Validating with Tree Testing: The Reverse Card Sort

Card sorting generates a taxonomy; Tree Testing evaluates whether that taxonomy actually works for real tasks.

In a tree test:

1. All visual styling, navigation menus, and layout graphics are stripped away.
2. Participants are given a plain text tree (sitemap) and a realistic task: 'Where would you find instructions to update your company billing address?'
3. Observers track directness (did they take the direct path without backtracking?), time on task, and success rate.