Card sorting is way to get valuable information from users. It is the process of giving cards to users that have certain content on the card. The users are then asked to sort the cards into groups that they think are appropriate. This is a way to get a mental model from the users. Once you have this mental model you can create a sight that is easier for the consumer to use.
There are two forms of card sorting. One is open card sorting and one is closed card sorting. Open card sorting has cards that are in no set category or group. This allows for the site to start its basic content grouping. The closed card sorting is used for when you want to add new content to a site but you do not know where you should put the data. The cards have the groups that they are in. The new content has no group so when the user puts them into a previously made group they are saying this is where the new content belongs. This is very helpful for adding new content.
