Wikipedia Redesign

As a short design challenge, I redesigned a Wikipedia page for Gen Z users.

Role

UX/UI Design

Project Overview

Background

Wikipedia is a global resource used by millions, offering vast knowledge at our fingertips. Whether it's a quick look-up, a quiz answer, or last-minute exam revision, Wikipedia provides answers to countless questions. The contributions of its authors have impacted us in ways they likely never imagined.

The Challenge

Redesign Wikipedia screen/s for a young, growing user group: Gen Z. How can we keep their interest?

Business Objective

UX Approach

Accelerate client conversion

🎯 Immediate insights & value through landing pages & visualizations

Reduce training costs

🎯 Simplified workflows & streamlined navigation

Enhance sales demo effectiveness

🎯 Improved data visualizations to showcase sustainability insights

Ensure frustration-free user flows

🎯 Task-oriented design for a smoother, intuitive experience

Research: Background

Gen Z is becoming the largest technology consumer group, which brings the need to adapt the products to the specific way they interact with technology and with their surroundings.

Gen Z and Their Relationship with Technology

Digital natives, expecting intuitive, seamless experiences
Short attention span (8 seconds), using multiple apps at once
Prefer bite-sized, visual content like videos, gifs, and quizzes
Value diversity, authenticity, and individuality, with customized experiences
Social, prefer shareable content to express opinions
Seek reliable, straightforward digital products

Keeping this in mind...

How could Wikipedia appeal to Gen Z?

Fast source of information of all kinds
Anyone can be a content creator
Democratization of knowledge

Interview Insights

To understand better the point of view of our users, I have asked a few people aged 18-22 what they think and came up with the following observations:

Search behavior

Users typically don’t start their search from the Wikipedia homepage. They often find what they need through search engines like Google, landing directly on article pages, which may limit Wikipedia’s visibility.

Range of searches

Users search for a wide variety of topics, from academic assignments and historical events to celebrities and popular culture. Wikipedia serves as a go-to for different kinds of information.

Reading habits

Many users only skim the first paragraph of an article. This suggests that they often want quick answers and may not engage deeply with the full content.

Lack of engagement

Users feel that Wikipedia lacks excitement and visual stimulation. They prefer platforms with more dynamic content, such as videos or interactive elements, to keep them engaged.

Concerns about reliability

Users are wary of using Wikipedia for academic purposes, as anyone can edit the content. They often seek additional sources or prefer more authoritative platforms for assignments.

Preference for other platforms

For everyday queries or more interactive needs, users turn to platforms like YouTube. Wikipedia is seen as less fun and not up-to-date enough for casual browsing or practical tutorials.

Defining the Problem

Based on this information, the following scenarios could be relevant:

Our users want fast, reliable, digestible information for school assignments, before they search more academic resources.

Our users want to search for things that are of interest to them in a fun, customizable way that would allow them to find the specific information that is relevant to them.

Current State

The mobile version has a sectioned layout, while the app uses a bottom-left menu (which feels disconnected from the article). This menu also links to the article's edit history. Otherwise, the structures are similar.

For the case study, I'll focus on the mobile version's article page, based on my research.

Initial Ideas and Design Direction

Rebranding the visual language
Separating academic and “fun” modes
Bringing the ”add to favorites” and “share” icons to the front
Customizing article view
Integrating videos and gifs throughout the article
Rearranging the text in a more digestible, bite-sized way
Easy access to the links and sources for academic purposes

Final Screens

Learnings & Next Steps

User Behavior is Unpredictable

Gen Z skips long content, preferring quick, digestible information. This challenged how I thought users engage with articles.

Adapting to User Needs

I discovered the importance of giving users more control. Gen Z values flexibility, and by offering customization options to skip or adjust content, I realized that providing users with a sense of autonomy leads to a more engaging experience.

Mobile-first

I learned that designing with mobile in mind isn’t optional—it’s essential. I had to ensure that the design was responsive and efficient on smaller screens to keep Gen Z engaged, as they spend most of their time on mobile.

Next Steps

Next, I would refine the design through user testing, add interactive features, enhance visual content, and optimize for mobile. I would also explore personalization options to tailor the experience for users.