What is Tree Testing?

You’ve spent so much time perfecting your website’s navigation, and it makes perfect sense to you. But what do your users think about it? They’re looking for your refund policy in “Account Settings” when you put it under “Help & Support.” Tree testing is the research method that catches these mismatches before they become big problems, by showing whether your information architecture works on its own.

When to use tree testing

Tree testing evaluates how easily users can find information in a site’s hierarchy. Participants see only a text-based outline of your structure, and are asked to locate specific items.

When tree testing is most useful:

• Redesigns. When redesigning a navigation structure, you can validate it before starting visual design.
• Comparing 2+ structures. Get solid insight on which structure makes most sense to users.
• Users are struggling. If you notice your users dropping off or struggling to find information, you can evaluate whether the structure is the cause.
• When designing a complex site. Sites with lots of information can benefit from a tree test. Evaluate your structure’s findability.

How to conduct a tree test

1. Define your goals

Decide what you want to learn. Are you validating a new structure, comparing alternatives, or diagnosing problems in an existing one?

2. Build your tree

Create a text-only version of your site hierarchy, with top-level categories and nested subcategories within. Include the full structure or the relevant section for testing, and use the exact labels that users would see.

3. Set up your test

Craft your tasks

Create 5 to 10 realistic tasks that ask participants to find something specific, such as “You want to return a pair of shoes you bought last week. Where would you go?”

Avoid using the exact words from your labels, since that turns the task into a simple matching exercise.

Define the correct answers

For each task, decide which location(s) in the tree will count as a success.

4. Recruit participants, run your test

Aim for a large enough sample to provide solid evidence. About 15+ participants that match your actual user base will give you the clearest results.

5. Analyze results

When analyzing results, here are a few metrics and themes to look out for:

• Success rate: how many people found the correct location
• Directness: how many went straight there without backtracking
• Time taken: how long it took to decide
• Paths taken: where people went when they got it wrong
• Common misclicked terms

Tree testing with User Sage

1. Define your goals

Every great test starts with a solid foundation. Having a clear understanding of what you want to learn will set your test up for success.

2. Set up your study

Build your tree

With User Sage, you can type each item in manually, or paste a list instead.

Define your tasks and determine correct path(s)

Each task is a realistic goal.

A solid example: “Where would you go to cancel your subscription?” A correct destination can be any item, not just a bottom-level one. Category pages with real content on them count too.

3. Analyze results

Analyze how each task performed. Look for success and failure rates, direct paths, and read individual comments.

Here’s an example of a successful, clear path.

Here’s an unsuccessful path, where users gave up:

Ready to get started?

Start tree testing with User Sage. Sign up for free and see whether people can find what they need.