Card sort
What
In a card sort, participants are asked to sort cards with words or images related to a specific topic. They are then asked to give reasons for their classification.
Why
A card sort obliges participants to create a classification. This is often done very implicitly. Discussing this afterwards makes the underlying considerations explicit. This gives insight into the way participants view the world and what they find important.
How
- Decide what you want to use a card sort to research. Do you want to improve the understanding of the issue, work towards solutions, map specific needs, clarify contextual factors or do something else?
- Define as many topics as possible that are related to what you intend to research.
- Select thirty to fifty topics. Ensure that they are varied enough and that together they cover enough terrain. Ensure a good balance between abstract and concrete topics.
- Create a card for each topic. A card can have a word, a sentence or a fitting illustration.
- Print the cards.
- Formulate instructions, the sorting methods (e.g. by personal preference, common ground, importance, potency, collective or individual value, sequence) and questions to ask during the card sort.
- Explain how the card sort works. Ask the participant to think out loud during the card sort.
- Have the participant order the cards according to the method you have decided on up front.
- For each sorting method, take the time to figure out how this order came about. Ask the questions you formulated in advance and ask follow-up questions.