Craigslist Redesign
Simplifying search, restoring trust & redesigning Craigslist for the modern web.
6 min
TIMELINE
2024(Sept- Nov)
ROLE
Product Designer
DISCIPLINE
Heuristic Evaluation
Cognitive Walkthrough
Moderated Usability Testing
UI Design
Interaction Design
TOOLS
Figma
Hotjar
Maze
Google forms
Zoom
Craigslist is a trusted name in online classifieds, but its interface hasn’t evolved since the 90s. Dense text, vague calls-to-action, and outdated structure make even simple tasks—like finding housing or contacting a seller—unnecessarily hard.
After watching users fumble through categories and abandon listings mid-task, it became clear the platform was no longer intuitive. The redesign was an opportunity to modernize usability while honoring Craigslist’s functional roots.
The Challenge
How might we help users navigate Craigslist more easily, find what they need faster, and trust what they see, without disrupting what makes it simple?
High-Level Goals
Reduce cognitive load and homepage friction
Improve clarity of search, navigation, and CTAs
Increase trust through clearer structure and visual hierarchy
The Moment It Clicked
Watching a renter fumble to contact a listing—and eventually give up—was the spark. If a user knew what they wanted but still couldn’t find how to get it, that’s a failure of UX.
Solution
Uncovering the Path to a Simpler Craigslist
Instead of layering complexity, the solution was to subtract noise and amplify clarity.
The goal was to design an experience that felt lightweight but powerful—guiding users, not overwhelming them. The result was a redesign that introduced visual hierarchy, better interaction cues, and simplified flows.
Insights & Analysis
What I Learned
A heuristic evaluation revealed a number of usability red flags—cluttered layouts, vague labels, and missing feedback cues.
The initial System Usability Score (SUS) landed at 64—below the industry average of 68. This confirmed what users had long felt: the site’s experience was functional, but far from intuitive.
10 user interviews were conducted to ground findings in real experiences. Each shared stories of frustration, feeling lost on the homepage, confused by vague paths, and unsure how to reach their destination.
“Once I find something, it's fine. But finding it? That’s the real task.” — Test participant
Usability Testing
The goal wasn’t just to test usability — it was to understand where Craigslist’s design caused real friction
To assess how effectively users could complete key tasks with the redesigned interface, and how confident they felt using it
Remote Moderated Usability Testing
Task-Based Scenarios (e.g., “Find a 2-bedroom in Chicago”)
Think-Aloud Protocol
SUS Survey
Tasks for Usability Testing
Participants completed four core tasks representing Craigslist’s primary use cases:
Post a housing listing
Search and contact a landlord for a 1-bedroom apartment
Find and contact a plumber
Search and RSVP to a local event
Each task was framed in a real-life scenario and paired with a defined "happy path."
What Happened
Most users struggled to locate or understand the “Reply” button. Some thought it meant public comment, others didn’t notice it at all.
Homepage text overload triggered decision paralysis. Users described the layout as “dense,” “confusing,” and “not inviting.”
Help documentation was ignored or misinterpreted. One participant accidentally landed on an error page and didn’t realize it was supposed to be help.
Tasks were completed — but not confidently. Users found workarounds like contacting posters via phone numbers in listing text instead of using the actual contact flow.
“It feels like Craigslist doesn’t care about the user — just the functionality.” — Test participant
Research Frameworks Used
Task Flow Mapping to document deviations from expected behavior
Affinity Clustering to group recurring errors
Persona Development based on behavioral patterns
SUS Scoring to benchmark usability sentiment (avg. score: 64/100)
Design
Design Strategy
Cognitive Load Reduction
Recognition over Recall
Design with Intent principles to guide improvements.
What We Redesigned
Decluttered Homepage
Categories grouped visually with icons and short descriptions for better scannability.Clear CTAs
“Reply” was replaced with “Contact Seller” — styled to be bolder and more obvious.In-Page Help
Contextual [?] icons with tooltips eliminated the need to navigate away for FAQs.Trust Signals
Consistent formatting for listings: contact info, price, and images always placed upfront.
Impact and What’s Next
What Changed
From information overload to focused, scannable layouts
From confusing CTAs to clear actions
From abandoned flows to increased task completion
Key Outcomes
Task success improved by 30%
Navigation errors dropped by 40%
User willingness to recommend Craigslist increased significantly
What’s Next
Introduce responsive design for mobile
Add listing preview and verification badges
Create visual documentation to support accessibility
What did I learn from this work?
This project reminded me that usability isn't just about design polish — it's about clarity, consistency, and confidence. Craigslist didn’t need to be reinvented. It needed a structure users could trust. Even small changes — like renaming a button — made users feel more in control.
Thank you:)
Feel free to flip through my Usability Evaluation report if you’re interested in the process.