affiliation with social enterprises was collected to further inform the results of the study. Of the 23 participants who completed the card sort, 19 were never affiliated with a social enterprise, 1 was formerly affiliated with a social enterprise, and 3 were currently affiliated with a social enterprise. With most participants not having current or former affiliation with a social enterprise, the card sort results are more likely to be reflective of the general target market social enterprises seek to attract.

• Engagement: Of the 52 total participants, 23 completed the card sort, while 29 did not complete it. Of the 23 participants who completed the card sort, 21 completed all the study questions, while 2 did not complete the post-study questions. This report focuses on the results from all participants who engaged fully with the sorting process, including those who did not complete the post study questions. Factors which may have contributed to the 29 participants not completing the card sort may include time commitment, task complexity, or user interest.

METHODOLOGY

For this card sort study, we utilized the online software Optimal Workshop to conduct an open card sort. Participants were presented with 54 labels, representing content elements from the SocialOutfit.org. They were tasked with organizing these labels into categories that aligned with their expectations for a user-friendly and intuitive website. This open card sorting approach helped identify natural grouping patterns and user mental models, providing insight into how different users perceive and structure the website content.

1. Setup: The card sorting session was conducted online using Optimal Workshop. Participants accessed the study remotely through a shareable URL link and were provided with instructions on how to complete the task. The study included screening questions, pre-study questions, an open card sort, and post-study questions. The open card sort format provided the participants with flexibility to group and name their own categories, ensuring flexibility in organizing the content in a way that felt natural and intuitive. The study questions provided an additional dimension of analysis and understanding to better inform analysis and recommendations.
2. Sorting Task: The participants were presented with 54 labels representing various pages from the SocialOutfit.org website. They were asked to group these labels into categories of their own naming that reflected how they would naturally group them. Since the card sort was open, participants had full control over how they structured and labeled their groupings, providing a deeper insight into user’s mental models and preferences.
3. Documentation: Optimal Workshop automatically recorded all participant’s actions while completing the card sort in terms of time taken, study questions answered, category names created, and the number of cards per category. While data from participants that failed to complete the card sort was recorded, the results were excluded from the analysis. The data from participants who completed the card sort was retrieved from Optimal Workshop and analyzed with R Studio and Microsoft Excel to identify patterns, anomalies, and other insights to inform recommendations for improving the SocialOutfit.org website’s information architecture and user experience.