Social Platform
Web Design
Usability Testing
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Breaking Down Barriers of Book Discovery
Conducted unmoderated remote usability testing with 9 participants to identify book discovery and navigation barriers, uncovering 10 key findings and 15+ actionable redesign concepts.
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We conducted unmoderated remote usability testing for Goodreads – a social platform for book lovers – with 9 participants to identify barriers in onboarding, genre discovery, and bookshelf management.

Through testing key user journeys, we uncovered critical issues affecting onboarding flows (unclear process indicators), genre navigation (missed menu options and limited search functionality), and shelf organization (inconsistent terminology causing workflow confusion).

Our design recommendations included progressive disclosure navigation, enhanced search filtering, and unified terminology systems to create a more intuitive book discovery experience.
Timeline Mar. 10 - 31, 2025 (3 weeks)
My Role UX/UI Designer and Researcher
Skills Interviews, User research, Usability testing, Qualitative Research, Affinity mapping, UI design
Team size & Members 3 UX designers (Me, Claire Jen, Roshni Ganesh)
Project Highlights Led comprehensive usability evaluation of Goodreads' book discovery experience to redesign information architecture, improving navigation clarity, search efficiency, and bookshelf management.
1
Designed & Executed Research Strategy
Planned and conducted unmoderated remote usability testing with 9 participants, developing task scenarios and screening criteria to evaluate onboarding, genre navigation, and bookshelf management workflows.
2
Identified Critical Usability Barriers
Analyzed user behaviors and pain points across key journeys, uncovering 10 major usability issues including onboarding confusion, hidden navigation options, inconsistent terminology, and incomplete task flows.
3
Delivered Evidence-Based Design Solutions
Translated research findings into 15+ specific design recommendations including progressive disclosure navigation, enhanced search functionality, unified terminology systems, and streamlined shelf creation processes.
4
Applied Rigorous Analysis & Documentation
Evaluated findings against Nielsen's usability principles with severity ratings (1-4) to prioritize interventions, while creating comprehensive documentation including task-by-task analysis and consolidated findings to support design decisions.
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What's Goodreads? Goodreads is a social platform where book lovers discover, track, and share their reading experiences. As a global community of over 125 million members, it helps readers find personalized book recommendations, organize virtual bookshelves, set reading goals, and connect with fellow enthusiasts—addressing the challenge of book discoverability in the digital era.

Goodreads provides comprehensive book tracking tools including virtual bookshelves ("Read," "Currently Reading," "To-Read"), a five-star rating system, and personalized recommendations refined by user ratings and habits. The platform fosters community engagement through discussion forums, book clubs, reading challenges, and the annual Goodreads Choice Awards. At year's end, Goodreads generates a "My Year in Books" summary, offering users a detailed review of their reading stats, such as total pages read and average ratings, reinforcing its role as a hub for literary exploration.
Who Uses the Product?
Avid Readers Frequent readers seeking personalized book recommendations, tracking reading progress across multiple titles, and engaging with a community to share reviews and discover new books.
Casual Readers Occasional readers looking to organize their reading lists, set manageable reading goals, and find books through curated recommendations and popular lists.
Authors Writers seeking to promote their works, connect with readers through Q&A sessions, and build their audience through author profiles and promotional tools.
Book Club Members Social readers aiming to participate in group discussions, coordinate reading schedules with friends, and engage in community forums around shared literary interests.