The tree is represented only by its labels and relationships, forcing participants to rely solely on the organization of these labels to navigate. This focus on the hierarchy helps identify whether the categories and labels used are logical and intuitive for users, revealing if the structure of the website aligns with how users expect information to be organized.

By analyzing how users navigate through the tree, companies can gain valuable insights into potential navigational issues. Metrics derived from tree testing include success rates (whether users find what they’re looking for), time taken to complete each task, and the paths taken by users. High failure rates or excessive navigation paths can indicate that certain sections of the website are hard to find or confusingly categorized.

As participants navigate through the tree, their ability to quickly and successfully find information provides direct feedback on how well the site’s structure matches user expectations and understanding. High completion rates and direct navigation paths suggest that parts of the website are well-organized and intuitively labeled. Conversely, frequent missteps, backtracking, or failure to complete tasks indicate areas where the content organization is confusing or misaligned with user expectations.

Qualitative feedback gathered during the testing process can provide further insights into why certain structures work better than others, offering specific suggestions for improvement. By iteratively refining the site’s structure based on this feedback, companies can develop a more user-friendly and logically organized website that enhances the user experience by making information easy and natural to find.

By having users perform specific tasks using only the text-based structure of the site’s hierarchy, without the influence of design elements like graphics or interactive menus, tree testing isolates and evaluates the clarity and logic of the site’s organizational framework. This focus helps identify if users can find information efficiently or if they encounter issues such as confusing category labels, illogical groupings of content, or an overly complex hierarchy.

Common indicators of navigational barriers include high rates of task failure, excessive time spent on tasks, frequent backtracking, and user-reported frustration or confusion. These findings can guide necessary revisions to the site’s structure to enhance overall navigability and user experience.

By examining metrics such as task completion rates, the paths users take, and the time they spend on tasks, you can pinpoint where users struggle to find information due to confusing labels, illogical content groupings, or overly complex navigation paths.

“Portfolio and case study is where I think I will see an example of a successful advertising campaign.”
– Advertising Professional (US)

Gathering qualitative feedback from participants can provide insights into why certain aspects of the structure may be problematic. Using this information, you can make informed decisions about how to reorganize content, simplify navigation paths, and adjust labels to better align with user expectations and behavior. This iterative process of testing and refining helps ensure that the site’s structure is optimized for ease of use, enhancing the overall user experience.