Card sorting: Optimise your website's information architecture
Card sorting is a user-centred design research technique used to understand how users organise and categorise information. It involves presenting participants with a set of cards labelled with content topics or items and asking them to group these cards in a way that makes sense to them. This valuable technique helps uncover how your target audience thinks about your content, allowing you to design a website or app with an intuitive and user-friendly information architecture.
What to look for in a freelance card sorting expert
When hiring a freelance card sorting expert, look for someone with a strong understanding of user experience (UX) principles and experience conducting various card sorting methods (open, closed, hybrid).
They should be proficient in analysing and interpreting card sorting data, and be able to translate these insights into actionable recommendations for website navigation, information architecture, and content organisation.
Key skills to look for:
- Experience with different card sorting methodologies
- Proficiency in using card sorting tools (e.g., OptimalSort, UserZoom)
- Strong analytical and data interpretation skills
- Excellent communication and presentation skills
- An understanding of information architecture and UX principles
Main expertise areas to inquire about
When discussing your project with potential freelancers, be sure to inquire about the following:
- Experience with specific card sorting software
- Experience with remote and moderated card sorting sessions
- Experience working with different target audiences
- Knowledge of different analysis techniques (e.g., dendrograms, similarity matrices)
- Experience integrating card sorting findings into wider UX research
Relevant interview questions
Here are some questions to ask potential freelancers during the interview process:
- Can you describe your experience with different card sorting methodologies?
- How do you recruit participants for card sorting studies?
- What tools do you use for conducting and analysing card sorting data?
- Can you share an example of a project where you used card sorting to improve a website's information architecture?
- How do you present your findings and recommendations to clients?
Tips for shortlisting candidates
- Review portfolios and case studies to assess the candidate's experience and the impact of their work.
- Look for examples where they have successfully used card sorting to improve user experience.
- Check their client testimonials and feedback to gauge their communication and collaboration skills.
Potential red flags to watch out for
Be wary of freelancers who:
- Lack a clear understanding of UX principles
- Overly rely on one card sorting method
- Cannot articulate how they analyse and interpret data
- Lack experience working with diverse target audiences
Typical complementary skills
Card sorting is often combined with other UX research methods. Freelancers with expertise in the following areas can provide a more holistic approach to improving your website's usability:
- User research
- Usability testing
- Information architecture
- Interaction design
- UX writing
What problems a freelance card sorting expert can solve
Hiring a freelance card sorting expert can help you:
- Improve website navigation and findability
- Create a more intuitive and user-friendly website structure
- Reduce user frustration and improve task completion rates
- Validate information architecture decisions
- Gain valuable insights into how your target audience thinks about your content
For example, a large e-commerce website might use card sorting to optimise its product categorisation, while a government agency might use it to improve the structure of its online services. A non-profit organisation might leverage card sorting to ensure its website content is easily accessible to its target audience.
