Which comes first: card sorting or tree testing?

Are your visitors really getting the most out of your website? Tree testing (or sometimes referred to as reverse card sorting) takes away the guesswork by telling you how easily, or not, people can find information on your website. Discover why Treejack is the tool of choice for website architects.

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What’s tree testing and why does it matter? 🌲 👀

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Whether you’re building a website from scratch or improving an existing website, tree testing helps you design your website architecture with confidence. How? Tools like Treejack use analysis to help assess how findable your content is for people visiting your website. 

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It helps answer burning questions  like:

• Do my labels make sense?
• Is my content grouped logically?
• Can people find what they want easily and quickly?  If not, why not?

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Treejack provides invaluable intel for any Information Architect. Why? Knowing where and why people get lost trying to find your content, gives you a much better chance of fixing the actual problem. And the more easily people can find what they’re looking for, the better their experience which is ultimately better for everyone.

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How’s tree testing work? 🌲🌳🌿

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Tree testing can be broken down into two main parts: 

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• The Tree - Your tree is essentially your site map – a text-only version of your website structure.
• The Task - Your task is the activity you ask participants to complete by clicking through your tree and choosing the information they think is right. Tools like Treejack analyse the data generated from doing the task to build a picture of how people actually navigated your content in order to try and achieve your task.  It tells you if they got it right or wrong, the path they took and the time it took them.

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Whether you’re new to tree testing or already a convert, effective tree testing using Treejack has some key steps.

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Step 1.  The ‘ Why’:  Purpose and goals of tree testing

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Ask yourself what part of your information architecture needs improvement – is it your whole website or just parts of it? Also think about your audience, they’re the ones you’re trying to improve the website for so the more you know about their needs the better. 

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Tip:  Make the most of what tree testing offers to improve your website by building it into your overall design project plan

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Step 2.  The ‘How’:   Build your tree

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You can build your tree using two main approaches: 

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• Create your tree in spreadsheet and import it into Treejack or
• Build your tree in Treejack itself, using the labels and structure of your website.

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Tip:  Your category labels are known as ‘parent nodes’. Your information labels are known as ‘child nodes’.

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Step 3. The ‘What’: Write your tasks

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The quality of your tasks will be reflected in the usefulness of your data so it’s worth making sure you create tasks that really test what you want to improve.

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Tip:  Use plain language that feels natural and try to write your tasks in a way that reflects the way people who visit your website might actually think when they are trying to find information on your site.

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Step 4.  The ‘Who’:  Recruit participants

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The quality of your data will largely depend on the quality of your participants. You want people who are as close to your target audience as possible and with the right attitude - willing and committed to being involved.

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Tip:  Consider offering some kind of incentive to participants – it shows you value their involvement.

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Step 5.  The ‘insights’: Interpret your results

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Now for the fun part – making sense of the results. Treejack presents the data from your tree testing as a series of tables and visualizations. You can download them in a spreadsheet in their raw format or customized to your needs.

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Tip:  Use the results to gain quick, practical insights you can act on right away or as a starter to dive deeper into the data.

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When should I use tree testing? ⌛

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Tree testing is useful whenever you want to find out if your website content is labelled and organised in a way that’s easy to understand.  What’s more it can be applied for any website, big (10+ levels with 10000s of labels) or small (3 levels and 22 labels) and any size in between.  Our advice for using Treejack is simply this: test big, test small, test often.

In 2009, Bob Bailey and Cari Wolfson published published findings that changed how we approach first click testing and usability testing. They analyzed 12 scenario-based user tests and found that if someone gets their first click right, they're about twice as likely to complete their task successfully. This finding was so compelling that we built First Click Testing (formerly Chalkmark) specifically to help teams test this.  But we'd never actually validated their research using our own data, until now.

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Turns out, we're sitting on one of the world's largest databases of tree testing results. So we analyzed millions of task responses to see if the "first click predicts success" hypothesis holds up.

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It does. Convincingly.

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Users who get their first click correct are nearly three times more likely to complete their task successfully (70% vs 24% success rate).

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Here's how we validated the original study, what our data shows, and why first clicks matter more than you might think.

