 AM, "Boniface Lau" <boniface_lau at compuserve.com>
> wrote:
> 
[...]
> > 
> > As I had commented at the beginning of this thread, IAs are using
> > an ordering tool (card sort) for grouping purpose.
> 
> I've done "card sorts" with users many times, and never have we used
> some mechanical device for processing the cards into some
> arrangement determined by intrinsic qualities represented on those
> cards.
> 
> Am I missing something here? 

Yes, couple things.

First, the concept of sorting. Sorting is about order. But IAs use
card sort for its grouping effect. Thus, I said IAs use an ordering
tool for grouping purpose.

Second, the method of sorting. A method can be carried out by a
mechanical device or a person. Whether you have actually done card
sorting using a mechanical device is not the issue. The issue is about
the method. In this case, the method involves examining one item at a
time and then placing it at a certain location depending on some
criteria.


[...]
> 
> > Second, regardless of the sort techniques, the ultimate goal of
> > sorting is order. Thus, sorting is about ordering, not grouping.
> 
> Not quite sure what you mean by "the ultimate goal of sorting".

When order is not observed, there is no sorting.


> 
> My dictionary has two definitions for "sorting". The first is
> "placing things in categories according to shared attributes", 

As I had pointed out earlier, grouping is a technique for sorting. To
sort manually, people often use that technique. Thus, when they say
they are sorting things, they often mean "placing things in categories
according to shared attributes".


Boniface