Tree Test Vs Card Sorting
The user experience is a crucial factor for the effectiveness of the website. If you understand how a user perceives information, it will be much easier for the software testing company to perform software testing.
Speaking of usability testing, you should first think about the navigation of the system and its functionality. Will it be a website or an application that is intuitive and easy to use? Here, an expert must remember such useful techniques as the tree test and card sorting.
Both are intended to provide the test team with useful results to improve the organization of the system. The main difference is in execution time: the tree test is applied after the structure is created, while the card sorting is done before.
The tree test means that the information is represented in the form of a “tree”, that is, in a simple way and without any kind of visualization. It is one of the most important stages in the development process. It can be used in combination with some usability testing tools (eg Treejack).
It assumes the participation of several members who will help to understand if users can find what they are looking for through the available site map.
The main reasons for the performance of tree tests are:
- The findability specification of the product. Mainly, it helps the testers to realize the weaker points in the navigation of the application and the ease with which a common user can navigate through it.
- Checking modifications. It should reveal if the issue was fixed after the update and the need for further verification.
Card sorting is done before structure design. It presupposes that the components or functions of the future website or application must be written on the sheets of paper (the cards). The next step is to give them to the participants whose task is to sort them into groups. This method allows to understand the thinking model of the user.
A usability testing tool like OptimalSort can serve as an additional assistant to the testing process.
What are the main card sorting methods?
- Open sorting of cards – participants are given the composition of the card on which the names of the website materials are written without any preparatory grouping. They are asked to arrange the cards in groups in any way they like and to discuss their choice.
- Classification of closed cards – participants are provided with the composition of the card with the above-specified list of the main groups. All they need to do is sort the available cards by these groups.
Thereafter, before proceeding to carry out manual or automated tests, it is of great importance to determine the level of ease of navigation of the future system, better at the stage of development of the system structure.