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Original first click testing study: 87% task success rate

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Bob and Cari analyzed data from twelve usability studies on websites and products with varying amounts and types of content, a range of subject matter complexity, and distinct user interfaces. They found that people were about twice as likely to complete a task successfully if they got their first click right, than if they got it wrong:

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If the first click was correct, the chances of getting the entire scenario correct was 87% if the first click was incorrect, the chances of eventually getting the scenario correct was only 46%.

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Our Tree Testing data: First clicks predict 70% task success rate

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We analyzed millions of tree testing responses in our database. We've found that people who get the first click correct are almost three times as likely to complete a task successfully:

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If the first click was correct, the chances of getting the entire scenario correct was 70% if the first click was incorrect, the chances of eventually getting the scenario correct was 24%

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To give you another perspective on the same data, here's the inverse:

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If the first click was correct, the chances of getting the entire scenario incorrect was 30% if the first click was incorrect, the chances of getting the whole scenario incorrect was 76%

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How Tree Testing measures first click success and task completion

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Bob and Cari proved the usefulness of the methodology by linking two key metrics in scenario-based usability studies: first clicks and task success. First Click Testing doesn't measure task success — it's up to the researcher to determine as they're setting up the study what constitutes 'success', and then to interpret the results accordingly. Tree Testing (formerly Treejack) does measure task success — and first clicks.

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In a tree test, participants are asked to complete a task by clicking though a text-only version of a website hierarchy, and then clicking 'I'd find it here' when they've chosen an answer. Each task in a tree test has a pre-determined correct answer — as was the case in Bob and Cari's usability studies — and every click is recorded, so we can see participant paths in detail.

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Thus, every single time a person completes an individual tree testing task, we record both their first click and whether they are successful or not. When we came to test the 'correct first click leads to task success' hypothesis, we could therefore mine data from millions of task.

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To illustrate this, have a look at the results for one task. The overall Task result, you see a score for success and directness, and a breakdown of whether each Success, Fail, or Skip was direct (they went straight to an answer), or indirect (they went back up the tree before they selected an answer):

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In the pie tree for the same task, you can look in more detail at how many people went the wrong way from a label (each label representing one page of your website):

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In the First Click tab, you get a percentage breakdown of which label people clicked first to complete the task:

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And in the Paths tab, you can view individual participant paths in detail (including first clicks), and can filter the table by direct and indirect success, fails, and skips (this table is only displaying direct success and direct fail paths):

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How to run first click tests: Best practices for usability testing

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First click analysis is one of the most predictive metrics in usability testing. Whether you're testing wireframes, landing pages, or information architecture, measuring first click success gives you early insight into whether your design will work.

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This analysis reinforces something we already knew: first clicks matter. It is worth your time to get that first impression right. You have plenty of options for measuring the link between first clicks and task success in your scenario-based usability tests. From simply noting where your participants go during observations, to gathering quantitative first click data via online tools, you'll win either way. And if you want quantitative first click data, Optimal has you covered. First Click Testing works for wireframes and landing pages, while Tree Testing validates your information architecture.

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To finish, here are a few invaluable insights from other researchers on getting the most from first click testing:

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• Jeff Sauro details a useful approach to running a first click test, and shares the findings from a test he ran on 13 people.
• An article on Neoinsight describes three common usability problems that first click testing can solve.
• Gianna LaPin describes a first click test she ran on Netflix, VUDU, and Hulu Plus.

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About this study

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This analysis was conducted in 2015 using millions of task responses from Optimal’s First Click and Tree Testing tools. While the dataset predates recent UI trends, the underlying behavioral principle, that a correct first click strongly predicts task success, remains consistent with modern usability research.

Recently, Optimal Workshop partnered with Eniola Abioye, Lead UX Researcher at Meta and UXR Career Coach at UX Outloud to host a career masterclass featuring practical advice and guidance on how to: revamp and build a portfolio, emphasize the impact of your projects and showcase valuable collaborations. It also included panel discussions with experts from a variety of roles (UX, product management, engineering, career coaching and content design) talking about their journeys to becoming UX leaders. 

