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)

seele :: Jun.06.2007 :: Academics, Design, General :: No Comments »

Are you or someone you know involved in the United States legal system? I am looking for current law students, pre-law students (or undergraduates interested in Law school), law professionals, attorneys, and faculty and administration of law schools to participate in a small study. If you or someone you know match these criteria and would like to participate in a short, online survey which will take approximately 10-15 minutes, please fill out this screener and I will contact you with further instructions.

This study is part of research I am conducting at the University of Baltimore.

seele :: May.25.2007 :: Asides, Life :: Comments Off

Thank you to everyone who was at the DC Chapter UPA meeting last night. Here are the slides from my presentation on Modified-Delphi Card Sorting. They are a little more detailed than the presentation I did for the IA Summit 2007. Look forward to the IA Institute process grant report which should be out around June 1.

Comments and questions are welcome.

Modified-Delphi Card Sorting (PDF 371KB)
DC Chapter UPA Meeting, May 24, 2007

seele :: May.25.2007 :: DC Metro, Design, General :: No Comments »

I am recruiting information architects, information designers, and any other information experts out there to volunteer an hour or so of their time this week to help evaluate information structures from an IA-related study. This and related work has been part of a card sorting research project I have been working on for the past year (Delphi card sorting ring a bell?).

If you are able and willing, please fill out the participant recruitment form and I will contact you with further instructions.

seele :: May.23.2007 :: Academics, Asides, Design :: Comments Off

I will be at the May DC Chapter UPA meeting this Thursday (May 24) to talk about Modified-Delphi Card Sorting.

Abstract:

The Delphi method is an interactive forecasting technique that incorporates the dialectic of thesis, antithesis, and synthesis to reach an unbiased consensus from a group of experts or users. It has been successfully applied to interviewing techniques and has the potential to be applied to card sort methods. This adaptation could allow card sorting exercises to be done with fewer participants and may yield more reliable results. This session will introduce the Delphi method and show how it can be applied to card sorting. We will also discuss some of the advantages and disadvantages of this approach and of other variations on card sorting.

Check out DC-UPA for more information.

seele :: May.21.2007 :: Asides, DC Metro, Usability :: Comments Off