Forward

As of 28 March, 2025 this is an active work in progress and details will change as the project evolves.

Description

This project started when leadership came to the Fossil UX team with an ask:

• What are the best practices for website navigation?
• What is the ideal number of items?
• What are the best categories to surface?

Light Research Results

Formal Testing Requested

Armed with this information, leadership requested a full testing plan to assist in the implementation of a new menu system and reorganization of the Fossil eCommerce site.

• I determined that a 2 phased approach would be needed for a project of this magnitude.
  • First Phase — Current State:
    • UX Study to determine how users are currently using our website navigation
    • First-Click Testing to determine where users’ instincts are directing them
  • Second Phase — Future State:
    • Tree Testing to determine how users will receive the menu changes
    • Prototype Testing with high-fidelity Figma wireframes to see if the new design resonates with users
• Some items, such as Tree Testing, may be used several times based on what we learn from the previous tests.

Testing Plan Presentation

Testing Plan Approved

The Testing Plan was approved 23 August, 2024 and moved forward into the next stage.

• This test was intended to determine how users perceive the menu structure
• Identify issues, pain points, and potential wins
• Determine the correct course of action and any additional tests
• As well as any other potential learnings we could get

The test was conducted with ten participants on mobile and ten on desktop.

UX Testing Results

Presented: 12 October 2024

Based on these results, the team of stakeholders and subject matter experts decided on a course of action.

A tree test was chosen, with focus on what the users clicked first. (First Click Test)

• Test the navigation with only products
• Test the navigation with only gendered categories

These tests would be much larger, with 40 participants for each version.

Navigation Tree Test

On 20 January, 2025 the test completed and I prepared my presentation. In this count, I went strictly off the metrics provided by the test. Users had difficulty with especially the first task. That prompted some questions, thus sparking a request for a recount.

I went back and manually recounted the results with the simple question: Would the participants have seen the products in each question.

On 24 January, 2025, I presented the updated presentation: