Analyze card sort test results (UserTesting)

This article applies to: UserTesting 

On this page:

• View card sort results in the UserTesting platform
• View card sort results in the Subdomain
• Share card sort results

View card sort results in the UserTesting platform

These steps apply to card sorts set up using the integrated card sort tool.

1. Go to the Metrics tab.
2. Find the following information:
   • Highlight reel (watch task)
   • Overview tab
     • Shows the card and category labels
     • View how participants matched cards to categories.
     • Sort by percentage or total number (count).
     • Merge similar categories for open and hybrid card sorts.
       
       
       
   • Individual responses tab
     • View clips of participants completing the card sort.
     • Find a summary of how each participant sorted the cards.
       

View card sort results in the Subdomain

Use these steps if you've set up your card sort on ia.usertesting.com.  Only the test creator and admins can view results on the subdomain.

1. Select the test you'd like to review.
2. View your participants.
   • You can filter out participants who didn't complete the test.
   • You may see more participants in the card sort than in your test.
     • This is normal as the UserTesting system automatically replaces participants who abandon the test.
     • Participants who start the card sort but don't complete the are included in the card sort activity, but will not be reflected in the list of completed sessions.
3. Use these views to see how participants grouped content and how often other cards were grouped:
   • Raw Numbers
     • The table shows how many cards were dropped into each category by all participants combined.
     • This view of the data is useful to export and manipulate externally, especially when comparing results from multiple similar studies (for example, the same card sort distributed to different audiences).
       
       
       
     • Images are also visible when you review the results of your card sort.
       • View images when you hover over the thumbnails on the raw data, percentage table, grouped percentages, and distance matrix tables.
       • Images are not viewable on the MDS or dendrogram tabs.
         
         
         
   • Percentages
     • This table shows how many cards were dropped into each category above a threshold you can adjust.
     • The default is a 5% threshold, which means that the results below that threshold have been omitted.
       • A higher percentage indicates the card was placed in that category by more contributors.
       • A lower percentage split across multiple categories indicates some ambiguity in terms of how to classify a particular card.
         
         
         
   • Grouped percentages
     • This table shows how many cards were dropped into each category above a threshold and grouped based on the most cards associated with these categories.
     • The default is a 5% threshold, which means that the results below that threshold have been omitted.
       • You can adjust the threshold level.
       • This visual grouping of cards makes it easier to understand which cards are related.
     • If no cards are highlighted for a category, that category may not be relevant or may need to be merged with another category.
     • If cards are evenly split between multiple categories (for example, the same percentage), a card will be grouped with the first category on the list.
       
       
       
   • Distance matrix
     • This table captures the relationship between individual cards (without consideration for the specific categories chosen).
     • The number for each cell is based on the number of contributors that did not group the two cards in the same category.
       • The lower the number, the more similar the two cards are.
       • The higher the number, the more dissimilar they are.
         
         
         
   • Multidimensional Scaling (MDS)
     • This diagram is an analysis and visual representation of the distance matrix.
     • You can analyze any kind of similarity or dissimilarity matrix using multi-dimensional scaling.
     • Plotting these data sets on a multi-dimensional scale allows for easier interpretation and comparison than a linear dataset permits.
     • The MDS map represents the relative distances between cards–the scale of the axes has no impact on the relative distance between cards.
     • Based on the data, similar cards will be clustered together.
     • The proximity of the clusters to one another also indicates how similar (close) or dissimilar (far apart) they are from one another.
       
       
       
   • Dendrogram
     • Sometimes called a tree diagram, this diagram represents a Hierarchical Cluster Analysis which groups the cards that were considered most similar by the contributors and places them on branches that are close together.
     • The longer the line (or branch) that connects to cards, the more dissimilar they are.
     • Shorter lines indicate cards that are more similar to each other.
     • The key to interpreting a dendrogram is to focus on where any two cards are joined together.
       • If the cards are joined together on the left of the dendrogram then those cards are more different. For example, the relative distance between them on the MDS is large.
       • If the cards are joined together on the right of the dendrogram, then the cards are more similar. For example, the relative distance between them on the MDS is small.
     • Dragging the red bar horizontally (right-left) highlights how the clustering of cards changes depending on where the line is drawn.
     • This can be helpful as you consider merging categories and finding the right number of clusters for your application.
       

Share card sort results

1. Under Test Details, open the Advanced Options section.
   
2. Click Shared at the bottom of the drop-down.
   
3. Copy and share the shared link to those who need access. Things to know about the Shared Link:
   • Only generated when the Shared button has been activated.
   • Contains data only when contributors have taken the test.
   • Only shows team members the Raw Numbers tab in the ia.usertesting subdomain.
   • Will NOT show percentages, grouped percentages, distance matrix, MDS, and dendrogram results.
   • The XLS or CSV file for raw numbers, percentages, grouped percentages, and distance matrix can be downloaded from the card sort Results tab and shared with team members.
     • There is no export option for the dendrogram or MDS visualizations.
     • To share these results, take a screenshot of the visualizations.

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