process
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Process Deck
situation
I refer to Goodreads as "the Yelp for books" because similarly to why a person would use Yelp for services (such as reading reviews, discovering new places, etc.), a person would use Goodreads to do the same for books.
Amazon noticed its potential years ago and in 2013, they acquired the platform.
Upon the merge, Amazon’s VP of Kindle content shared this statement to shed light on what they hope to accomplish with the merge:
Amazon and Goodreads share a passion for reinventing reading... Together we intend to build many new ways to delight reads and authors alike
- Ross Grandinetti
Amazon VP of Kindle content
situation
While Goodreads dominates the industry, boasting 90 million members in 2019 (according to statista.com), the problem is their platform faces criticism, primarily with their UX/UI. In the past 3 years, there's been a rise of articles encouraging users to abandon their profiles to seek alternatives.
why redesign?
My goal is to further fulfill Amazon’s goal to “reinvent reading” by building ways to delight readers and authors. This project focuses on the reader’s problems due to time constraints and impact potential.
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Reduce time to accomplish tasks
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Increase user satisfaction by 75%
research
I conducted field studies, surveys, and user interviews to gain an in-depth understand of the users.
Based off this data, I discovered a gap in the user’s experience. While they primarily use Goodreads to discover new books, their satisfaction is average and the push factor to read a book is outside WOM.
ux/ui review
According to users, these are the primary reasons they use the app:
1. Discover new recommendations
2. Update reading progress
3. Keep track of what to read next
Naturally, I focused my audit on these features in the app.
wireframes
I presented multiple options for my users to test and provide feedback on until their avg satisfaction rate was raised to 4-5 stars
usability testing
3/4 users felt like the homepage was not as personal as they’d like. I made the adjustments according to the comments below:
“I don't like seeing “discover” right away since it feels like I'm watching a commercial rather than going to do my thing.”
“I’d prefer to see 'current reads' higher up on the page. I primarily use websites like these so I don't forget any updates the authors might have to the series or to just admire all the books I've read”
I adjusted the flow of the “new post” feature to address the concerns users had over privacy and clutter.
“...I'd think of how this on a larger scale. Sometimes a lot of the same questions/polls are asked...within forums...so it could get a little messy and repetitive.”
"When posted, does this go to your profile then to Community? Or does the community only see it? How does this post work?"
the redesign
Goodreads is more than a book tracker. Overtime, Goodreads will learn more about what you like to tailor your recommendations accordingly. Discover more books you'll love in less time.
smart tracking
Personalize your experience by tagging moods and sensitive material.
With each update, Goodreads gets smarter. It'll learn your preferences and what you respond to, to better recommend future reads.
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Simultaneously, publishers and authors can learn about their readers' behavior to identify what content they respond best to. (i.e. Are readers reacting how the author intended them to? Are they not finishing around the same spot of the book?)
precision
Once you mark a book “read” the Goodread’s review section will appear to remind you to give feedback.
Ratings and reviews are essential for Goodread’s model but the current rating system doesn’t reflect current behavior.
By allowing you to rate with quarter and half stars, you can rate more confidently and authentically.
Taking recommendations to a new level
No need to search other sites to find book recommendations and share opinions. With the community tab, you can share and discover from others all on one platform.
connecting readers...thoughtfully
Users can share their thoughts, memes, and etc. with like-minded users all on Goodreads.
Share content with people who share your interests.
Choose whether you'd like to post to your followers or to a group you're a part of.
Goodreads keeps digital clutter at a minimum by sharing similar posts.
Social media but optimized for books.
Tag books, images, videos, and etc. to make it easier for others to access your recommendations!
interact with the prototype
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