Tree testing is a powerful research method that can help identify issues with your website’s navigation structure. By simulating how real users would find their way around the site, tree testing helps you improve user experience and increase conversions. Conducting tree testing in the early stages of product development is crucial for validating foundational design decisions and optimizing the overall usability testing process.
With this step-by-step guide, you’ll learn what tree testing is and how to set up your tests — from creating tasks for test participants to analyzing the results. Whether you’re new to usability or an experienced UX professional, this guide will provide all the information needed to start tree testing. So, let’s get going!
Introduction to Tree Testing
What is Tree Testing?
Tree testing is a UX research method used to evaluate the structure of a website’s navigation. It assesses how easily people can find what they’re looking for within a website and helps to identify any issues with the site’s information architecture. Card sorting is often used as a complementary method to tree testing, helping to understand how users categorize information and informing the creation of the website’s information architecture.
The tree in tree testing refers to the navigation system’s hierarchical website structure, typically represented as parent nodes in an inverted tree diagram. This diagram helps visualize how users move through different parts of the website, starting from broad top-level categories and drilling down into more specific subcategories and content pages. With tree testing, researchers can uncover any problems with this tree structure that might affect users’ ability to navigate around a site.
Source: NNGroup
Tree testing is done by presenting test participants with tasks and recording their journey as they try to complete them using only the navigation system. For example, participants could be asked to “Find content about buying a product on this website” or “Look for help setting up your account.”
As participants navigate the site in search of answers, researchers analyze where they got stuck or went wrong, providing valuable insights into possible improvements to the website structure. The data collected during tree testing is crucial for understanding user navigation and improving content organization. Ensuring statistical significance by recruiting an adequate number of respondents, ideally 40 to 60 users, is essential for obtaining reliable metrics.
Testing a single tree allows researchers to maintain a straightforward approach, ensuring accurate data on user behavior without the influence of comparing multiple trees. Tree testing software significantly facilitates this process by allowing researchers to create and adjust information structures, often importing trees from CSV files or loading existing trees from live websites.
Tree Testing vs Card Sorting
Tree testing and card sorting are complementary UX research methods, each serving a distinct purpose in the design process. Card sorting is typically used early on to explore how users naturally group and label information, helping shape a website’s information architecture based on user mental models.
Tree testing, in contrast, is used later to evaluate whether the established structure actually supports user navigation. It measures how easily users can find content within a predefined hierarchy by completing specific tasks. Category labels play a crucial role in both tree testing and card sorting, as they help organize site architecture and assist users in navigating a website’s information structure.
While card sorting informs the creation of a logical structure, tree testing validates its usability. Used together, these methods ensure both the organization and discoverability of content align with user expectations, leading to more intuitive and effective navigation systems. However, conducting unmoderated studies, such as tree testing, often fails to capture the full context of user behavior, including qualitative insights like comments and personalized follow-up questions.
Benefits of Tree Testing
Tree testing provides numerous benefits to web designers and developers, helping them identify any issues with their website’s navigation structure. This can help improve the overall user experience of the site, as well as increase usability and conversion rates by ensuring that users can easily navigate through the menu options.
One of the major benefits of tree testing is that it allows UX researchers to measure how easy it is for users to find information within a website’s navigation system. By simulating the user journey, researchers can identify any pain points or areas of confusion in the navigation process. This helps ensure that users can access relevant content quickly and easily without experiencing frustrations or getting lost. The success rate of these tasks is crucial in evaluating the effectiveness of the navigation structure.
Source: Loop11
Tree testing is also an effective way to evaluate alternative information architectures before committing to a particular design. By running tree tests with different navigation structures, web designers can better understand which options work best for users before making any changes to the existing structure. This helps save time and resources by avoiding costly redesigns once the structure has been implemented.
Finally, tree testing is a great way to collect valuable feedback from target audiences about what users expect and how they want their websites laid out and organized. By understanding users’ expectations and preferences, web designers can create navigation structures tailored to those needs – allowing them to build more intuitive, easy-to-use, and engaging websites.
When NOT to Use Tree Testing
Tree testing is great for evaluating a website’s navigation structure but not ideal for all UX research. It doesn’t measure how users interact with visual elements like buttons, images, or layouts. If your focus is on interface behavior or design, methods like click testing or usability testing work better.
Tree testing is most effective during early planning stages. If your product is already designed or live, testing the full interface with real pages provides more useful feedback. It also requires clear, goal-based tasks, making it unsuitable for open-ended exploration, emotional responses, or overall satisfaction — interviews or diary studies are better for those.
Since it’s typically done with small participant samples, tree testing isn’t ideal for large-scale behavioral validation. For high-volume data, use analytics tools or surveys. And if your usability issues involve slow performance, unclear content, or inconsistent terminology, tree testing won’t help — content audits, performance tests, or accessibility checks are better.
