Tree Testing: Optimizing Information Architecture

Tree Testing is a usability technique used to evaluate the findability of topics in a website. It involves creating a simplified version of the site's structure (the 'tree') and then asking users to find specific items.

Tree Testing can be a valuable tool for testing the information architecture of a site before it's built, or for identifying issues with the current structure. It provides quantitative data on where users get lost or confused, and it can help to inform decisions about the organization and labelling of content.

Tree Testing helps identify navigation issues, information gaps, and areas of confusion within the IA. It allows UX professionals to validate the effectiveness of the navigation labels, the structure of categories, and the placement of information.

By analysing the results of tree testing, designers can uncover potential improvements to the IA, refine the structure, and enhance the findability of content or functionality. This method ensures that the organization of information aligns with users' mental models and expectations, ultimately improving the overall user experience.