obso1337.org

My IA Institute Process Grant report on Modified-Delphi card sorting is now available.

Abstract:

Open card sorting is a quantitative pre-­design method which is used by information architects to gather information from users to aid in the design of an information architecture. There are a number of drawbacks to the method, some severe enough to compromise the quality and validity of the results. A modified approach to open card sorting called Modified­Delphi Card Sorting is proposed, modeled after a forecasting technique called the Delphi method which has been used in business, military and technology knowledge gathering. Instead of independent participant results which must then be analyzed as a whole, the proposed method conducts the study centered around a single result structure which can be more easily analyzed. Participants independently work together through moderated collaboration to provide their individual insights and be assisted by other participants’ work. The method requires fewer participants for higher quality results which are more easily analyzed to produce material to aid in the design of an information architecture. A case study which was used to validate this method is also described.

Investigation of Applying the Delphi Method to a New Card Sorting Technique (PDF 740KB)