HCI 590: Information Architecture

Autumn 2003

Small Project #4

Creating categories

Due Tuesday October 14 at class time

Activities

The following steps use the objects in the file items.txt.

• Using your best judgment, group the list of items into what you think would be an optimal structure for information navigation. Devise labels for the categories in your structure.
• Create a set of instructions so that a participant can conduct an open card sort.
• Perform an open card sort with a participant (ideally a non-HCI person). Record the groupings and the category names provided by the participant.
• Note any differences between your structure and that created by the card sort.

Report

Your report should contain the following:

• Your approach to creating the structure.
• An overview of how you conducted the open card sort.
• Discussion of any differences between your structure and that created by the card sort.
• Attachments showing your structure, the structure from the card sort and your instructions for conducting the card sort.

Submission

Before class time of the due time, have your report printed out and ready to turn in.

Be prepared to discuss your results in class.