[Sigia-l] Questions about card sorting

[Vanessa Wolfe-Coote]

Todd said: 

>Having done this a couple hundred times, with a combination of singles
and groups, we tend to stick to groups whenever 
>possible. Not only is the dynamic better, but the results seem to be
better - fewer outliers.

I agree with this: my experience of using groups of three appears to be
the ideal, especially for larger card sorts. However, where possible,
what I try to do is to get two groups of three to do the same card sort
simultaneously, present their results to each other, and try to
negotiate a shared view.

I find this to be highly effective. It often resolves conflicting
organisation schemes, it helps me as an IA to see patterns in the way
the cards have been organised and what kind of priority they have been
given, and it helps me to better understand the users by listening to
them in their own language. I have frequently learnt a great deal about
the way teams/organisations work through these discussions.

Vanessa

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Vanessa Wolfe-Coote, Senior Analyst
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