What is tree testing?
In this chapter, we discuss some tree testing basics: what tree testing is, what it’s used for, what happens in a tree test, how to use it in tandem with other research methods, and when to use it in the design and product development process. This information will help you contextualize tree testing and discover how and why you can use it to fit your research needs.
Tree testing guide
A definition of tree testing
In the book Information Architecture for the World Wide Web, the authors have multiple definitions of information architecture (IA), although the first one is pertinent to user experience:
The combination of organization, labeling, and navigation schemes within an information system.
Using this definition of IA, we can infer a formal definition of tree testing, which we'd suggest is:
Tree testing is a research method based on information architecture, where you present users with a hierarchical category structure, or tree, to evaluate information navigability and findability.
This definition helps explain the roots of tree testing (excuse the pun), what it entails, and what you'd use it for.
Is tree testing qualitative or quantitative?
Tree testing can be both qualitative and quantitative, depending on your research objectives and the stage of research.
In formative research, the primary focus is on understanding user behavior, preferences, and thought processes. Qualitative tree testing involves observing and analyzing participants' navigation paths, their choices, and any comments or feedback they provide in response to open-ended follow-up questions. This approach helps you identify usability issues, user expectations, and areas for improvement within the IA.
The aim of summative research is to objectively measure the effectiveness and efficiency of the IA. By conducting quantitative tree testing, you can gather numerical data on task success rates, completion times, and directness. This approach offers statistical analysis of the navigation structure’s usability and allows you to compare different designs or iterations.
By combining both qualitative and quantitative approaches, you can gain a comprehensive understanding of users' navigation behavior, uncover usability issues, and make informed decisions to optimize the IA for a better user experience.
What is tree testing used for?
Tree testing is used to evaluate the IA and navigation of a website or app. It helps identify any issues or inefficiencies in the organization and structure of the content.
Here are some common use cases for tree testing:
Evaluating website navigation: Tree testing helps assess the clarity and intuitiveness of a website's navigation structure. It can identify issues such as confusing labels, redundant categories, or missing information.
Testing a new IA: Before implementing a new navigation structure, tree testing can be used to validate its effectiveness. It allows you to gather feedback and make informed decisions about proposed changes.
Assessing content organization: Tree testing helps you work out if content is logically organized and easily discoverable. It can reveal whether users can find information quickly or if they encounter difficulties due to poor categorization or labeling.
Comparing different navigation options: If you’re considering multiple navigation options, tree testing can help compare their effectiveness. By testing different tree structures, you can identify the most efficient and user-friendly option.
Iterative improvements: Tree testing can be used iteratively to refine IA over time. By conducting multiple rounds of testing, you can track improvements and make sure that the changes you make are effective.
What happens in a tree test?
In a tree test, you present participants with a hierarchical structure, similar to a site map, representing the organization of content on your website or app. This structure consists of categories and subcategories. You then ask participants to complete a specific task, such as finding particular information, by navigating through this structure.
You can then analyze how participants navigate through the tree, noting which path they took and how long it took them to find the desired information. You can use this to evaluate the effectiveness of the IA and navigation labels.
Tree tests can be run in-person or remotely. In-person moderated tests are conducted face-to-face with participants, usually in a controlled environment such as a usability lab. You can directly observe participants’ behavior and provide assistance or clarification as needed. While this method offers control over the testing environment, it’s less convenient and more resource-intensive than remote testing.
You can run a remote unmoderated test using a platform like Lyssna. Participants can access the test from their own devices and complete it independently, following the instructions you provide. This method offers the advantage of scalability and convenience, and allows you to recruit a larger and more diverse pool of participants.
Pairing tree testing with other UX research methods
Here are some other key research methods you can use in combination with tree testing to help figure out the navigation of your website or app.
Card sorting
Before tree testing, you can use card sorting to understand how your users categorize and label information. This method is ideal if you're unsure about the language your audience uses and you want to understand how they group information.
There are three main card sorting methods. In an open card sort, you ask participants to group and label cards without predefined categories. They’re free to create their own categories and group cards in a way that makes sense to them.