In short, use tree testing to focus on structure and navigation, not visual design, performance, or emotional engagement. Additionally, while tree testing can provide valuable quantitative results, it may miss important user behavior insights and trends that moderated sessions can uncover.
Understanding Tree Structure and Information Architecture
The Role of Information Architecture in UX
Information architecture (IA) is the backbone of any website or application, dictating how content is organized and presented to users. A well-crafted IA, supported by an effective content structure, ensures that users can effortlessly find the information they seek, enhancing their overall experience. Conversely, a poorly structured IA can lead to user frustration and abandonment.
Tree testing is an invaluable tool in evaluating the effectiveness of your IA. By simulating user navigation, tree testing helps identify areas where users struggle, providing actionable insights to refine and optimize the site structure. This process ensures that your IA aligns with user expectations, making the navigation intuitive and seamless.
Key Components of Tree Structures
A tree structure is a hierarchical model that represents the organization of a website’s or application’s content. It consists of several key components:
- Categories: These are the top-level groupings that encompass broad topics or themes.
- Subcategories: Nested within categories, these smaller groupings break down the content into more specific areas.
- Pages: The individual pieces of content that reside within subcategories.
- Navigation Links: These are the pathways that connect categories, subcategories, and pages, guiding users through the site.
Understanding these components is crucial for designing an effective tree structure. Each element must be logically organized to facilitate easy navigation and ensure that users can find the information they need without unnecessary clicks or confusion. It is essential to define all the categories and subcategories down to the lowest level to create a comprehensive tree structure.
Preparing to Do Tree Testing
Choosing the Right Tree Testing Tool for Your Needs
When it comes to tree testing, choosing the right tree testing software is essential for getting accurate and reliable results. Various tools are available for tree testing, such as manual Excel sheets, online tools and offline software programs, and web-based applications.
When selecting a tool, it’s important to consider cost, ease of use, scalability, features offered, and data analysis capabilities. Manual Excel sheets are a great option for those who want to get started with tree testing quickly and easily. However, they can be time-consuming and may not offer all the required features if your research requires more sophisticated analyses. Conducting tree testing remotely allows participants to complete tasks using their own computer, providing convenience and efficiency.
Source: NNGroup
Online or offline software programs such as Treejack or OptimalSort provide more advanced features like automated task instructions, custom report formats, and automated data analysis. These tools are generally more expensive than manual Excel sheets. Still, they are worth the investment if you plan on doing multiple tree tests or need access to powerful data analysis capabilities.
Web-based applications can be another great option for tree testing. These tools offer many of the same features as traditional software applications but are hosted online instead of installed locally on your computer. This makes them easier to access and allows users to collaborate in real-time with other participants or team members while conducting their same tree tests.
Source: UzerZoom
Whatever tool you choose, it’s important to read reviews from other users before deciding. This will help you determine if any issues with the product could affect your results or cause problems during the testing process.
Additionally, make sure that whatever tool you select for the pilot test is compatible with the research you’re conducting (i.e., qualitative vs quantitative). Taking these steps ahead of time will ensure that your tree test is successful and provides useful insights into how people interact with your website’s navigation structure.
Gather Sample Users and Tasks
Once you have chosen the appropriate tree testing tool for your research, gathering a sample of users and tasks for the usability test is important. The sample of users should represent your target audience and reflect the diversity of user groups accessing the website. Recruiting website visitors as participants is crucial, as the quality of responses depends significantly on their characteristics and their motivation to engage in the testing process.
For example, if you are to conduct tree testing on a website for an online store that caters to both men and women, then make sure your sample size includes both genders. When selecting participants, you can also consider other demographic factors such as age, nationality, or occupation.
When choosing tasks for tree testing, it’s best to focus on common user goals or objectives they might have while using the website. This could include anything from finding a product page to navigating through the checkout process or any other step in their journey.
Make sure to choose tasks that are specific enough so that users understand what they need to do but general enough so that there is not just one correct answer.
Source: Unsplash
It’s also important to remember that testing results will only be as good as the sample size and task selection used in the study. Therefore, it’s essential to ensure sufficient participants and tasks before beginning the test to get reliable and valid results from your research. Additionally, if necessary, add more users or tasks during analysis if certain areas are not being explored fully or certain insights remain unclear.
Plan Out Your Session Structure
When planning tree testing sessions, focus on the results you want to achieve. Design the sessions with clear, concise tasks that let participants interact with the website’s navigation tree to complete specific goals.
Gather qualitative insights by observing user behavior and conducting follow-up discussions to understand their actions. Keep sessions short to prevent participant fatigue and encourage better feedback.
