Research methods

Tree testing

Test the findability of information within a navigation structure without visual design influencing participant decisions.

Questions this method can help explore

Can users find important pages in the navigation?
Do menu labels make sense?
Where does confusion occur within the information structure?

Useful when

Evaluating navigation and information architecture
Testing proposed category structures
Finding labels or branches that create confusion

What to prepare

The navigation tree or information hierarchy you want to test
Tasks that ask participants to locate specific information
Clear labels for each branch and destination

What you can learn

Whether participants can find the expected destination
Which paths users take through the structure
Where labels or groupings may need to change

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