Navigation > Trunk Testing

This page outlines a quick and easy test to validate your site's navigation system.

Trunk Testing		Because the typical user scans web pages rather than read them, Steve Krug proposes the following test of navigation. He asks us to imagine being blindfolded and stuffed into the trunk of a car. On running up on a web page imagine a quick peak around the blindfold and through a crack in the trunk. Did you locate all of the required navigation components? This is the trunk test! Krug, S. (2000). Don't Make Me Think: A common sense approach to Web usability. Indianapolis, IN: New Riders.
Instructions		Choose one of your pages at random and print it. Place the page arms length away and locate the following items as quickly as possible. Circle each.
Instructions		Site ID (What site is this?) Page Name (Where am I?) Sections (Are the sites major sections outlined?) Local Navigation Where am I (is there a "You are here?) How can I search (For large sites only)
Am I done?		Once you are satisfied that all of the items included in this test are clearly and quickly identifiable at a glance, you can be fairly sure that your site has a workable navigation system.

Rev 21-Sep-2004
John Rivoire