Search & Discovery

Case Study

Improving Content Discovery at America's Test Kitchen

Lead Product Designer 2025–2026
As the sole designer on an empowered Search & Discovery team, I led research, navigation strategy, and homepage redesign efforts to improve content discovery across America's Test Kitchen's ecosystem

The Challenge

Nearly half of homepage visitors left without engaging with content.

Users relied heavily on search because browsing pathways and navigation structures were confusing.

Research revealed issues across the entire discovery ecosystem—not just the homepage.


The Research

Nearly half of homepage visitors left without engaging with content.

Research & Insights

This is where all your good stuff goes.

Methods

  • Moderated interviews

  • Tree testing

  • PlaybookUX studies

  • Voice of Customer analysis

  • Analytics review

Findings

Navigation confusion

Users struggled to understand where content lived.

Search dependency

Search had become the primary navigation tool.

Discovery gaps

Users weren't finding relevant content.

Navigation

Navigation

Homepage

Homepage

Search

Search

2025

New York

The Atlast Project →

“Communication was top-notch and the final outcome was even better than we imagined. A great experience all around.”

Former Customer

Navigation

Show:

  • old nav

  • IA work

  • tree tests

  • final header/footer

This is where the top navigation belongs.

Chapter 2: Homepage

Show:

  • homepage redesign

  • content modules

  • personalization opportunities

  • engagement improvements

Chapter 3: Search

Show:

  • search audits

  • slow states

  • empty states

  • filter modal redesigns

  • search vision work

You told me previously you worked on:

  • Search redesign concepts

  • Empty states

  • Slow states

  • Sort/filter patterns

  • Future search vision

That's plenty for a chapter.


The Results

Nearly half of homepage visitors left without engaging with content.

Users relied heavily on search because browsing pathways and navigation structures were confusing.

  • 1,400 incremental starts

  • $250k revenue impact

  • improved discovery

  • foundation for personalization