User Testing - I

Cheap & Easy! That is, as far as costs are concerned, not the results.
Today we look at Card Sorting. Since real users are the people who have to work with what you are developing, it is important to know how they look at their tasks, what is their mental model? Which labels do they use? What is their terminology?

Card Sorting: What is it?.
Card Sorting is a method to get user-input even before you start to develop. It provides you with the user's view on the subject. Two methods: Open Card Sorting and Closed Card Sorting.
Open Card Sorting is done with blank cards, labels are provided by the end-users. Closed Card Sorting is done with labeled cards, users provide the position in their mental model.

Card Sorting: How do you do it?.
1. you have to collect some real end-users (the ones that really have to work with it), up to 15 should be sufficient, but less is OK, even 2 would help a lot.
2. you divide them into groups, about 5 persons each.
3. you provide them with cards, ca. 30 cards usually is OK and one or more felt-tips.

Open Card Sorting
4. Open Card Sorting: you ask your users to write down the issues that are important to them. Each item is written on a different card. When they are done:
5. ask your users to put the cards into stacks.
6. ask them to label each stack.
7. collect the stacks.

Closed Card Sorting
4. ask your users to put the cards into stacks.
5. ask them to label each stack.
6. collect the stacks.

Card Sorting: What does it do for you?
Card Sorting provides you with insight in the mental models that users use doing their tasks. It gives you the labels they think with, making it easier for you to taylor your design to their needs.

Tip: Provide your users with feedback, let them know they did make a difference!

More on Card Sorting:
www.infodesign.com - Usability Resources
www.boxesand arrows.com
Jacob Nielsen (www.useit.com) on Card Sorting
More on Mental Models
Wikipedia on mental models
Ruth Byrne's website on the subject
Don Norman's website, you should read anything Don has written.