Craigslist User Experience Redesign

PSU Interaction Design Class, Spring 2014

The three biggest issues I experience while using the current Craigslist site are:

1. Dated Design - The aesthetic of the website, while functional, feels more like looking through a database than an engaging exploration.

2. Limited Search capabilities - The search capabilities were little more than a basic keyword search, though now more search capabilities are being added.

3. Little Seller Accountability - You never know who you are meeting from Craigslist, so if posters had to be held accountable for interactions created by the website, it may be perceived as a safer marketplace.

I aimed to solve these issues as part of a class assignment in my Interaction Design class.

Solutions

1. Updating the Design

Looking a little better.

2. Search Functionality

From the home page the user will just be able to start typing, and the website will get the user's location and provide related search queries so the desired page can be found directly from the home page. Once the user finds the desired page, the search can then be refined further by clicking the left sidebar, which will slide out an advanced search menu. These fields will become searchable and meaningful because these fields will presented to the posters when they are creating their ads.

3. Seller Accountability

In order to try and place a bit more accountability to people who post on Craigslist, I added log-in, profile and feedback features.