THN Design
Trent Nguyen · Portfolio
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All research resources Research Method · Hybrid / Architecture · IA, findability

Tree Testing

Testing findability in a navigation structure without the influence of visual design. Isolates IA from UI to get a clean read on whether content is findable.

Use When
Hybrid / Architecture
Time Needed
About 1 week: a few days to build the tree, a few days to field with 30-50 participants.
Type
IA, findability
Category
Hybrid / Architecture
Hybrid / Architecture · Use for information architecture and mental model validation.
Tree Testing
IA, findability
When to Use It

Where this fits in the process.

Mid-IA work, to test findability in a navigation structure in isolation from visual design.

Time Investment

How long it takes.

About 1 week: a few days to build the tree, a few days to field with 30-50 participants.

What You'll Need

Before you start.

A text-based tree of your proposed navigation structure, a tree testing tool, and a set of realistic findability tasks.

What It's Good For

The kinds of answers you get.

Testing findability in a navigation structure without the influence of visual design. Isolates IA from UI to get a clean read on whether content is findable.

Watch Out For

Where it falls short.

Only tests navigation paths. Cannot account for search, landing pages, or cross-linking. No visual context.

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