"Plans are nothing; planning is everything." - Dwight D. Eisenhower
If
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we have a site structure to test and some tasks in mind, it’s tempting just to dive right in – set up the test, email a bunch of users, and watch the results come in. Easy, right?
However,
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we’ll get a lot more out of
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our testing if
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we take a step back and ask
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ourselves some basic questions, such as:
- Why am I running this test? What am I specifically trying to find out?
- What am I testing – the whole tree, or just the top levels? Or two completely different trees?
- Who should I test – existing customers, or prospective ones too?
How
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we answer these questions can
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change how
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we run
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our test and analyze
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our results.
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Baselining, testing new/revised trees, comparing alternatives, etc.
How many rounds of testing?
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2 rounds is standard, but even 1 round will improve our site.
Which trees will
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Existing tree vs. new tree(s)? The whole tree or just part of it?
Who will
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User groups, recruiting, and incentives
When will
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Where will you test?
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we test?
We can start as soon as we have a site tree roughed out
Which tool will we use?
Treejack, UserZoom, paper, and other tools
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Working with a team vs. going solo
How will
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Documenting your plan
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Most problems can be prevented, but a safety net is always wise
Documenting our plan
Some templates to keep us on track
Key points
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