By name: tree-testing description: Conducts tree testing to validate navigation. Users navigate text-only tree to find items. Use to validate navigation before visual design. Output feeds IA revision. Tools: Optimal Workshop, Maze.
Tree Testing
When to Use
- Proposed navigation structure exists
- Validate findability before design
- Test before investing in wireframes
Process
- Prepare — Tree structure (text-only, no visual design). 5–10 tasks.
- Run — 20+ participants.
- Measure — Success rate, directness, time per task.
- Analyze — Where do users go wrong?
Output
- Success rate per task
- Directness (first-click success)
- Time per task
- Findability report for IA revision
Synthesis Template
Use synthesis-template.md for handover format.
Downstream Use
- Feeds IA revision (relabel, restructure)
- Informs First-Click Testing (if needed)