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Keep reading to get key takeaways from the discussion on:

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• How to show the impact of your UX work
• Common blockers in UX work
• How to collaborate with cross-functional UX stakeholders 
• How to build a resume and portfolio that uses industry language to present your experience

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How to show the impact of your UX 💥

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At a time when businesses are reducing costs to focus on profitability - proving the value of your work is more important than ever. Unfortunately, measuring the impact of UX isn’t as straightforward as tracking sales or marketing metrics. With this in mind, Eniola asked the panelists - how do you show the impact of UX in your work?Providing insights is simply not enough. “As a product manager, what I really care about is insights plus recommendations, because recommendations make my life easier,” said Kwame Odame. 

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Auset Parris added her perspective on this topic as a Growth Content Designer, “the biggest thing for me to be impactful in my space [Content Design] is to consistently document the changes that I’ve made and share them with the team along with recommendations.” Auset also offered her perspective regarding recommendations, “recommendations are not always going to lead to the actual product executions, but recommendations are meant to guide us.” When it comes to deciding which recommendation to proceed with (if any) it's important to consider whether or not they are aligned with the overarching goal. 

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Blockers in UX work 🚧

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As UXR becomes more democratized in many businesses and the number of stakeholders increases, the ability to gain cross-functional buy-in for the role and outcomes of UXR is a key way to help keep research a priority. 

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In his past experience, Kwame has realized that the role of a user experience researcher is just as important as that of a product manager, data scientist, engineer, or designer. However, one of the biggest blockers for him as a product manager is how the role of a UX researcher is often overlooked. “Just because I’m the product manager doesn’t mean that I’m owning every aspect of the product. I don’t have a magic wand right? We all work as a team.” Furthermore, Kwame notes that a user researcher is an incredibly hard role and a very important one, and I think we need to invest more in the UX space.

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Auset also shared her perspective on the topic, “I wouldn’t say this is a blocker, but I do think this is a challenging piece of working in a team - there are so many stakeholders.” Although it would be ideal for each of the different departments to work seamlessly together at all times, that’s not always the case. Auset spoke about a time where the data scientists and user researchers were in disagreement. Her role as a Growth Content Designer is to create content that enhances the user experience. “But if I’m seeing two different experiences, how do I move forward? That’s when I have to ask everyone - come on let’s dig deeper. Are we looking at the right things?” If team members are seeing different results, or having different opinions, then maybe they are not asking the right questions and it's time to dig deeper. 

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How to collaborate with cross-functional UX stakeholders 🫱🏽🫲🏻

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The number and type of roles that now engage with research are increasing. As they do, the ability to collaborate and manage stakeholders in research projects has become essential. 

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Kwame discussed how he sets up a meeting for the team to discuss their goals for the next 6 months. Then, he meets with the team on a weekly basis to ensure alignment. The main point of the meeting is to ensure everyone is leaving with their questions answered and blockers addressed. It's important to ensure everyone is moving in the right direction. 

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Auset added that she thinks documentation is key to ensuring alignment. “One thing that has been helpful for me is having the documentation in the form of a product brief or content brief.” The brief can include the overarching goal, strategy, and indicate what each member of the team is working on. Team members can always look back at this document to ensure they are on the right track. 

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Career advice: documenting the value you bring 💼

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One of the participants asked the panel, “how do you secure the stability of your UX career?” 

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Eniola took this opportunity to share some invaluable advice as a career coach, “I think the biggest thing that comes to mind is value proposition. It's important to be very clear about the value and impact you bring to the team. It used to be enough to just be really, really good at research and just do research and provide recommendations. Now that’s not enough. Now you have to take your teams through the process, integrate your recommendations into the product, and focus on driving impact.” 

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Companies aren’t looking to hire someone who can perform a laundry list of tasks, they’re looking for UX professionals who can drive results. Think about the metrics you can track, to help showcase the impact of your work. For example, if you’re a UX designer - how much less time did the user spend on the task with your new design? Did the abandonment or error rate decrease significantly as a result of your work? How much did the overall customer satisfaction score rise, after you implemented your project? Before starting your project, decide on several metrics to track (make sure they align with your organization’s goals), and reflect on these after each project. 

