USER RESEARCH TECHNIQUES
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Tree testing
What they are
It’s a usability technique that’s used to evaluate the structure of a site and understand how easy or difficult it is to find the desired content. It evaluates the hierarchical categorization of the site, analyzing its structure from the most basic structures. It’s also known as Inverse Card Sorting.
In Tree Testing, users are asked to search for elements within a content tree that represents the architecture of current information. This is done by showing only the navigation links and eliminating any additional clutter such as visual design.

When to use them
- If you want to evaluate where and why users get lost in the content.
- To check the effectiveness of the organization of existing content in real contexts.
- To validate content organization before designing the site.
- As a follow up to card sorting.
Our services include
- Designing the study
- Recruiting and incentivizing participants
- Configuration of the testing device
- Analyzing, reporting and presenting the results
- Recommendations for improvement
Deliverables
Powerpoint report including quantitative data and our analysis.
Timings
Study timescales depend on the number and profile of participants involved.
A typical study can take about 2 weeks from kick-off to delivery of results.