> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://help.dscout.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://help.dscout.com/study-basics/question-types/activity-questions/tree-testing-questions.md). # Tree testing questions
Study typeAvailability
Usability testtrue
Media surveytrue
Intercept studytrue
Tree testing questions let you discover how participants would work through a navigational structure to complete a desired objective or task. Let’s say you run an online clothing store and want to make sure certain articles of clothing can be found where your users expect them to be. Or maybe you’re developing a new music app and are unsure about the information architecture. With tree testing questions, you can find exactly what works for your users. ### Tree testing settings When adding a tree testing question to your study, you’ll customize your question in the center of the builder: Here’s a breakdown of each option: | Setting | Description | | ------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | **Prompt** |

The prompt or instructions participants see as part of this question. Here, a clear objective you want participants to complete using your provided tree structure. For example, “Show me how you would go about finding rain boots for the upcoming season.” Or “You’ve recently changed jobs and want to update your address. Where would you go to do that?”

You can format your text in the following ways:

- bold = bold
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| | **Add success path** (optional) |

The path you hope participants will take when completing the provided task. Including a success path lets you validate whether any structure you already have in place is working or whether it might need adjusting to meet users’ expectations. Only nodes without child nodes can be success paths. For more information, see Add a success path to a tree testing question.

Tip: If you have more than one possible success path in mind, you can select up to two. They don’t need to end on the same node.

| | **Tree** | The individual items that make up your navigational hierarchy. Here, you can add parent nodes as well as child nodes to create the structure you want participants to navigate. A tree needs at least two nodes, and every node needs a name. | To send participants to a later question after a tree testing question, add skip logic at the question level. For more information, see [Skip logic](/study-basics/design-a-study/skip-logic-in-usability-tests-media-surveys-and-intercept-studies.md). ### Add a tree testing question to a study You’ll add tree testing questions on the **Usability test**, **Media survey**, or **Study** tab of your study. Tree testing questions aren't available in screeners. {% stepper %} {% step %} Navigate to the **Usability test**, **Media survey**, or **Study** tab of your study. {% endstep %} {% step %} Click **+ Add** in the center of the builder or in the left sidebar. ![](https://content.gitbook.com/content/IKfn7RcT4CW9XaIbqAdd/blobs/tUAS15nB5j4730XKmDMb/47576524663828) {% endstep %} {% step %} Under **Standard**, select **Tree testing**. ![](https://content.gitbook.com/content/IKfn7RcT4CW9XaIbqAdd/blobs/a0ke1GpNBl607GJIDWhT/47576540812436) {% endstep %} {% step %} Enter the **Prompt** (instructions). ![](https://content.gitbook.com/content/IKfn7RcT4CW9XaIbqAdd/blobs/b6mrPWg7zLlSd3bAGNIZ/47576540816404) {% endstep %} {% step %} Add nodes to build your **Tree**. Press **Enter** to add a sibling node, or hover over a node and click the **+** within it to add a child node. Your tree can have up to 300 nodes in total. {% hint style="success" %} **Tip:** Copy your tree structure from a spreadsheet and paste it into your question. For more information, see [Copy and paste a tree structure](#copy-and-paste-a-tree-structure). {% endhint %} ![](https://content.gitbook.com/content/IKfn7RcT4CW9XaIbqAdd/blobs/2aIN3TJl6jmkoIuFQBaT/47576524667028) {% endstep %} {% step %} **(Optional)** Add a success path to your question. For more information, see [Add a success path to a tree testing question](#add-a-success-path-to-a-tree-testing-question). {% endstep %} {% step %} Click **Done**. {% endstep %} {% endstepper %} Now, your tree testing question is added to your study. When participants reach this question, they’ll see the provided instructions as well as a navigable