We are redesigning Archives.gov to make it easier and quicker for you to find the information you need as part of NARA’s Flagship Open Government Initiative. We want your opinions to help us to develop a web site designed for participation. Throughout the redesign process, we’ll be inviting you to participate by voting, sorting, commenting, etc.
The first redesign activity starts with online card sorts. Card sorting helps determine what labels and categories to use and also helps build the structure of a web site to make it easier to find information. At the end of the card sort process, we hope to have a comprehensive understanding of how our customers would organize the content on Archives.gov.
Feel free to show us how you would organize our web site by participating in any or all of these online card sorts. It’s easy to do! We will give you an online list of Archives.gov web site topics written on virtual cards that you can move into meaningful groupings and then label each group. It takes about 15-30 minutes to do a card sort.
The card sorts are available April 12-16, 2010. To participate in one or more card sorts, please visit any of the following links and follow the brief instructions. All results are confidential.
You’re welcome to do one or all of them (which would be much appreciated!).
If you have questions or would like more information about our redesign, please send an e-mail to webprogram@nara.gov.
Thank you for your participation!
Hi Rebecca,
My name is Steve Kwan – I’m a user experience designer from Vancouver and a former archival software developer. I was directed here by a colleague of mine and was poking around.
It’s interesting that you’re employing card sorting in this manner. I don’t often see people who make the card sorting process public like this – it’s kind of cool that anyone can come in and fill it out online.
That being said, I’m wondering what your success rates are like? Are you finding that a significant number of visitors are going through the card sorting process? Are there any numbers you can provide?
I think it’s great that you’re so open about the design process! It would be great to see some working screenshots of the design in progress, although I understand if this level of visibility can’t be provided.
Thanks again!
Steve – Thanks for your comment. Today is the final day for people to complete the card sorts for the Archives.gov redesign so we don’t have the final numbers yet. So far we have had good results. Both members of the public and NARA staff have been completing the card sorts and giving us feedback. As we continue with the redesign of Archives.gov, we will have additional opportunities for people to participate including by voting on homepage designs. We hope to receive additional feedback about the redesign both here on NARAtions and at our Open Government Idea Forum
– Rebecca
Hi everyone,
Back in April we asked you to help with the Archives.gov redesign by participating in card sorts. The results of the card sorts can be seen on the Archives.gov redesign page under the Data Analysis and Feedback section of the page. We had 372 people participate in the card sorts.
And don’t forget to vote this week for your favorite design for new home page at http://archivesgovredesign.ideascale.com
Thanks again for helping us redesign our web site!
– Rebecca
Where can i see the changes of this redesign?
Is it finished?
Thank you for your interest in the Archives.gov redesign! We will be unveiling the new first phase of the look for Archives.gov in December. More information about the redesign is available at http://www.archives.gov/open/redesign/
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