Create a clear set of instructions for each session, outlining tasks, expected time for responses, and any necessary information (e.g., screenshots). Include questions during or after the session to gather additional insights about the user experience. To avoid boredom or frustration, design multiple versions of tasks to maintain participant engagement.
Source: IxDF
Before running your full tree test with participants, test your session designs with friends or colleagues. This helps spot issues and make revisions before launching your study.
Carefully planning your session structure can improve tree testing results by providing participants with clear tasks that reflect real navigation goals.
Taking time to plan each usability session ensures your research delivers actionable insights into how users interact with your website’s navigation, leading to better design decisions.
Set Up Any Necessary Equipment or Software
Several factors must be considered when setting up the equipment or software for a tree testing study. First, you will need a platform or tool to create and administer the task list participants will receive.
This could include online survey tools like Qualtrics or SurveyMonkey and specialized tree testing tools like TreeJack or TreeTest. Selecting a platform that fits your research needs and budget and provides the best user experience for participants is important.
In addition to selecting an appropriate platform, you must consider the type of device(s) you will use for your study. If you plan on conducting a remote tree test with participants worldwide, you may need multiple devices depending on their location and language preferences.
Additionally, suppose your study requires specialized hardware such as cameras or microphones to capture user qualitative data. In that case, it is important to have these devices available before launching the study.
Source: Unsplash
Overall, taking the time upfront to ensure all of the necessary equipment and software are set up correctly can help ensure a smooth experience for participants and researchers throughout the tree test study.
By following these steps before launching your research project, you can rest assured knowing that everything has been prepared so that you can focus on gathering meaningful insights from users about their interactions with your website’s navigation structure.
Create Scenario Descriptions for Each Task
Creating scenario descriptions for each task is an important step in tree testing to ensure participants understand their goals when using the website’s navigation structure. When crafting these scenarios, it is helpful to provide enough detail so that participants know what they should be doing within the given task and why they are performing the action.
Additionally, it is important to include any necessary context or background information about the task to ensure that all relevant information about the user’s experience within the website’s navigation system is accurately captured and analyzed.
When writing scenario descriptions for each task, it can be useful to begin by outlining the objectives of each activity and then filling in additional details, such as possible questions or tasks that users may need to complete.
For instance, if you were designing a tree testing session around researching vacation packages online, you could start by stating the overall goal, such as “research available vacation packages based on a given budget and location,” followed by specific instructions like “on the homepage find a list of available packages based on your budget and desired destination” or “locate information about rental car options near your destination.”
Including these types of detailed instructions can help guide participants through each task so that they know exactly what is expected of them. It can also provide useful insights into how users interact with various elements within your website’s navigation structure.
Source: Unsplash
Consider how you want users to express their thoughts during the study. When writing task scenarios, include prompts like “What do you think about this page layout?” or “Why is this option appealing/unappealing?” to gather qualitative feedback on their experience navigating the website.
Adding prompts throughout the session can provide valuable insights into what works well in your navigation system and what changes may be needed to improve the user experience.
Taking the time to create clear, thoughtful scenarios for each task can greatly improve tree-testing results by ensuring participants understand their objectives. By including relevant details and asking engaging questions, researchers can gather actionable insights to enhance website navigation and UX design decisions.
Conducting a Tree Test Session
Greet Participants and Give an Overview of the Study
When conducting a tree testing study, start by welcoming participants and giving an overview of the session. Introduce yourself, your organization, and the purpose of the study. Explain what will happen during the session and how long it will take.
This helps set clear expectations and ensures smooth communication. Distributing the study link effectively through social media or other channels is crucial for recruiting participants and gathering valuable feedback from website visitors.
Provide details about the website’s navigation structure being tested, such as dropdown menus or breadcrumb navigation. You can also touch on UX design best practices so participants understand common conventions they may encounter.
Be sure to explain any specific instructions for the study. For example, you could ask participants to think aloud while navigating or give feedback on elements like menu titles or page layouts.
Source: Unsplash
Having these instructions in place beforehand can ensure that all relevant data is captured accurately during each task so that researchers better understand how people interact with various elements within your website’s navigation system.
By greeting participants and providing an overview of the study, you can ensure everyone understands what is expected from them throughout each task within your tree testing research project.
By clearly describing all relevant topics related to user experience design and providing specific instructions for each task, you can collect all applicable data accurately so that meaningful insights into how people use your website’s navigation structure can be obtained for future UX optimizations.
Record Participant Responses During the Session
During a tree testing session, researchers must record participant responses to obtain meaningful insights into how people interact with various elements within your website's navigation system. Recording participant responses can be done through note-taking, audio or video recordings, or specialized software programs designed specifically for tree testing tasks.
