Treejack testing is a thorough check of the architecture of a website or mobile application that has a branched menu. This is a relatively simple and cheap research method. It can be done at an early stage of design. This will save employees time and money that they would have to spend on corrections. What exactly is the Treejack test?
What is the Treejack test?
The Treejack test is one of methods of data acquisition relating to the design process of a website or other digital product with an extensive menu. It is called interchangeably “reverse sorting of cards”. The Treejack test can be carried out at an early stage of design or modification — the site does not have to exist physically. In a study of this type the main thing is a tree that needs to be created as accurately as possible. If it does not pass verification, it cannot be used in an appropriate way, however, its improvement is quite quick and simple.
It is worth remembering that it is not necessary to test the solution with all available methods. The focus should be on testing mainly those elements that could potentially be problematic. This is especially important at a time when budget and time resources are limited.
Disadvantages of Treejack Testing
Treejack testing is focused on the architecture of the site, therefore it accurately indicates the problem that occurred in a specific location of the structure. Treejack However, it cannot be the only method of testing., as it will not indicate all the elements that did not work correctly. Information about other aspects of the project is also needed.
Another inconvenience, associated with the Treejack test, is the fact that these studies do not produce a result in the form of qualitative data, indicating the reason for the problem that the testers are facing. However, once the test has been carried out, you can decide to create a survey and supplement the report with additional information.
Treejack test — how to do it?
The Treejack test, in terms of difficulty, is similar to studies of another type. Most problems arise not during its course, but before and after.
Test — the design process
Treejack testing is described as quite simple in terms of logistics. There is no need to move, accumulate resources or coordinate the work of a large team. The main thing is to design a test.
Design methods
To carry out this type of testing, it is best to use the available tools. First of all, all categories and subcategories must be placed in the appropriate file, which will create the structure of the tree. The tool is designed to check the items that users will click on, control the time, the order of these actions and the number of users who select the appropriate click area. Most studies of this type are done online, by sending a link to the tester. So users can do it without leaving home.
Creating a tree
If you want to test, it's a good idea to decide which part of the tree is worth checking first. This is because it is difficult to examine the whole thing at once if the site is complex. If you add more elements to an existing page, you do not need to check the remaining parts. However, what is important is to test every option that the user could choose.
Tasks for testers...
The scenario that will be presented to the user should be as simple as possible. The lion's share of testers will not accurately read the questions, but only review them, in connection with which they may not fully understand complex sentences. To be placed in the study up to 10 queries to get the information you need. Thanks to this, the tester will not get bored with the tasks and will solve them smoothly. So the result will be adequate. It is good to concentrate on the most important issues and problems.
... and their recruitment
In order for the Treejack test to be able to indicate optimal results, it is necessary to find the right number of testers from a representative group. So it's worth considering who is likely to use the site. If it is to be the elderly, such testers should be sought. If teenagers — you need to focus on young people. Otherwise, the results may be incorrect. It is in good taste to thank you for taking part in the research either in monetary form or in the form of a gift. In addition, it is worth emphasizing the importance of help and test results. It is important for testers to know that they are not being examined. They only indicate elements that are potentially in need of improvement.
Treejack Testing — Analyzing and Using Tree Testing Results
After carrying out studies and tests, it is necessary to carefully analyze the results obtained, which will help to take the next steps.
Measurability of success
The success rate of the Treejack test is lower than that of an already finished website. Of course — if changes are made that result from the research carried out. At the moment when the opinion of users will be taken into account, the indicator can increase significantly. The finished digital product has a menu, search function, tips or elements that facilitate navigation, so the difference in the evaluation of the test and the overall page can be huge.
Test results
With the test tool, you can get the result in numerical form:
- the percentage of users who successfully completed tasks,
- the percentage of users who completed the task directly — without guessing the answer,
- the average time to complete the task,
- the place where most testers clicked in the first place,
- the place where most testers completed the task, regardless of the correctness of the answer.
The meaning of the information obtained varies depending on the type of test. Comparing the results of different tasks is not reliable. So it is worth putting together answers to questions that are similar to each other.
Not all tasks that the tester is supposed to solve are equally important. This depends, among other things, on the purpose of creating the site. Some of the commands must be 100% understandable and simple — otherwise the user may feel frustrated and will probably leave the site or application. On the other hand, the user may find other tasks a bit more complicated, but worth the effort. They may convince him that it is worth taking a moment to think through the answer. It would be ideal then if all the elements functioned optimally, however, the evaluation of the individual paths must constitute a separate whole, and positive results in one part do not mean that the others also work correctly.
Results — how to use them?
First of all, you should examine the relationship between the results obtained from different categories. If they differ significantly from each other, somewhere in the application or page there is a problem, necessary to solve. If users arrive at the correct answers after many mistakes, there is a good chance that they will not want to use the digital product in question again.
Despite the fact that the data obtained from the Treejack test is Quantitative data expressed numerically, for a correct interpretation, an evaluation typical of qualitative tests is necessary. It is also possible to increase the value of the test if analyzed data from other studies are attached to it. If a specific task required users to spend more time, a qualitative result can approximate the information, referring to the actions that the testers took to find a solution.
summary
Treejack testing stands out, among other things, for the ease of preparation and start of the process compared to other methods. It can be created using the simplest tools. Of course, this type of testing will not answer all doubts, so it is good to combine it with other research methods. Thanks to this, it will be possible to get a complete picture of the situation.
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