Goodreads Redesign
Year
2022
Team members
Marina Geltenbort, Lucia Hossainova, Philipp Minel
Scope of Work
UX/UI Design | Website Design
This project was part of a course focusing on redesigning a digital product. The primary objective was to apply fundamental user-centered design methods, iterative product development analysis, prototyping, and context-specific design. The goal was to Develop a new design for an application (App/Website) that enhances the user experience significantly.
Problem
Goodreads, known as the world's largest site for readers and book recommendations, offers a platform with a website and mobile apps (iOS and Android). It allows users to track books, engage in discussions, and access information about books and reading lists. The Goodreads website, launched in 2007, suffers from a dated and poor user experience. The layout appears unchanged since its inception, with the last major update to the homepage in 2016. Despite these issues, Goodreads remains a dominant platform for tracking reading, though better alternatives exist. The goal of the redesign is to make the website's navigation intuitive and appealing for all users.
Idea
The project started with an in-depth analysis of the existing screen flow of Goodreads' website. Every page was examined for potential weaknesses, focusing on understanding the application's features, interactions, and complexities. This step was crucial in identifying inconsistencies in behavior, design, and the range of functions offered.
Solution
To address the identified issues, our solution centers on redesigning Goodreads to offer an intuitive and user-friendly experience. This involves overhauling the outdated interface, improving navigation, and ensuring that all design elements are consistent and aligned with modern UX/UI principles. The aim is to retain Goodreads' essential features while making the platform more accessible and enjoyable for its users. Throughout the Goodreads redesign project, we faced numerous challenges that enriched our understanding of UI/UX design. We learned extensively about design elements like colors, shapes, fonts, and their logical arrangement, underscoring the close relationship between UX and UI. Key challenges included conceptualizing the homepage and selecting features, as well as tackling the site's overloaded information architecture and cluttered layouts, especially on book pages. These tasks required us to balance functionality and aesthetics, while ensuring clarity and user-friendliness. Despite these obstacles, the process was enjoyable and educational. We relished designing the website and iteratively testing and refining it, both on our own and with feedback from fellow students. This not only improved the website but also deepened our skills and appreciation for user-centric design, making the Goodreads project a rewarding journey in UI/UX design.
