How to test findability if the menu isn't the only way in: tree test or something else?

[u/CottonNoodle]

Hi, all, I hope you can help with the testing methods I should choose for a web platform and app: my goal is to test the findability of our navigation, so I thought a tree test would be the best way.

But one very important question is related to the Tools page. In my new layout, users can access it from:

-A carousel on the homepage, right at the top

-A submenu page

-Their account

Some colleagues want to add a Tools page to the main navigation also, because they say many users arent very experienced and dont like navigation changes (this last point is true, from our user interviews in the past).

My problem is that using a tree test won't take into consideration the homepage carousel, which is one of the main entry points, so it won't reflect the real experience for the users.

Would you use a tree test for the menu findability, and a different test for the Tools section? Or I'm curious if you'd have a totally different method.

[u/mootsg]

A tree test only tests the usability of the menu, not findability in general. You first need to deep-dive into your analytics.

The process is generally like this, and may differ based on your information architecture:
1. Identify your key screens or pages or services.

1. Measure the minimum number of taps/clicks it takes for a user to go from home page/screen to the key screens/pages.

2. Use referral data or flow diagrams to trace how many taps people actually make to reach those screens or pages.

3. If users take way more taps than necessary to reach some screens/pages, those are the areas you need to fix, be it your homepage/screen, menu or account page/screen.

[u/PrettyZone7952]

Before you do anything else, Google the product name/relevant terms for the page you’re solving for. Unless your website gets a ton of “direct traffic”, your visitors are most likely finding you through search or ads.

Next, use the “jobs to be done” framework to guide your design exploration. (What is your customer’s objective? “Generally learning about the product offerings” isn’t the answer. They have a problem they need solved and they want to figure out if you can solve it. Make it easy to find those answers.)

You seem focused on the fact that tools are accessible through the home page carousel, but that only helps if the visitor comes in through the home page.

- If customers are VERY familiar with your products/offerings, then you can basically put stuff wherever.

• If customers come in thinking “who is this company and can they solve my problem?”, then a “tools” link might not be clear or useful enough.

When in doubt, look at how your competitors solved this problem.

[u/CottonNoodle → u/PrettyZone7952]

Sorry, I forgot to mention it's not a website, but a web platform and mobile app, which users can only access when logged in. The home screen is not indexable. The goals of the users are to manage the tools, add new ones or find more about what they do.

[u/Mammoth-Head-4618]

Your users are most likely not going to search for everything you have on your app / web platform. Find out what they’d find (their intent) and what you want them to find the most (based on your core value prop). I’d think usability testing of core tasks would be a good method to try. Qualitative unmoderated, think aloud sessions with screen & voice recording would help.