Card Sorting Tool

Why and what is Card sort? If you are creating an content oriented website or an e-commerce website which has lot of categories and content. If you are confused on how to organize the content and navigation for your website. Or if you are not a subject matter expert. Don't get tensed and no worries. You just get in touch with an usability analyst or do it yourself with little bit of training. Card sorting is an usability technique which will help you to provide the better navigation or information.

There are two ways you can do a Card Sort - Manual or tool.

Card Sort - Manual:
You can do a manual card sort which is very easy to create & need little calculation. There are many tutorials on web from which you can learn Card Sorting & its easy. This tutorial on Card Sort is good to start with. Boxes and arrows hasCard Sort Defenitive guide written by Donna Maurer and Todd Warfel

Card Sort - Tool:
Tool based Card Sort is faster than manual.

1. IBM had a card sort tool called ezsort which was very familiar with information architects, at present its now available for download online. If you google, you can find from other sites to download ezsort. Now Cardsort.com has provided ezsort for downloading.
2. Optimal Sort is another company who sells card sort tool for online usage, its a paid service.
3. Web Cat is another tool which is easy to use.
   

Budget Card Sort:
With the help of spreadsheets you can also do a card sorting. Its more famouse among information architects and easy to use and no cost involved.

Also Read:

• How many users to test
• Card sorting: a definitive guide
• Tool: CardSort

Books:

• C. Wodtke: Information Architecture - Blueprints for the Web (P.104)
• J.J. Garrett: The Elements of User Experience
• L. Constantine, L. Lockwood: Software for Use (P.83)