card-sort-closed

A closed card sort validates information architecture by testing how accurately participants place items into predefined categories, surfacing structural gaps and misalignments. It requires predefined categories and a controlled participant set to measure placement accuracy per item.

Use a closed card sort when you have an existing IA draft or proposed categories and need to measure placement accuracy against them. It identifies confusing categories and structural gaps in predefined structures, unlike open sorts used for early category discovery.

Closed card sorts identify problematic categories by computing placement accuracy per item, revealing where users consistently misplace items. This highlights confusing labels and structural misalignments to inform subsequent IA revisions and labeling.

Yes, a closed card sort requires predefined categories and a controlled participant set before testing. You apply your IA draft to measure how accurately items map to the intended structure and identify confusing categories.

The best way to synthesize closed card sort results is generating a synthesis handover that calculates item-to-category placement accuracy. This guides subsequent IA restructuring and labeling revisions based on identified structural gaps and confusing categories.

Low placement accuracy in a closed card sort indicates confusing categories or structural gaps in your IA draft. When items consistently map to incorrect predefined categories, it signals misalignments that require label revisions or structural restructuring.