Is Your Navigation "People Friendly"?

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Whether you are designing a brand new site from scratch, considering a redesign, or simply wanting to test your current site's usability, "people testing" is invaluable at all stages (read Don Norman's essay on talking about people over user...

Whether you are designing a brand new site from scratch, considering a redesign, or simply wanting to test your current site's usability, "people testing" is invaluable at all stages (read Don Norman's essay on talking about people over users here: http://tinyurl.com/nxu27). In this article, we outline some simple yet effective tools that you can use right now to develop and test your site's Information Architecture.

Open Card Sorting

So you've got a bunch of information and no idea where to put any of it? An open card sort can be an effective way to group common ideas and themes. All you need is a pen and enough index cards to cover all of your topics. Write your topics on individual cards then give the cards to a group of people. Ask the group to sort the cards that they feel are related into distinct piles. The sorting can be done by individuals, however getting a group to do it together will generate discussion and debate amongst the participants. This can provide you with valuable insight into your audience and how they perceive your information.

The categories that are formed during this method will naturally identify some options for your top level navigation.

Closed Card Sort

If you already know what your top level navigation will be but you're not quite sure which topics should go in each one, use a Closed Card sort. It works the same way as an Open Card Sort but participants sort the cards into categories you have already defined. This method is great if you already have your navigation drafted but you're not confident that everything is in the right place. The Closed Card Sort will identify whether your proposed navigation matches other people's points of view.

Sitemap Documentation

If your site is already up and running but you're wondering if it could be set out better, the first thing you should do is work out what you've got! It's time to document your sitemap. This could be as low-tech as pen and paper, or by using some of the cool mapping tools available on the market. At Brightlabs we like 'xmind' (http://www.xmind.net/). It's simple, has a nice interface, and it's free!

You may be surprised at what you find at the end of this simple exercise. Outdated content, pages in the wrong place; it's understandable that over time your site may not have kept up with you and your organisation. Take this opportunity to figure out what's there, what stays, and what definitely goes!

Google Analytics

Google analytics can show you which parts of your site are the most (and least) visited. So you think that something is vital for your audience yet almost no-one goes there? Perhaps you need to move it to a place that people are more likely to find it.

Tree Testing

Once you've figured out your information architecture it's time to put it to the test. Tree testing is a great way to do this. Essentially, you give people your site in a tree hierarchy (with hidden sub-levels) and ask them to perform some common tasks such as "Where would you find our postal address?". If people end up on the wrong path it can be an indication that your navigation structure or labels are confusing. There are some great commercial applications that specialise in this sort of testing. Treejack by Optimal Workshop is one such tool. They can help you set up your test and also document the results. You can try Treejack by visiting http://www.optimalworkshop.com/treejack.htm.

You can also setup similar tests yourself using software like xmind. I've even heard of someone using the Windows Explorer folder structure to simulate his sitemap. The only difference between these two methods and the professionals is that you will need to manually record the steps that people take, both right and wrong. If a significant number of people all make the same mistake while completing one of the set tasks, then you can probably bet that it is your site structure and not them. It can also be useful to record the time it takes people to complete tasks. People may go the right way, but if it takes them a long time to choose between the options then that may indicate your navigation labels need to be more clearly defined.

Our discussion here today is really only scratching the surface in terms of website usability. Even small changes, however, can make a big difference and it's never too late to start.