Regardless of your chosen method, recording participant responses during the session enables researchers to capture all applicable data accurately to obtain meaningful insights for future UX optimizations.
In addition to providing participants with clear instructions and demonstrating features as needed, it is also important for researchers to pay close attention when recording responses during a tree testing session.
This means being aware of not only what participants are saying but also any facial expressions or body language exhibited throughout the tasks to gain an understanding of how people interact with various elements within your website's navigation system.
Capturing this data type accurately and having meaningful insights into user experience design will help optimize future UX improvements based on real customer feedback and preferences rather than assumptions or guesses.
Analyzing Tree Testing Results to Get a Correct Answer
After a tree testing session, researchers need to analyze the results to understand how users interact with the site’s navigation. This means reviewing participant responses and identifying trends or patterns to ensure that users are finding the right answer during the testing process.
For example, if users struggle with a specific section, it may indicate issues with the site’s structure or design that need fixing to improve the experience. Analysis can also uncover common UX problems in the navigation.
A task like asking users to find and purchase bus tickets can reveal how easily they locate features or products. Based on the data, researchers should develop actionable plans to address issues and suggest improvements. Findings should be compiled into clear, concise reports summarizing key takeaways.
Source: Optimal Workshop
Interpreting and Reporting on Tree Test Results
Interpreting and reporting on tree test results, a crucial UX research method, is essential for understanding customer behavior and preferences when navigating a website or app. When interpreting results, researchers should look for trends or patterns in response data that may have emerged during the session. For example, a tree testing example might involve tasking participants to locate specific information within a site's hierarchy, allowing researchers to observe the steps involved and the insights gained to improve user experience and website architecture.
This process involves analyzing participant responses to identify common pain points experienced by users when navigating through different sections of the site, such as difficulty understanding menu titles or page layouts.
Additionally, researchers should pay close attention to facial expressions and body language exhibited throughout the tasks to better understand how people interact with various elements within the navigation system.
Researchers should compile all of their data into easily digestible reports that include key takeaways from the user testing sessions when reporting on tree test results.
These reports should include details about any UX issues that have been identified while also making recommendations for future improvements based on customer feedback and preferences. Additionally, researchers should provide actionable plans to address any issues identified during the tree testing session and make suggested changes to optimize user experience designs.
Source: Austin Distel on Unsplash
Overall, interpreting and reporting on tree test results can help provide valuable insight into areas where UX improvements can be made to optimize user experience designs based on real customer feedback.
By doing so, researchers can help create a more intuitive and user-friendly navigation system, ultimately improving customer satisfaction with their website or app.
How Users Interact with Tree Structures
User Navigation Patterns
When users interact with a tree structure, they typically follow a predictable navigation pattern. This pattern includes:
- Starting at the Top Level: Users begin their journey at the highest level of the tree, usually the homepage or main menu.
- Navigating Down Through Categories and Subcategories: Users drill down through the hierarchy, moving from broad categories to more specific subcategories.
- Using Navigation Links: These links help users move between different sections of the tree, ensuring they can find related content easily.
- Searching for Keywords or Phrases: Users often use search functions to locate specific information quickly.
- Utilizing Breadcrumbs or Navigation Aids: These tools help users understand their current location within the tree and retrace their steps if needed.
Understanding these navigation patterns is essential for designing an effective tree structure. By analyzing how users interact with the tree, designers can identify pain points and areas for improvement. This analysis helps optimize the information architecture to better meet user needs, ensuring a more intuitive and user-friendly experience. A smooth user experience in navigation is crucial for allowing users to complete their tasks without frustration.
By incorporating these insights into your tree testing process, you can create a navigation system that aligns with user behavior and expectations, ultimately enhancing the overall usability of your website or application.
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Conclusion
Tree testing helps researchers understand customer behavior and preferences when navigating a website or app. It provides insights into common user pain points and highlights areas for UX improvements. Tree testing is a simple, effective method for evaluating how easily users can find resources within a category structure. It’s also easy to set up compared to other testing types.
When analyzing results, focus on participant responses to understand how users interact with the navigation structure and identify trends. Reports should include actionable plans to address issues and suggest changes based on user feedback. By analyzing tree test results, businesses can create a more intuitive, user-friendly experience, improving overall customer satisfaction.
About Clay
Clay is a UI/UX design & branding agency in San Francisco. We team up with startups and leading brands to create transformative digital experience. Clients: Facebook, Slack, Google, Amazon, Credit Karma, Zenefits, etc.
Learn moreAbout Clay
Clay is a UI/UX design & branding agency in San Francisco. We team up with startups and leading brands to create transformative digital experience. Clients: Facebook, Slack, Google, Amazon, Credit Karma, Zenefits, etc.
Learn more
