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Card Sorting – Software & Other Downloads

SynCaps V3 now released! V2 users can upgrade for free.

This page has the downloads you need you need to start printing and processing card sorts. If you plan to use web-based sorting (WebSort or OptimalSort), you should still download the templates package since it includes the necessary user guides and sample data files. Note that the SynCapsV3 download includes the templates package, so you do not need to download both.

For our free software, SynCapsV1, download both the templates package and the software.

On this page:

We also have videos and webinar recordings available for downloaded to be viewed in place. See card sorting videos.


Templates, User Guides & Sample Data

We provide mail merge templates for Microsoft Word running on Windows (unfortunately the bar codes do not work on the Macintosh versions of Word). The templates include versions for 4 cards to a page or 14 self-adhesive labels to a page, in both A4 and US Letter page sizes (plus a few other formats - contact us if you don't see what you need).

To download the files, right-click the link and select "Save target as..." (or similar for browsers other than Internet Explorer).

Combined Download (A4 and US Letter Paper Sizes)

  • User guides (all versions of SynCaps - paper and online sorting)
  • Participant cards - numbered (just print as many as you need)
  • Group cards for closed card sorts (fixed groups - includes a mail
    merge master and data file for group names)
  • Item cards - includes a mail merge master and data file for item
    names, descriptions and alternatives.
  • Sub-group cards - used to split groups (SynCaps V2/V3).
  • Nested group cards (for SynCapsV3)
  • Template and master for affinity diagramming
  • Versions for perforated cards and self-adhesive labels
  • Sample data files

Right-click to download templates, instructions and sample data in a zip file
(caps-combined.zip, last modified 13-Mar-2013, size 23M)

Note that for open card sorts, we suggest you just use blank group cards. Participants will be instructed to write the group names on the blank cards.Type these in as you are doing the data capture. For group cards, just type 'G' (case is not important) followed immediately by the name. For example 'GFruit & Veg' (omitting the quote marks).

If you are based in Europe, visit our online card sorting shop to buy bar code scanners and perforated card.

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Email News/Discussion List

Click here to join our card sorting news/discussion list. This will allow you to be notified of updates or special offers and provides a useful way to engage with other SynCaps users.


Software

Our cluster analysis software is called SynCaps (Syntagm Computer-Aided Paper Sorting). There are three major versions:

  • SynCaps V1 - dendrogram chart and spreadsheet files (free).
  • SynCaps V2 - dendrogram chart, spreadsheet files, pairs map and items x group chart; ability to merge, rename or ignore items and groups. Now superseded by V3.
  • SynCaps V3 - New Microsoft Office ribbon interface, full install/uninstall, adds nested groups, participant analysis, participant filtering and cluster analysis scripts for SPSS. It is a free upgrade for SynCaps V2 users.

All versions produce participant, item, card, and matrix spreadsheet (.csv) files for further analysis, making SynCaps the most comprehensive analysis tool available. (Note that Microsoft Excel or similar is needed for the analysis and charting of exported files.)

A comparison chart of features, with examples, is available by clicking here.


SynCaps V1 Cluster Analysis Software

This software works on most versions of Windows and is available as a free download. It processes the the data file produced from bar code scanning (or from online sorting sites), produces a dendrogram and output files suitable for further analysis by Excel or similar packages (see the comparison table for examples).

SynCaps V1 does not include an installation process. Just save it to a location of your choice and run it.

SynCaps V1 Download

Right-click to download SynCaps V1.6.1 for Windows
(syncapsv1.exe, last modified 13-Mar-2013, size 1.8M)

Don't forget that you will also need the Templates, User Guides & Sample Data download download (above).

SynCaps V1 is free, contains no advertising and is a security-signed executable.

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SynCaps V2 Cluster Analysis Software

SynCaps V2 included all of the functionality of V1. It added important new time-saving features and provided additional visualizations of sort results. See the comparison table for examples.

It has been superseded by SynCaps V3. Current users of V2 can upgrade for free. Download and install V3 to a machine with a licensed copy of V2. Run SynCapsV3. In the license diaglog, click 'Upgrade' and provide the serial number from your V2 license on the checkout page (either from the V2 license dialog or from you original license email). That's it, finish the checkout (there is nothing to pay however) and you'll immediately receive a V3 license for that machine.


SynCaps V3 Cluster Analysis Software

SynCaps V3 is the world's most comprehensive card sorting analysis package - see the comparison table for details. It includes a variety of valuble features not available elsewhere:

  • Five customizable charts that can be easily incorporated into reports
  • Expert/reference sort comparisons (to show current IA compared to participant results, for example)
  • Extensive set of spreadsheet export files for additional analysis and charting
  • Nested groups - allows participants to build their own hierarchies of groups
  • Participant analysis and filtering, including participant cluster analysis to determine if separate communities are present
  • Generation of SPSS scripts for further analysis

All of the new features are described in detail in the release notes which are part of the free download below. You can also try SynCaps V3 free for 14 days. (If you'd prefer to read the release notes and card sorting guide without installing the software, download the templates package at the top of the page).

We've also produced three one-hour webinars on card sorting:

  • Part 1: Preparing Paper Sorts
  • Part 2: Basic Analysis (Paper and Online Sorts)
  • Part 3: Advanced Analysis (SynCapsV3)

Part 1 covers all versions of SynCaps. Part 2 includes details of nested groups (V3) and Part 3 covers participant analysis and filtering (V3). See our webinars, videos and slideshows page to view or download the recordings.

SynCaps V3 Download

Right-click to download SynCaps V3.0.1 for Windows
(syncapsv3-setup.exe, last modified 25-Apr-2013, size 28M)

The installation includes all of the documents, templates and sample data files you need. There is nothing further to download. However, if you'd like further copies of these files, they are available separately at the top of the page.

To buy a SynCaps V3 license, download and install the setup program (above) and click 'Buy Now' in the license dialog. Note that existing V2 users can upgrade for free - see SynCaps V2 on this page.

The cost of a single-machine license is €240 / £200 / $320 (you can choose which currency during checkout). If you are a student or unemployed and buying SynCaps with your personal funds, please contact us for a discount.

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Keywords: card sorting, information architecture, menu design, screen design, cluster analysis, caps, syncaps

 
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