Login 

• Research Methods
• Research Technologies
• Online Sample Sources

Socratic CardSort^SM

Description: The methodology of doing a card sort is probably familiar to most researchers. Using this technique respondents can drag & drop text, symbols, diagrams, images, etc. grouping items into pre-labeled categories. The frequency with which various items are sorted into the categories reveals the degree to which a market-consensus for common set membership exists.

Characteristics: The CardSort interface shows two areas with which respondents interact. The first area contains attributes, brands, concepts, text, pictures or whatever elements we wish to sort. The second area contains pre-labeled categories into which the elements are dragged and dropped. During the process elements can be rearranged and moved until the respondent is satisfied with the final sorting solution. Once submitted, the categories can then be probed (using standard questionnaire ratings and/or open-ended questions) as to the thought process related to why elements belong in certain groups, and so on. This technique is also a valuable replacement for ranking tasks, which respondents generally find tedious and difficult.

Output: Like the VisualDifferentiator, the CardSort also provides product and brand classification schemes, but based on a pre-defined set of options. Typical analysis will provide:

• What elements are considered to be highest quality, most important, most believable, expensive, and so forth? Why?
• Do certain sub-groups tend to group elements similarly?
• Are there certain elements that "anchor" a concept, (e.g. does one brand of automobile always appear in the "safe" category?)
• Which elements are least well defined in terms of the classification scheme offered?
• Which elements are consistently ranked as being one of the top three most important positions?