Reimagining Steam

I conducted an independent UX research and redesign project focused on Steam, the world's largest digital game distribution platform. Many users, especially those with accessibility needs, struggle with Steam's complex interface.

Challenge

Steam's cluttered interface and generic recommendations frustrate users, especially those with accessibility needs. The main challenge was to simplify the discovery experience while making gaming accessible to a broader audience during a time when digital entertainment became essential.

Data-Driven Strategy

Through comprehensive user interviews and heuristic evaluation with 12 Steam users (ages 24-45, varying gaming experience and accessibility needs), I identified core pain points:

Primary challenge: Information overload and decision paralysis from promotion heavy homepage
Highest impact opportunity: Personalized discovery with accessibility-first design
Key metrics tracked: Task completion time, satisfaction scores, and accessibility feature discoverability

Project Overview

Main Goal: Simplify and personalize Steam to reduce cognitive load and increase satisfaction.
Focus Areas: Navigation, recommendations, and the flow from landing to gameplay.
Key Priorities: Accessibility and inclusivity as core design principles.
Project Details: My Role: UX Designer & Researcher (solo project), Timeline: 12 weeks, Spring 2024, Tools: Figma

My redesign targets the discovery journey from landing to search to recommendations, reducing overwhelm while increasing relevance for all gamers.

Understanding User Pain Points

I conducted interviews with 12 Steam users (ages 24-45, varying gaming experience and accessibility needs) and performed a heuristic evaluation of the current interface. Through this research, I identified critical frustrations that players experience when navigating Steam. These insights became the foundation for my design decisions.

"Some features, like sound control, are hidden or too small."- Riley
"There are multiple navigation bars that do completely different things, and I don't know where to click."- Ludo
"A lot of wasted space," the promotional banner was too big, and the store isn't targeted to me."- Danae
"I get overwhelmed with all the sales and promotions. I just want to find games similar to what I already play."- Kit
"I wish there was a way to easily increase the font size because the small text makes it really hard to read, especially for someone like me with bad eyesight."- Paul

Key Finding: 8 out of 12 participants reported feeling overwhelmed by the homepage layout.

Core Challenges in the Current Design

Overwhelming Homepage

The homepage is dominated by promotions, which causes information overload and decision paralysis. Users reported feeling bombarded by sales messaging rather than being guided toward relevant content.

Ineffective Recommendations

The recommendation system delivers generic, one-size-fits-all suggestions that don't align with individual gaming preferences or play history, leading to poor discovery experiences.

Navigation Complexity

The navigation lacks clear hierarchy, and discovery flows are inconsistent and hard to find. Multiple navigation systems create confusion about where to click and how to find specific features.

Limited Inclusivity

Accessibility features are limited and the interface lacks inclusive representation. Critical controls are too small or hidden, and customization options for different user needs are minimal.

User Personas

To guide the redesign process, I created two personas representing key user segments with distinct needs and challenges.

Alex Thompson

28 | Software Developer | Chicago

Quote: "I want personalized recommendations without the clutter."
Goals: Quick discovery, Social gaming, Efficient navigation
Pain Points: Cluttered homepage, Generic recommendations, Poor social integration
Scenario: Logs in after work seeking a new game friends enjoy, but gets frustrated by the overwhelming interface

Jamie Rivera

34 | Social Media Manager | Seattle

Quote: "I need games that work with my screen reader. Accessibility shouldn't be this hard to find."
Goals: Discover accessible games, Advocate for inclusivity, Seamless assistive tech integration
Pain Points: No accessibility filters, Poor screen reader compatibility, Hidden accessibility features
Scenario: Searches for games with visual accessibility options but struggles to navigate Steam with a screen reader, resorting to external resources

Design Improvements

I developed wireframes and low-fidelity prototypes to test solutions addressing the core challenges.

Visual hierarchy and content priority: Wireframes emphasized clear information architecture to guide users naturally through the interface.
Customizable homepage: Introduced personalization options allowing users to curate their own experience and reduce unwanted noise.
Simplified navigation: Streamlined navigation structure to increase game discoverability and reduce confusion about where to click.
Reduced promotional content: Moved promotions to dedicated areas, freeing up prime real estate for relevant content.

Primary Focus: User-Friendliness & Discovery

The redesign prioritizes three core principles that work together to create a more intuitive and welcoming Steam experience:

Streamlined navigation and visual hierarchy: Reduced friction through clear information architecture and consistent patterns, enabling users to complete tasks faster and with less cognitive load.
Privacy-conscious personalization: Delivered relevant recommendations while giving users transparent controls to adjust how their data informs suggestions, building trust through clarity.
Accessibility and inclusivity by design: Integrated accessible patterns, diverse visual representation, and inclusive interactions from the ground up rather than as afterthoughts.

Diverse & Inclusive Landing Pages

Diverse visual representation: Featured characters and players across gender, race, age, and assistive technology use to create welcoming experiences for all gamers.
Accessibility toolbar: Added prominent controls for text size adjustment, contrast modes, dyslexic-friendly fonts, and caption options.
Specialized filters: Implemented filtering by accessibility features, localization options, input methods, and play modes.
Inclusive onboarding: Created clear guidance for new users with varying levels of gaming experience and technical proficiency.
Accessibility badges: Added visible indicators and featured sections for quick discovery of accessible games.

Learnings & Next Steps

This prototype demonstrates significant potential to simplify game discovery and boost user engagement across Steam's diverse player base. The recommended implementation strategy includes:

Testing & Validation

Pilot with targeted segments: Deploy initial versions to new users, returning players, and Mac users to gather diverse feedback and usage patterns.
A/B testing framework: Run controlled experiments comparing redesigned experiences against current interfaces to measure impact objectively.
Usability testing sessions: Conduct moderated sessions with users across different ability levels to identify remaining pain points.

Success Metrics

Discovery efficiency: Time-to-discover relevant games, search-to-purchase conversion rates.
Recommendation performance: Click-through rates, acceptance rates, diversity of games discovered.
User retention: Return visit frequency, session duration, long-term engagement trends.
Accessibility adoption: Usage rates of accessibility features, feedback from users with disabilities.
Overall satisfaction: Net Promoter Score, user satisfaction surveys, qualitative feedback.

Continuous Improvement

Feedback loops: Establish channels for ongoing user feedback and integrate learnings into iterative design cycles.
Data-driven refinement: Monitor analytics to identify friction points and opportunities for optimization.
Community involvement: Engage power users and accessibility advocates in co-design sessions for future enhancements.

By placing user needs at the center of every design decision, this reimagined Steam experience has the potential to make gaming more accessible, discoverable, and enjoyable for millions of players worldwide.