Redesigning Goodreads’ Book Discovery Experience

A mobile app redesign focused on simplifying navigation, improving content discovery, and creating a more immersive reading experience.

View Prototype
Goodreads book detail redesign shown on a phone

Why this project?

Goodreads offers an incredible collection of books, but discovering the right one isn’t always easy. This project focuses on making book discovery simpler, faster, and more intuitive.

  • User-first

    Focus on real user needs and reading behavior.

  • Clarity

    Simplified hierarchy and intentional design.

  • Joyful experience

    Make discovering and reading effortless.

Research

To understand users and their book discovery experience on Goodreads, I conducted research across multiple channels and synthesized the findings into key insights.

Research Sources

  • 30+ Google Play reviews
  • 5 Reddit discussions
  • 3 Competitor products (StoryGraph, Literal, Fable)
  • UX articles Secondary research

What Users Are Saying

  • Finding other editions of a book on the mobile app is almost impossible.
    Alex_T
  • The search results layout is so cluttered it looks like a cheap garage sale.
    J. Reader
  • Why can’t I filter search results on the mobile app? Give us basic filters by title, author, or genre already!
    User_992184
  • Every time I go on Goodreads it feels like I’m shot back to 2010s app UI… You have to search too much and do extra clicks just to do basic things on a book’s detail page.
    u/Jacobmyrz
  • Every time I search for an author, it brings up random compilations and box sets instead of their main titles.
    u/gloriousgianna

Emerging Themes

Discovery feels overwhelming
Users struggle to find relevant books beyond bestsellers due to cluttered navigation and excessive information.
Recommendations lack personalization
Many users feel the recommendations are too generic and don’t match their interests or reading history.
Search results are hard to scan
Users find it difficult to quickly identify the right book or edition from dense and inconsistent search results.
Too much information before decision-making
Books present excessive details upfront, making it hard for users to decide what to read next.

Design Goals

Based on the usability issues, I defined clear goals to guide every design decision.

  • Simplify Discovery

    Reduce cognitive load and make exploring books feel effortless.

  • Improve Search Efficiency

    Help users quickly find the right book through a clearer, more intuitive search experience.

  • Enhance Decision-Making

    Present essential book information with a clear hierarchy, making it easier to evaluate and choose a book.

  • Personalize Recommendations

    Deliver more relevant book suggestions based on readers’ interests and reading behavior.

Design Solution

Discover

Helping readers start discovering books effortlessly.

Existing Experience

Existing Goodreads discovery screen
  • Too many genres compete for attention.
  • No personalized recommendations or sense of guidance.
  • Long lists and scrolling create friction in the discovery journey.

Redesigned Experience

Redesigned discovery screen
  • Search is the main focus for faster discovery.
  • Recent searches help users continue their journey.
  • Personalized recommendations inspire users based on their taste.
  • Mood and genre sections offer simple, guided exploration.
  • Cleaner layout with more white space improves clarity and usability.

Search Results

Making search results faster to scan and easier to navigate.

Existing Experience

Existing Goodreads search results
  • Search results feel cluttered and difficult to scan.
  • Finding the correct edition requires unnecessary effort.
  • Filters and sorting are limited, slowing book discovery.

Redesigned Experience

Redesigned search results
  • Clear book hierarchy improves scannability.
  • Genre chips and edition links reduce decision time.
  • Filters and sorting help users refine results faster.
  • Cleaner layout minimizes visual noise and cognitive load.

Book Details

Helping readers make confident reading decisions.

Existing Experience

Existing Goodreads book detail page
  • Key information is spread across a long page, requiring excessive scrolling.
  • Community opinions require reading multiple reviews to identify common themes.
  • The page offers little guidance on what to read next.

Redesigned Experience

Redesigned book detail page
  • Reorganized the page into a clearer information hierarchy for faster scanning.
  • Summarize recurring reader opinions with Community Insights.
  • Cleaner layout minimizes visual noise and cognitive load.
  • Reduce visual clutter by removing secondary elements and emphasizing essential content.

Expected Impact

  • Faster book discovery
  • More efficient search
  • Clearer decision-making
  • More personalized recommendations
  • Reduced cognitive load
  • Improved content discoverability

What I Would Improve Next