version of your tree structure. Participants move through the tree one level at a time, with a breadcrumb showing where they are and a back button to return to the previous level. They can only submit a node that has no child nodes, and they confirm their selection before moving on to the next question. Going back in the tree clears their current selection. {% hint style="info" %} **Note:** If you change a tree testing question to a different question type, the tree nodes you added aren't saved. {% endhint %} #### Copy and paste a tree structure Instead of adding nodes to your tree manually, you can copy the structure from a spreadsheet and paste it into Dscout. Pasted nodes are added to the end of your existing tree rather than replacing it. Your spreadsheet needs at least two columns (parent nodes and child nodes) for Dscout to build nodes from it. A single column of items isn't converted into separate nodes. Spreadsheets must be in the following structure, with each node in its own cell and child nodes listed one column to the right of their parent node: Pasting this example into Dscout results in the following tree structure: #### Rearrange a tree structure Once you've added your nodes, you can drag and drop them to rearrange your tree structure: To delete a node, use its remove option. Dscout asks you to confirm because deleting a node also deletes all of its child nodes, and this can't be undone. #### Add a success path to a tree testing question If you have an ideal navigation path in mind, you can set that as a success path in Dscout to unlock additional insights during analysis. For example, with a set success path, you can view whether a participant took a direct route or an indirect route in their response. {% stepper %} {% step %} After adding your tree structure, click **Add success path**. A success path modal is displayed with your entered tree structure. ![](https://content.gitbook.com/content/IKfn7RcT4CW9XaIbqAdd/blobs/ZMthVsSGyfVzD9gtoj1y/47576540825876) {% endstep %} {% step %} Select the node that counts as success if the participant submits it. Only nodes without child nodes can be selected. {% hint style="success" %} **Tip:** If there are multiple possible success paths, you can select up to two nodes in this modal. They don’t need to end on the same node. Your selected success paths are displayed to the left of the tree structure. {% endhint %} ![](https://content.gitbook.com/content/IKfn7RcT4CW9XaIbqAdd/blobs/BJrQ1JK73QNhY7J2bqze/47576540827668) {% endstep %} {% step %} Click **Save**. {% endstep %} {% endstepper %} Now, your success path is set. You’ll be able to compare participant responses to this path during analysis. If you later add a child node to a success path node, that success path is removed. ### Edit a tree testing question You can edit questions however you need prior to launching your study. However, if you want to edit a question after your study is launched, some changes will affect how your data appears in analysis. For example, removing a node from your tree entirely will split your data into two versions you'll need to analyze separately. Here's a breakdown of which changes will and won't create a new version of your tree testing question's data: | Won't cause versioning | Will cause versioning | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | For more information on editing your study post-launch, see [Edit a launched screener or study](/study-basics/edit-close-or-relaunch-studies/edit-a-launched-screener-or-study.md). ### Analyze a tree testing question From the **Responses** tab of your study, you can see how all of your participants completed the given objective overall or narrow your view to individual participant responses. {% hint style="info" %} **Note:** Dscout AI includes tree testing responses, such as when you ask questions about your study's data. {% endhint %} #### Questions view The **Questions** view gives you an overview of all responses to a given tree testing question, including metrics on the directness of participant selections, average time on task, and more. ![](https://content.gitbook.com/content/IKfn7RcT4CW9XaIbqAdd/blobs/66Ucke8odSHE0NoCO82T/47576540832276) Here’s a breakdown of each metric: | Metric | Description | | ---------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Success rate** (questions with success path only) |

