We mentioned four basic IA elements above – organization, labeling, navigation, and search. In general, we tend to deal with the first two (as foundations) before the second two (which segue into UI design).
- cite polar-bear book
Because tree testing is only concerned with the first two elements (organization and labeling), it makes sense that tree testing should be done early in the design process, not so much later.
To get more specific, tree testing typically happens at two points early in the design of a website:
- During the research phase, before new site structures are even conceived.
- Early in the design phase, when your research has suggested ways to structure the site, and you have started creating site trees to exercise those ideas.
Let’s take a closer look at each of these phases and see exactly where tree testing fits in...
Next: The research phase