Transcript

[00:00:00] When developing products or websites, we often deal with content, lots of it. And there are many different forms to work out how to arrange it. I like to refer to a technique called card sorting.

[00:00:22] Hello, and welcome to product nuggets. My name is Thomas S by now we have talked about researching product opportunities with discovery interviews, validating these findings with surveys. And testing them through user testing sessions, but there is one more time. Nick, I'd like to introduce to you called card sorting.

[00:00:42] If we're talking about effort or simplicity versus value of research techniques, this one is great up there. It's an incredibly versatile technique and that's why I'm including it in my essential research starter kit. It can be used for any situation in which you are trying [00:01:00] to work out how to organize or name things, develop taxonomies.

[00:01:04] So hierarchies or architectures of information, for example, in what sections should you separate the functionality of a mobile app? What fixed categories should you have for a block or e-commerce website? What areas should you break a dashboard into? In what order should you list items in the menu? And what names should you give each of these areas as with many research techniques?

[00:01:30] The key here is to understand that even if it seems entirely obvious to you, how things should be organized, what is obvious for someone else will look completely different? If you don't believe me, give it a try. At least once you will be surprised how many versions of the obvious way to organize things.

[00:01:49] There are how you organized your content really matters. Even if you have everything your customer could ever ask for in your offering. If they can't find it, it's [00:02:00] of no use. And it's similar with the organization of site functionality. If it can't be found because it's in the wrong place or carries a name, users won't understand or commonly associate with it, you're in trouble.

[00:02:14] Words are the most vital and often overlooked building block of the internet. Getting them bright should not be a matter of going with the first best choice or what seems obvious to you alone. Fortunately, this technique is very simple. Almost like child's play in its simplicity, but don't underestimate it as the name suggests it all boils down to this.

[00:02:39] You let you use this organize and name content for you and look for patterns across what several users come up with. That's already simple, right? To run the session remotely. You can use a multitude of online whiteboards, such as Miro or use a professional card sorting solution, which you can find after a quick that's search.

[00:03:00] [00:03:00] Now let's walk through it. Step-by-step first, all the things you'd like your users to organize. This could be headings of blog posts, pictures of products you're selling or features of your product. For the most useful results provide no less than 20 and no more than 50 such cards, too many cards. And these sessions will take too long and the results will be hard to analyze not enough.

[00:03:27] And you won't offer enough flexibility in terms of coming up with configurations. Try to avoid two or more cards showing the same words as these are likely to be organized together, even if it wouldn't necessarily make sense by purely looking at the meaning or content of those cards. Well, if you can keep the writing on each card to a few words, so that users have an easier time taking them all in.

[00:03:55] Once you get going with the exercise. Then meet or video call your users. [00:04:00] As with previous research methods we discussed, I like giving them a little introduction. What we are trying to do, that I will remain silent during the exercise and that they should think out loud during the exercise to give me a better understanding of what's going on in their head.

[00:04:16] I've talked about this in more detail in previous episodes in this series, give them a set amount of time to organize all cards. Asking them to group them into intuitive arrangements and then writing suitable names for these categories on blank cards. How much time you give them depends on the number and complexity of your carts.

[00:04:34] So I would suggest running a few tests with friends or colleagues to define how long a suitable timeframe is. If desired, you can ask them to put the groups they come up with in some higher hierarchy as well. Other than that, there should be a free to do whatever seems right to them. Make-up levels of hierarchy, have many small groups or few large ones discard cards and come up with new ones.

[00:05:00] [00:05:18] Okay.

[00:05:24] In the end, discuss the results. What was hard to group? What alternatives did they consider? Are they sure about this arrangement? Or is there something they'd like to change? It's not just the result that matters, but also the motivation and the thinking behind it. Maybe they organized your cards in this way, because they've seen a similar example as where that's, where it's talking about.

[00:05:47] It's all about asking many white type of questions and don't forget to take photos or screenshots of their final arrangement, depending on the complexity of your contents. Repeat this exercise with a minimum of [00:06:00] six users as always play this by ear. If you're getting six, fairly similar results, you may not need anymore.

[00:06:08] If they are vastly different though, add a few more to get some extra clarity. For analysis, I would recommend the most simple way of comparing the photos and notes of your sessions and looking for patterns. Note down the most common structures and use this as your framework to organize your content. It is worth pointing out that for cases where you have many cards or participants for higher accuracy, there is a more scientific way of doing this whereby you actually described the math of all configurations.

[00:06:42] And so for the most common patterns, Doing this yourself in something like Excel as possible, but I find it quite painful and I'd suggest using a dedicated card sorting tools, such as optimal sort to do this for you. This might be warranted when the stakes for [00:07:00] getting your content taxonomies, right. Uh, even higher than usual, such as on an e-commerce website.

[00:07:07] But I probably wouldn't advise doing that, investing the time and money. If you're just looking to lay out a few pages inside your product or organizing an online survey into sections that make sense. For example,

[00:07:27] there, you have it, a very brief introduction to what I think is a very powerful technique to help you getting your information architecture, right. And understanding your customer's mental models. I hope you enjoyed this episode. If you did, please pass it on to your friends or colleagues. I'd also love to hear your feedback via Twitter at Thomas underscore SL, or you can send me an email to hello@thomasessel.com.

[00:07:55] Okay. Produced by myself and the music is from blue dot sessions and the [00:08:00] opinions expressed are my own. Thank you for listening. Till next time.