THE SORTING TECHNIQUES - A TUTORIAL PAPER ON CARD SORTS, PICTURE SORTS AND ITEM SORTS

Although sorting techniques (e.g. card sorts) are widely used in knowl edge acquisition and requirements acquisition, they have received litt le formal attention compared to related techniques such as repertory g rids and laddering. This paper briefly describes the main sorting tech niques, then provides a detailed tutorial on one variety (repeated sin gle-criterion sorts), using a worked example. Guidelines for choice an d sequencing of techniques are given, both in relation to varieties of sorting technique and in relation to other techniques. It is conclude d that the sorting techniques are a valuable part of the elicitor's me thodological toolkit.