Trees New York

Trees New York is a NYC-based non-profit organization dedicated to urban forestry and education. This case study aims to improve its website’s usability.

RoleUsability testing
UX/UI Design
Prototyping
ToolsFigma
TeamArzu Oran
Idil Agcagul
Alice Wong



How might we improve the usability of Trees New York’s website?



PROBLEM

Participants in the usability testing faced challenges in navigating to specific pages, expressing a need for a more intuitive navigation structure. Additionally, they encountered accessibility issues.

RECOMMENDATIONS Based on the findings, three recommendations have been proposed to enhance the user experience

  1. Providing a search bar function near the header of the website

  2. Clear organization and labeling of the navigation bar

  3. Re-labeling educational materials





INTRODUCTION

Trees New York is a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the urban environment through tree planting, education, and community engagement. Its website serves as a digital hub, promoting urban forestry and environmental stewardship by providing resources, educational programs, and opportunities for individuals, community groups, and policymakers to participate in tree-planting initiatives.





GOALS & MOTIVATIONS

Evaluating Trees NY’s website to:

  • Enhance user engagement
  • Promote donations
  • Improve access to educational resources
  • Drive action for urban forestry initiatives


USERS & TASKS

Two New York-based participants, unfamiliar with Trees NY, completed six tasks simulating website interactions, including:

  • Event registration
  • Finding contact details
  • Donating
  • Reviewing past activities
  • Accessing tree care resources




Key Findings



01 Difficulty Navigating
Specific Pages
Unclear labeling and navigation cues made it challenging for users to locate pages like educational materials.

02Importance of a Search Bar
The search bar proved effective in helping users find information, highlighting the value of a robust search feature.

03Accessibility Issues
Low contrast and missing hover text negatively impacted navigation and overall usability.



04Preference for Consolidated Information
Users favored fewer pages with combined, related information for easier access.

05Need for Intuitive Navigation
Participants expressed a desire for clearer labels, simpler navigation, and fewer dropdown menus.




Recommendations



ISSUE #1

SEARCH BAR FOUND ON THE FOOTER

While Trees New York’s website is informative, users found it overwhelming and disorganized. Many wished for a search bar during tasks, struggling to navigate the site’s eight-tab menu with multiple dropdowns. Although a search bar exists, its placement in the footer makes it easy to overlook, causing frustration.



 RECOMMENDATION

Provide a search bar near the header of the website






ISSUE #2

DENSE AND UNCLEAR NAVIGATION BAR

During testing, unclear navigation labels led participants to waste time in irrelevant sections or rely on trial-and-error clicking. They struggled to find basic information like the fundraising page, past projects, and educational materials, increasing effort and hindering task completion.



 RECOMMENDATION

Clear organization and labeling of the navigation bar






ISSUE #3

HIDDEN TITLES & ACCESSIBILITY ISSUES

Participants navigated to the FAQ section for more tree care and educational info, only to find an empty page, increasing frustration. The educational materials page, with images and titles that appear on hover, suffers from poor text contrast, making it difficult for users to navigate.



 RECOMMENDATION

Re-labeling educational materials







CONCLUSIONImplementing these recommendations will address user challenges, align with Trees NY’s urban forestry goals, and foster greater engagement for a greener, more sustainable New York City.
NEXT STEPS
  • Collaborate with developers and web designers to implement recommendations.
  • Conduct additional user testing to evaluate the impact of changes.
  • Iterate based on feedback to address remaining UX issues.
  • Maintain an iterative approach for continuous website improvement.

LEARNINGS
This was my first experience with conducting usability testing, including the preparation of informed consent forms, pre and post-test questionnaires, and execution of tests. I also developed patience and the ability to resist the urge to guide participants directly through tasks, which helped me observe their natural interactions with the website's interface.


Read the detailed report here


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