Designing a simpler, more inclusive Linkedin Home & Sharing experience
With over two years at LinkedIn, focusing on Home and Sharing, I’m excited to share my journey and showcase some of my work. LinkedIn, known for its corporate vibe, presented unique challenges and opportunities to humanize its UI, content, and interaction design, which I was eager to contribute to.
During my tenure at Google, I developed a passion for designing scalable and sustainable product UI, contributing to the growth of products through systemic and standardized design. A few years ago, LinkedIn sought to modernize a similar space to broaden its audience reach.
Ultimately, I joined the Content Experience team, working across the Home and Sharing pillars. I collaborated closely with teams such as Conversations, Infra, Video, and Stories. Collectively focusing on content creation, while enhancing engagement and trust across LinkedIn. The following outlines the broad scope of the work I engaged in during that period.
Role
- Led design efforts to create a simpler, more inclusive LinkedIn home and sharing experience, focusing on usability and accessibility.
Impact
- Improved user engagement and satisfaction with the home-sharing platform
- Grew net content creation and creators xx/yy
- Set a foundation for future partner work
Problem
- Existing home-sharing UX were complex and not user-friendly
- Especially for non-tech-savvy users and those with accessibility needs.
- Incoming Design System (Typography, Color, etc) to modernize debt and accessibility (Mercado)
- Members are afraid of putting their reputation at risk. How can clarity and confidence ease these fears?
Research
- User Interviews: Conducted interviews with a diverse user base to understand pain points and preferences.
- Systems & Accessibility: Engaged with DS/Infra and users with varying disabilities to identify barriers and ensure compliance with accessibility standards, as well as leverage net new components offered to the design team.
- Competitive Analysis: Analyzed similar platforms to identify best practices and opportunities for differentiation.
- Validation through Mixed Methods: Utilized tools like Principle, Figma, and production code to prototype and validate designs. Rigorous testing of labels, screen readers, and member engagement ensured adherence to enhanced accessibility standards.
Principles and Solution
- Simplicity: Designed a clean, consistent, intuitive interface that minimized steps and reduced cognitive load for users.
- Inclusivity: Ensured the platform was accessible to all users, incorporating features like screen reader compatibility, clearer content design guidance, responsive layouts, and adjustable text sizes.
- Scalability: Test and iterate on cross-functional and vertical-supported UI and components using Figma and Atomic design principles.
Sequencing and Working with Design Systems
- Sequencing: Implemented a phased approach to roll out features, allowing for continuous user feedback and iterative improvements. This helped in managing development timelines and ensuring high-quality deliverables at each stage.
- Design Systems: Collaborated closely with the design systems team to ensure consistency and scalability. Leveraged existing components where possible, and contributed new components back to the system to support future projects.
Outcome
The revamped home-sharing platform significantly enhanced user experience, resulting in positive feedback. Users praised the simplicity and inclusivity of the design, which made it easier for a wider range of users to participate in home-sharing. The design was validated through mixed methods research, ensuring it met user needs and adhered to accessibility standards.
By focusing on user needs, accessibility, and working closely with design systems, we created a platform that was not only easier to use but also more welcoming and inclusive, helping to grow the LinkedIn home-sharing community.
We grew in members & content creation via modernization & new tools like moderation, polls & improved content design
- We revitalized corporate engagement through a share box overhaul, leading to significant growth in a challenging metric. Initiated the development of comprehensive Figma Kits/libraries at the pillar level, widely adopted within the design organization.
- Actively mentored fellow designers in collaboration, infra/systems design, and product planning, providing both formal and informal guidance. Demonstrated an inclusive approach by catering to individuals with diverse working styles, disabilities, and interests.
To close this out, I want to thank my colleagues, friends and leads for helping me grow as a designer and at the same time helping me gain a few friends along the way. Shout out to the Infra and design systems teams for their collaboration on feed, and props to my core design team who I love and adore working with. Even bigger props to my immediate Sharing team — Howie, Hemant, and Doug for powering through for as long as we did.
I was fortunate to contribute to a diverse range of projects, and the enhancement of several key features and components within LinkedIn. Notable projects included the Sharebox Guider, Visibility Redesign, Main Feed Page Sharing, Web and Mobile Sharebox Redesign, Feed & Feed Sharebox Redesign, Polls, Comment Controls, Sticky Visibility, and the implementation of WGAC AA support, each playing a crucial role in refining and optimizing the user experience on both web and mobile platforms.
Press
A note from Ryan Roslanksy on the overall modernization design effort
Thoughts from our engineering lead on building Mercado
USA Today Spotlight on Linkedin’s new design
Linkedin Polls on Tech Crunch
