YouTube Mobile Redesign
UX/UI Design, Brand Design, Photography, Photo editing
|
est. Oct 2025
Project Details
Roles
UX/UI Designer
UX Researcher
Teams
Solo
Duration
2 Months
Tools Used
Figma
Masters Program
About
This project was completed as part of my Master's program. The assignment was to redesign an existing app using research to identify real problems and propose interface improvements. I chose YouTube's mobile homepage because of how heavily it relies on algorithmic recommendations and how often that frustrates users.
Problem Statement
How might we give users more control over their YouTube homepage without rewriting YouTube’s recommendation algorithm?
RESEARCH
Understanding user behavior
I interviewed five participants who each use YouTube differently; passive scrollers, active searchers, and explorers looking for new creators.
KEY INSIGHTS
01
The home feed feels repetitive over time
Even when recommendations matched their interests, users described seeing variations of the same content over and over.
02
Search is a workaround
When the homepage fails, users turn to search to find what they actually want. It's become a control mechanism.
03
Trending content outweighs personal relevance
Viral content often felt overrepresented. What's popular globally outweighed what was personally relevant.
04
Users want guidance, not a new system
No one wanted complex settings. They wanted simple, lightweight ways to steer what they see.
EXPLORATION
BRAINSTORMING
At first, I let my imagination get the better of me. I explored what YouTube might look like as a structured streaming platform, similar to Netflix or Disney + with clearer categories, curated paths, less algorithmic chaos.
Once realizing this path was way to much for a redesign I had to take a step back and reframe the problem and work within YouTube's existing system.
This constraint became the most valuable part of the project.
SOLUTION
Three Features to Improve User Control
The problem wasn't the algorithm. It was the lack of visible, easy-to-use controls around it. Users needed agency without learning a new system.
Feed Adjustment Control
A simple control that lets users influence their home feed in real time, working alongside the algorithm.
"New to You" Chip
Surfaces content outside typical recommendation patterns, helping users break out of repetitive loops.
"New Creators" Chip
A dedicated pathway to emerging creators and fresh voices, addressing the lack of variety.
REFLECTION
What I Learned
A nice coincidence
Months after finishing this redesign, YouTube shipped a "New to You" chip and an AI prompt for feed adjustments. I didn't predict the future, but I identified the same problem a billion-dollar company was working on.
The value of constraints
Starting with a radical approach and then narrowing the scope helped me arrive at a solution that was realistic and focused. Meaningful UX improvements don't always come from big redesigns. They come from small, thoughtful changes.