In closed card sorting, you ask participants to sort labeled cards into predefined categories. Hybrid card sorting combines elements of closed and open card sorting. You give participants a set of cards and a set of predefined categories, but they can also create their own categories.
Card sorting helps you understand how users expect to find content on your website, and can be used to inform your initial IA. You can then use tree testing to highlight any category or labeling issues. Using card sorting and tree testing together ensures that your site’s IA aligns with user expectations and is validated by their actual behavior.
Check out these templates to get started with card sorting:
Improve your information architecture (closed card sorting)
Create an intuitive information architecture (open card sorting)
Optimize IA with card sorting (open card sorting)
Preference testing
Preference testing involves presenting participants with different design variations, features, or options to gather feedback and determine their preferences and priorities.
To integrate tree testing with preference testing, you can first use tree testing to refine the structure and organization of your content based on user behavior and preferences. Once you have a solid IA, you can then run a preference test to gather feedback on specific design elements, features, or content options within the context of your refined IA.
This combined approach guarantees that your final product not only aligns with user expectations regarding navigation but also meets their preferences in terms of design and content choices.
Check out these templates to get started with preference testing:
First click testing
First click testing is used to measure the usability of a website, app, or design by finding out how easy it is to complete a given task. You can use it to evaluate the initial click behavior of users when navigating through the IA.
Typically, you’d conduct tree testing first to evaluate the effectiveness of your IA. Once you’ve refined your IA based on the results, you can then conduct first click testing to assess the clarity and intuitiveness of navigation paths within the IA. This sequential approach allows you to first establish a solid foundation of your site’s structure before refining the user experience through first click testing.
Check out these templates to get started with first click testing:
Navigation testing
Navigation testing is a method used to analyze how users navigate through your website or application given a specific task or goal. The results help you hone critical user flows and improve your IA.
After conducting tree testing to refine the structure and labeling of your IA, you can use navigation testing to assess the usability of navigation elements within that IA. By combining these methods, you gain comprehensive insights into both the overall organization of your content and the ease of navigating through it, providing a user-friendly experience for your audience.
Check out these templates to get started with navigation testing:
Prototype testing
Prototype testing involves creating a prototype and testing it with real users to validate your design decisions. It’s useful for identifying problems or areas for improvement early in the discovery process, and to make sure that you’re building a product that meets user needs and expectations.
In Lyssna, you can run two types of prototype tests: Task flow and Free flow. Task flow is ideal when you're confident with your design and want to test a flow with a specific set of objectives that ends with a goal screen. Free flow is more suitable when you're in the exploratory phase of a project and are looking for initial feedback on your designs. Depending on what your goals are, both of these approaches can be used to test your IA.
Integrating tree testing with prototype testing involves using tree testing to evaluate the IA and navigation structure of your prototype before testing its functionality and interactions with users. By combining these methods, you make sure that both the underlying organization of content and the user interactions within the prototype are optimized for usability and effectiveness.
Check out these templates to get started with prototype testing:
When to use tree testing in the design process
Tree testing can be used at various stages of the design and product development process to inform decision-making and improve the user experience. Here are some specific instances where tree testing can be beneficial:
Early design stages: You can run a tree test during the initial design phase to validate and refine the proposed IA. By testing different navigation structures, you can gather feedback and make informed decisions about the organization and labeling of content.
Pre-launch: Before launching a new website or app, you can use tree testing to identify any navigation issues or content organization problems. This means you can catch and address potential usability issues before they impact users.
Redesigns or major updates: When redesigning an existing website or making significant updates to the IA, you can use tree testing to evaluate the proposed changes. It helps make sure that the new structure is an improvement over the previous one and that users can easily find the information they need.
Ongoing optimization: You can use tree testing as part of an iterative process to continuously improve IA and navigation. By conducting regular tests, you can track the impact of changes and make data-driven decisions to enhance the user experience.
Comparative analysis: If there are multiple design options or navigation structures under consideration, you can use tree testing to compare their effectiveness. You can then choose the most efficient and user-friendly option based on user feedback and task success rates.