Optimizing User Discovery and Engagement on Patreon
UX/UI Case Study
Although Patreon is a leading platform for creators, many users prefer external platforms. I am improving the Discovery flow to help users find and engage with creators more easily. Through research and usability testing, I gather feedback to evaluate the current feature and guide user-focused enhancements that truly benefit the community.
User interview
To generate user data, we conducted interviews with a variety of questions. Our primary focus was on gathering data useful for our end goal: improving the user experience of discovering new creators.
Analysis
Data analysis revealed several trends and user needs:
Greater control over search algorithms for more relevant results, reducing manual effort.
Improved content discovery via personalized recommendations, curated sections, and enhanced search.
Appreciation for curated or trending creator lists, showing a desire for platforms to highlight new and noteworthy content.
Problem Statement
Our research shows Patreon users mainly discover creators through filters or recommendations. Many options aren’t on the homepage, and an account is often needed. The search function only finds specific creators, rather than letting users explore categories to discover new ones.
Solutions
To address the issues identified in the problem statement, we brainstormed various strategies to enhance the group travel features.
Conclusion:
Display creators directly on the homepage to increase visibility and engagement.
Introduce a setup flow for new users to share their content preferences. Streamlined discovery process for new users.
Improve the search experience by adding clear tags & categories.
Low Fidelity Wireframes
To improve the discovery user flow on Patreon, we developed low fidelity wireframes. These designs helped us visualize new concepts and quickly refine our ideas.
Design System & Components
Usability testing using Maze
We focused too heavily on enhancing the search function, adding too many features without considering the broader user experience. This feature-heavy approach narrowed the platform's usability instead of fostering a seamless and accessible connection between creators and fans across the entire platform.
Final Results