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Fatimah Richmond offered another piece of golden career advice. She encourages UX researchers to create an ongoing impact tracker. She’ll create a document where she lists the company's objectives, the projects she worked on, and the specific impact she made on the companies objectives. It's much easier to keep track of the wins as they happen, and jot a few notes about the impact you’ve made with each project, then scrambling to think of all the impact you’ve made when writing your resume. It's also important to note the impact your work has made on the different departments - product, marketing, sales, etc.

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She also advises UX researchers to frequently share their science insights with their colleagues as the project progresses. Instead of waiting until the very end of the project and providing a “perfectly polished” deck, be transparent with the team about what you are working on and the impact it's having throughout the duration of the project.

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Another participant asked - what if you need help determining the value you bring? Auset recommends asking for actionable feedback from coworkers. These people work with you every single day, so they know your contributions you are making to the team. 

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Documenting the tangible impact you make as a UX professional is crucial - not only will it help create greater stability for your career, but it will also help organizations recognize the importance of a UX research. As Kwame discussed in the “blockers” section, one of the biggest challenges he faces as a product manager is the perception of the UX role as less important than the more traditional product manager, Engineer, and Designer roles. 

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About Eniola Abioye

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Eniola helps UX researchers improve their research practice. Whether you’re seasoned and looking to level up or a new researcher looking to get your bearings in UX, Eniola can help you focus and apply your skillset. She is a UX Researcher and Founder of UX Outloud. As a career coach, she guides her clients through short and long term SMART goals and then works with them to build a strategic plan of attack. She is innately curious, a self-starter, adaptable, and communicative with a knack for storytelling.

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Learn more about UX Outloud.

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Connect with Eniola on Linkedin.

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About the panelists 🧑🏽🤝🧑🏽

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The panel was comprised of talented professionals from a variety of fields including UX research, content strategy, product management & engineering, and career coaching. Their diverse perspectives led to an insightful and informative panel session. Keep reading to get to know each of the amazing panelists: 

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Growth Content Designer: Auset Parris is a growth content designer at Meta. She has spent 7 years navigating the ever-evolving landscape of content strategy. She is passionate about the role of user research in shaping content strategies. Furthermore, Auset believes that understanding user behavior and preferences is fundamental to creating content that not only meets but exceeds user expectations. 

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Senior UX Researcher: Jasmine Williams, Ph.D. is a senior researcher with over a decade of experience conducting youth-focused research. She has deep expertise in qualitative methods, child and adolescent development, and social and emotional well-being. Jasmine is currently a user experience researcher at Meta and her work focuses on teen safety and wellbeing. 

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Product Manager: Kwame Odame has over 7 years of high-tech experience working in product management and software engineering. At Meta, Kwame is currently responsible for building the product management direction for Fan Engagement on Facebook. Kwame has also helped build Mastercard’s SaaS authentication platform, enabling cardholders to quickly confirm their identity when a suspicious transaction occurred, leveraging biometric technology. 

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UX Researcher (UXR): Fatimah Richmond is a well-rounded UX researcher with over 15 years of experience, having influenced enterprise products across leading tech giants like Google, SAP, Linkedin, and Microsoft. Fatimah has led strategy for research, programs and operations that have significantly impacted the UXR landscape, from clinician engagement strategist to reshaping Linkedin Recruiter and Jobs. As a forward thinker, she’s here to challenge our assumptions and the status quo on how research gets planned, communicated, and measured.

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Career Coach: An Xia spent the first decade of her professional life in consulting and Big Tech data science (Netflix, Meta). As a career coach, An has supported clients in gaining clarity on their career goals, navigating challenges of career growth, and making successful transitions. As a somatic coach, An has helped clients tap into the wisdom of their soma to reconnect with what truly matters to them. 

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UX Strategist: Natalie Gauvin is an experienced professional with a demonstrated history of purpose-driven work in agile software development industries and higher education. Skilled in various research methodologies. Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Candidate in Learning Design and Technology from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, focused on empathy in user experience through personas

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Level up your UXR capabilities (for free!) with the Optimal Academy 📚

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Here at Optimal we really care about helping UX researchers level up their career. This is why we’ve developed the Optimal Academy, to help you master your Optimal Workshop skills and learn more about user research and information architecture.

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Check out some of our free courses here: https://academy.optimalworkshop.com/