Tree Testing

A research method that tests a site’s navigation structure on its own, asking users to find items in a text-only hierarchy to check if labels and grouping work.

Why it matters

Navigation usually fails silently: people do not report "your information architecture confused me", they just leave. Stripping away all visual design and testing the bare hierarchy is the only way to learn whether your labels and grouping make sense — before a layout can paper over them.

The numbers

Text-only — no visual design, so only the structure is tested
~50 participants — the usual target for quantitative confidence

Related terms

Hierarchy
Research
Contextual Inquiry
Wizard of Oz
A/B Testing

Go deeper in Learn UX

Introduction to usability testing Usability Testing & Iteration
Moderated and unmoderated testing Usability Testing & Iteration
Choosing the right Research method UX Research

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