The percentage of participants who selected your designated success path.


If you have more than one possible success path, you’ll also see the percentage of participants who selected each individual path.

| | **Most common submission** (questions without success path only) | The final node in your tree structure most commonly selected by participants. | | **Directness of success** (questions with success path only) |

Of the participants who reached your designated success path, the percentage who got there with no backward navigation in your tree structure.


If you have more than one possible success path, this metric is called Overall directness of success, and you’ll also see the percentage of participants who directly navigated to each individual path.

| | **Directness** (questions without success path only) | The percentage of participants who selected their path with no backward navigation in your tree structure. | | **Average time on task** |

The average time from when participants start the question to when they submit their response.


If your question has a success path, you’ll also see the average time of all participants who submitted this success path as their final response.

Note: If your question has multiple success paths, you’ll see an Overall average time on task as well as individual breakdowns for each success path.

| | **Average clicks** | The average number of clicks made by participants before submitting their final responses. | | **Most common first click** |

The node of your tree structure participants most often clicked first when completing the given task.


If your question has a success path, you’ll also see the node most commonly selected by participants who submitted this success path as their final response.

| You can also use the tabs below these metrics to open additional views. Depending on the view, you can sort results by count, percentage, clicks, time, or success. See the sections below for more information. **Participant data** Displays at-a-glance metrics for each participant’s response, including: * **Success:** Whether the participant selected one of your designated success paths. This is only displayed if you selected a success path while building. * **Time:** The amount of time the participant spent making their selection. * **Clicks:** The number of clicks the participant took prior to submitting their selection. * **First click:** The first node the participant selected while completing the task. * **Submission:** The final node submitted by the participant. ![](https://content.gitbook.com/content/IKfn7RcT4CW9XaIbqAdd/blobs/EuLXKIxI29qo8EHBDmco/47576540835604) **Submitted nodes** Displays a list of every selected node as well as the percentage of participants who selected it. ![](https://content.gitbook.com/content/IKfn7RcT4CW9XaIbqAdd/blobs/fmmomcmrxcgpDYZqkYuH/47576524679828) **Common paths** Displays the most frequently selected paths as well as the percentage of participants that selected them. **Start** in a path refers to the place participants begin the task, before making a selection. You'll see this in the path any time a participant navigated back to this starting point. ← indicates backward navigation. ![](https://content.gitbook.com/content/IKfn7RcT4CW9XaIbqAdd/blobs/I1RcZOTIUvPbPP2Y38ol/47576524682260) **Participant paths** Displays the path selected by each individual participant. **Start** in a path refers to the place participants begin the task, before making a selection. You'll see this in the path any time a participant navigated back to this starting point. ← indicates backward navigation. ![](https://content.gitbook.com/content/IKfn7RcT4CW9XaIbqAdd/blobs/CQ6jOwgEcy27A82hB0ma/47576540845076) **First clicks** Displays every node that was selected first by at least one participant as well as the total number of participants who selected the node first. ![](https://content.gitbook.com/content/IKfn7RcT4CW9XaIbqAdd/blobs/UJmaXZNUx76DaOFwilrk/47576540846740) #### Participants view The **Participants** view gives you a closer look at individual participant responses to a tree testing question, including their submitted node, the path they took to get there, and more. ![](https://content.gitbook.com/content/IKfn7RcT4CW9XaIbqAdd/blobs/QEVIFWD83o2f4Iwok3Wq/47576524687892) Here’s a breakdown of each metric: | Metric | Description | | ------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Submitted node** |

The final node selected by the participant. Above the node, you’ll see a colored indicator stating whether their path to this selection was direct or indirect.


If your question includes a success path, you’ll see one of the following:

If your question does not include a success path, you’ll see one of the following:

| | **Path** |

The series of nodes the participant clicked to get to their final submission. Arrows between nodes indicate where the participant moved forward or backward in your tree structure.

Note: Start in a path refers to the place participants begin the task, before making a selection. You'll see this in the path any time a participant navigated back to this starting point. ← indicates backward navigation.

| | **Clicks** | The number of clicks made by the participant before submitting their final response. Here, you’ll also find the average number of clicks across all participants in your study. | | **Time on task** | The amount of time it took for the participant to submit their final response. Here, you’ll also find the average time on task across all participants in your study. | #### Filter tree testing responses Tree testing questions add filters to the filters bar on the **Responses** tab. Use them to focus on participants whose responses match specific outcomes: * **Success** (or **Directness**, if your question has no success path): Select the outcomes you want to see, such as Direct success, Indirect success, Direct fail, or Indirect fail. If your question has two success paths, each success outcome is numbered by path, for example `Direct success - path 1`. * **Submitted node:** Select one or more nodes to see only the participants who submitted them. ### Export tree testing responses In your **Entry data** export, a tree testing question has these columns: the node the participant submitted (named for the question), **Path**, **Success**, **Time on task**, and **Number of clicks**. Tree testing questions don't have a separate responses export. You can also download a question's results as an image from its card on the **Responses** tab. ### Frequently asked questions
Can I set more than one success path? Yes. You can select up to two success paths in the success path modal, and they don't need to end on the same node. In analysis, you'll see an overall success rate as well as the rate for each individual path.
Can participants submit a node that has child nodes? No. Participants can only submit a node that has no child nodes. Selecting a node with child nodes opens the next level of the tree. Make sure every answer you want participants to be able to choose sits at the end of a branch.
What happens to my success path if I add child nodes to it? It's removed. Only nodes without child nodes can be success paths, so if you add a child node under a success path node, Dscout removes that success path. After you finish editing your tree, add a new success path.
Why is some of my tree testing data missing in test mode? Dscout doesn't run the full analysis processing on test submissions, so some tree testing results, such as clicks, time on task, first clicks, paths, and success outcomes, can be blank or incomplete for a test submission. Launch your study to see complete results from real participants.
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