Card Sorting

What is card sorting?

In card sorting, participants receive a set of cards, each showing one piece of content or one feature, like "Returns", "Invoices" or "Team members". Their task is to group the cards in a way that makes sense to them. You can do this with paper cards in person or remotely with online tools.

There are three variants. In an open card sort, participants create and name their own groups. In a closed card sort, they sort into predefined categories. A hybrid sort provides categories but lets participants add their own.

Why card sorting matters

Teams often structure content according to internal logic, such as departments or database tables. Users think differently. Card sorting makes their mental picture visible before you commit to navigation and menus. That saves expensive rework and reduces the number of people who search for something and can't find it.

How to use card sorting in practice

• Match the variant to your question: open when you're building a new structure, closed when you're checking an existing one.
• Write neutral card labels and avoid repeating the same word across cards, which nudges people to group them together.
• Keep the scope manageable so participants don't get tired and start sorting at random.
• Pay attention to reasoning: Ask participants to think aloud or follow up afterwards. The why is often more useful than the groups.
• Validate the result with a tree test before you rebuild your navigation.

Example

A cosmetics store organizes products by brand and internal product lines. In an open card sort, participants group them by skin type and use instead, such as "dry skin" or "evening routine". The new navigation follows that logic, while brands remain available as a filter.