Testing an IA

How to test an information architecture (structure for something like a website) using tree testing. Presented at UX Wellington meetup 3 Dec 2012.

1. Testing an IA Donna Spencer - Maadmob (@maadonna)
2. About me • User experience freelancer – information architecture, interaction design etc • Far too long (10+ years) • Run UX Australia & other conferences • @maadonna Card%sor(ng How%to%write%great% copy%for%the%web A%prac(cal%guide%to% informa(on%architecture
3. What is IA testing (or tree testing)?
4. Test your information architecture
5. But do it before it’s built!
6. Do it as early as you can Research Design IA Design navigation Prepare content Launch
7. How does it work?
8. In person
9. Or online
10. Or both
11. Preparing & running the test
12. Preparation: The IA • Need a simple hierarchy • Or two... • OK to put some items in two places • Can test just subcategories, or to pages
13. Preparation: The tasks • Figure out what you want to test • Write tasks • In general, user-friendly language • OK to have a long list of tasks for good coverage
14. Preparation: The people • Standard issues for recruitment! • If using online, offer an incentive • For online, you need volume to get good results • As you can’t probe to find out what people are thinking
15. Preparation: The tool • Write out cards for face-to-face • Online • Enter the IA (Treejack: paste from a spreadsheet) • Enter tasks • Identify ‘correct’ locations
16. Preparation: The tool • Settings • Randomise tasks to avoid a consistent learning effect • 6-8 tasks per person maximum
17. Recording results: Tool
18. Analysing the results
19. Analysis • Check what happened with each task • Check what happened in each part of the IA • Identify tasks/IA sections that worked: • Well • Badly • OK
20. The important part: Analysis
21. The important part: Analysis Legend - Pies Legend - Lines Went down the right path Went down the wrong path Went back This is the correct answer Skipped question Correct path Incorrect path Soft furnishings Participants came here 1 time and clicked: Home Home décor Soft furnishings Interior Decorative Bowls & Plates Kitchen Cookware Curry Pots Servingware Coasters & Mats Dinner Plates & Bowls Serving Bowls Trays & Platters Cups, mugs & glasses Kitchen Accessories Kitchen Accessories Food & drink Food
22. The important part: Analysis
23. The important part: Analysis
24. The important part: Analysis
25. Analysis • Check what happened with each task • Check what happened in each part of the IA • Identify tasks/IA sections that worked: • Well • Badly • OK • Can be hard to figure out why things happened
26. Find scented candles - Christmas? Legend - Pies Legend - Lines Went down the right path Went down the wrong path Went back This is the correct answer Skipped question Correct path Incorrect path Home Participants came here 40 times and clicked: Correct path 34 (85%) Incorrect path 6 (15%) Back from here 0 (0%) Nominated answer 0 (0%) Skip task 0 (0%) Home Home décor Soft furnishings Interior Candles & Holders Relaxation Essential Oils Incense & Holders Office Kitchen Christmas Christmas Catalogue Christmas Decorations
27. Tips
28. Tips • Test your test • Easy to make mistakes with the tree, correct answers and tasks • Test two versions • Easier to interpret results • Tweaks to one version • Entirely different approaches
30. Tips • Test your test • Easy to make mistakes with the tree, correct answers and tasks • Test two versions • Easier to interpret results • Tweaks to one version • Entirely different approaches • Tweak & re-test
31. Resources • Card-based classification evaluation (Donna Spencer: http:// boxesandarrows.com/card-based-classification-evaluation/ • Tree testing (Dave O’Brien): http://boxesandarrows.com/tree-testing/ • Card Sorting + Tree Testing : The Science Of Great Site Navigation (Jeff Sauro): http://www.measuringusability.com/blog/cardsort-tree-test.php • Julian’s 5 tips for Tree Testing (Julian Apatu): http:// www.optimalworkshop.com/blog/tree-testing-tips-with-julian-apatu/ • Making the most of Optimal Treejack (Nick Bowmast): http:// www.userexperience.co.nz/2009/08/making-the-most-of-optimal- treejack/
32. Tools • Treejack: http://www.optimalworkshop.com/treejack.htm • PlainFrame: http://uxpunk.com/plainframe/ • User zoom tree testing: http://www.userzoom.com/products/tree-testing • C-inspector: http://www.c-inspector.com/index.php
33. Thanks • http://maadmob.com.au/ • +61 409-778-693 • donna@maadmob.net • Twitter etc: maadonna