This user testing project was an integral part of our initiative to establish a centralized pattern library for our website's key components, aimed at fostering a more coherent and user-friendly interface. To achieve this objective, we chose to employ a card sorting method to gain deeper insights into how our users organize and categorize information within our pattern library. In total, 24 participants engaged in five in-person sessions, providing us with invaluable insights. This case study provides a comprehensive overview of the methodology and outcomes of our card sorting user testing, which ultimately led to substantial enhancements in the information architecture and usability of our pattern library.
My Role:
As a UX designer, my responsibilities encompassed planning, recruitment, testing, analysis, and reporting.
Background:
Our overarching objective was to enhance the navigational experience of our pattern library, which we were in the process of building on the OneNote platform. The library consisted of 24 core components, each accompanied by user guides and best practices. However, our users frequently encountered difficulties in locating the information they required. In response to this challenge, the Customer Design Validation team (CDV) decided to conduct a card sorting user test to gain deeper insights into how users grouped, categorized, and described library components.
Methodology:
Our team meticulously recruited 24 participants, including both frequent and occasional users of the existing library. Each participant was provided with a set of 24 cards, each containing a component name, along with blank cards for grouping and renaming. The task was clear: participants were asked to group the cards into categories that made sense to them, and to label each category with a name that accurately represented the group's contents.
Subsequently, our team collected and analyzed the data using a similarity matrix. We sought to identify patterns in the categories and labels created by participants, examine how components were grouped, and identify components placed in multiple categories.
To validate our revised approach, we conducted a second round of testing using the new grouping labels and asked participants to categorize each component accordingly. We observed that participants had collectively created six primary categories that effectively covered the majority of library components.
Moreover, it became apparent that certain components could logically fit into multiple categories, emphasizing the need for versatile information organization. Additionally, we noticed that participants had varying labels for the same category, which had the potential to cause confusion among users. These insights proved instrumental in refining the library's navigation and component categorisation.
Results:
- Improved Information Architecture:
The newly designed information architecture exhibited a significantly improved level of intuitiveness and ease of navigation, thereby minimizing user frustration and enhancing efficiency for our employees.
- Consensus Among Users: The card sorting sessions served as a vital platform for identifying differences in user mental models and preferences. This insight enabled us to construct a consensus-driven information architecture that better aligned with our users' requirements.
- Positive User Feedback: The positive feedback we received from employees validated our efforts. Users reported increased confidence in locating the information they needed, ultimately saving them time during the product design process.
Conclusion:
Through the implementation of a card sorting user testing method, we successfully acquired crucial insights into how users naturally organize and categorize information. These insights guided us in creating an improved information architecture that resonated with users' mental models and preferences. The success of this project underscores our capacity to conduct user research and design solutions that meet the specific needs of our library users. This transformation has not only resulted in a more efficient pattern library but has also contributed to a more user-centric and satisfying experience.
