How to Run Card Sorting in ClickUp Step by Step

Card sorting in ClickUp helps you organize ideas, structure website content, and improve user experiences by grouping related information in a visual, collaborative workspace. This guide walks you through a practical, repeatable process so your team can plan, run, and analyze a complete card sorting exercise.

The steps below are based on best practices for information architecture and user research, adapted so they work smoothly in ClickUp.

What Is Card Sorting and Why Use ClickUp?

Card sorting is a research method where participants group related pieces of content or features into categories that make sense to them. It is widely used to design navigation menus, site maps, dashboards, and product feature layouts.

Using ClickUp for card sorting centralizes your tasks, notes, and documentation in one place. It also makes it easy to share results with stakeholders, track decisions, and turn insights into actionable tasks.

Prepare Your Card Sorting Project in ClickUp

Before you start inviting participants, you need a clear plan and the right ClickUp structure.

Step 1: Define Your Goal

Clarify what you want to learn from the card sorting session. For example:

Design or redesign website navigation
Group knowledge base articles in a help center
Organize product features in a dashboard
Structure documentation or learning content

Write this goal in a ClickUp task description so the entire team can reference it.

Step 2: Create a Space or Folder in ClickUp

Set up a dedicated area to manage your project:

Create a new Space or Folder labeled with the name of your card sorting study.
Add a List called Card Sorting Sessions or similar.
Turn on views you will need, such as Board, List, and Docs.

This gives you a single source of truth for planning, running, and documenting your work in ClickUp.

Step 3: Capture Content Items as Tasks

Each “card” in your study should represent one content item, feature, or topic. In ClickUp:

Create one task per content item.
Use the task name as the label that will appear on the card.
Add details in the description, such as examples or notes for the facilitators.
Optionally add a custom field (like Content Type) to categorize tasks by page type, feature set, or product area.

Keeping cards as tasks lets you reuse them later when you translate results into IA or navigation work.

Choose the Right Card Sorting Method in ClickUp

There are three main card sorting methods. You can support each approach with views, custom fields, and Docs in ClickUp.

Open Card Sorting in ClickUp

In an open card sort, participants create their own categories. To support this in ClickUp:

Use a Board view where each column represents a category.
Allow facilitators to rename columns during or after the session to reflect participant labels.
Add a custom field to store the exact wording that participants used for each category, captured as notes or comments.

This method is ideal at the early stage of an information architecture project when you want to discover how users naturally group information.

Closed Card Sorting in ClickUp

In a closed card sort, participants must place cards into a predefined set of categories. Use ClickUp to structure those categories ahead of time:

Create Board columns for each category you want to test.
Document category definitions in a ClickUp Doc so everyone uses the same descriptions.
Make sure every card (task) starts in an “Unsorted” column so facilitators can move them into the right category during sessions.

This method works well when you already have a draft navigation or menu and want to validate your structure.

Hybrid Card Sorting in ClickUp

Hybrid card sorting combines open and closed methods. You provide a set of initial categories but allow participants to suggest new ones.

To support this flow in ClickUp:

Start with Board columns that represent your initial categories.
Add a column called New Category Ideas where you capture suggestions not covered by existing groups.
Use comments on tasks or a dedicated Doc page to log category names proposed by participants.

Hybrid card sorting is useful when you have some structure in place but want to leave room for user-driven improvements.

Run Your Card Sorting Sessions in ClickUp

Once your structure is ready, you can run live, remote, or asynchronous card sorting sessions, using ClickUp to keep everything aligned.

Step 1: Create a Session Template Task

To keep each session consistent, build a reusable task template in ClickUp:

Add a checklist for pre-session setup tasks.
Include links to the Board view participants will use.
Attach scripts, instructions, and consent language in the description or linked Docs.

Turn this into a template so you can quickly spin up new sessions with the same structure.

Step 2: Invite Participants

Depending on your tools and workflow, you can involve participants in several ways while still managing the process in ClickUp:

Host live sessions on video calls and have a facilitator move tasks across the Board view.
Share screenshots or exports of task names for use in external card sorting tools while keeping documentation in ClickUp.
Use comments to capture participant quotes and observations during the session.

Make sure each participant or group gets its own session task so you can track results individually.

Step 3: Capture Observations and Decisions

During or immediately after each session:

Record patterns you see in how cards are grouped into a ClickUp Doc titled Card Sorting Insights.
Use bullet lists to track repeated pairings of cards, surprising categories, and confusing labels.
Tag stakeholders or teammates in comments when you need follow-up discussions.

This keeps your research notes tied directly to the tasks and views used in the sort.

Analyze Card Sorting Results in ClickUp

After you complete multiple sessions, you need to turn raw groupings into a clear information architecture. ClickUp helps you consolidate findings and create next steps.

Step 1: Group Patterns With Custom Fields

Use custom fields in ClickUp to capture how often each card appeared in a particular category:

Create a custom field like Preferred Category or Top Group.
Assign values based on the category most participants chose.
Use filters or the List view to sort content items by their preferred grouping.

This gives you a quick view of which items clearly belong together and which ones caused confusion.

Step 2: Summarize Findings in ClickUp Docs

Build a structured report directly in ClickUp Docs:

Describe your research goal and method.
List key patterns in how participants grouped content.
Highlight problem areas where items were frequently split across categories.
Attach or embed tasks and views so stakeholders can drill into details.

Docs keep your narrative, screenshots, and data together so executives and designers can easily see the impact.

Step 3: Turn Insights Into Actionable Tasks

Convert insights into a prioritized set of tasks, all managed inside ClickUp:

Create tasks for redesigning navigation labels or menus.
Add subtasks for testing new structures or updating internal documentation.
Assign owners, due dates, and priorities so work moves forward.

Because your card sorting cards are already tasks, you can link them directly to implementation tasks for full traceability.

Best Practices for Card Sorting With ClickUp

To get accurate and reliable results from your study, keep these practical tips in mind.

Limit the number of cards: Too many tasks in a single sort can overwhelm participants. Consider splitting into multiple smaller studies.
Use clear, user-friendly labels: Task names should be easy for participants to understand at a glance.
Document everything: Keep all scripts, questions, decisions, and insights in ClickUp Docs.
Share results widely: Give stakeholders access to relevant views and Docs so they can see how recommendations were formed.

If you need expert help building scalable, research-driven workflows that integrate with tools like ClickUp, you can work with specialists at Consultevo.

Learn More About Card Sorting in ClickUp

To deepen your understanding of templates and practical examples, study the original resource that inspired this how-to guide. You can find a detailed breakdown of card sorting templates and workflows on the ClickUp blog: card sorting templates article.

By combining these methods with flexible views, Docs, and task management features, ClickUp becomes a powerful hub for planning, running, and analyzing card sorting studies that improve your information architecture and user experience.

Need Help With ClickUp?

If you want expert help building, automating, or scaling your ClickUp workspace, work with ConsultEvo — trusted ClickUp Solution Partners.

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