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Steam's Wishlist Feature
CONTEXT
Evaluative usability testing & recommended design improvements for a mainstream video game marketplace
During the "Interaction Design and Usability Testing" Master's course at CGU, I evaluated Steam's wishlist feature, which allows users to save and track games on the marketplace. The tested workflow includes adding a game to the wishlist, navigating to the wishlist, and finding the added game.
My goal was to identify usability issues in the workflow and provide design recommendations based on testing insights.
TEAM
CGU Game Lab— 1 Project Advisor,
10 amazing users
TIMELINE
Jan 2025 - May 2025
ROLE
UX Researcher — Test Planning, Moderated Interviews, Statistics
01
Test Plan
Workflow: Add Game to Wishlist→ Navigate to Wishlist→ Find Game
Approach: Formative, identify and fix usability issues
Research Questions:
•How easily can users add a game to their wishlist and then locate it?
•What pain points do users experience when managing their wishlist?
Hypotheses:
•H1: Users will express confusion when navigating to their Wishlist
•H2: Users will rate the workflow around a 5 on the SEQ (7-point scale)
Data Types:
•Quantitative: Task Success Rate, Number of Errors, SEQ (Single Ease Question) Score
•Qualitative: Observations, comments, and open-ended feedback
Screener Criteria: PC gamers, aged 18–35, familiar with game marketplaces
Sample Size:
•H1: p = (0.25, 90% detection goal): n = 8 using binomial probability model
•H2: (s = 1.4, effect size = 0.5, 85% confidence): n = 9 using t-distribution
Analysis: To analyze the test results, I calculated the Success Rate and Confusion Rate using the Adjusted-Wald method for proportions for 90% confidence intervals. I analyzed Error Rate, SEQ scores (1–7), and Satisfaction scores (1–5) by computing the mean and standard deviation, and estimating 85% confidence intervals using the t-distribution.
02
Prototype
3-step Interactive Prototype made on Figma:
1. Add game to Wishlist
2. Navigate to Wishlist
3. Find game on Wishlist
03
Methods
Test:
• Users were asked to complete three tasks: (1) add a specific game to their wishlist, (2) navigate to their wishlist, and (3) locate the added game
• Users were encouraged to think aloud throughout the session to capture qualitative insights.
• Users completed a short post-test questionnaire including a Single Ease Question (SEQ), a 5-point Satisfaction Rating, and an open-ended question about their experience with the Wishlist.
Recruitment: I shared the opportunity with classmates, friends, and members of online gaming communities, screening for individuals between the ages of 18 and 35 who are familiar with game marketplaces. A total of 10 participants were selected based on sample size calculations to ensure statistically significant findings for both hypotheses.
04
Data Collection
Quantitative: task success, error counts, SEQ scores, and satisfaction ratings
Qualitative: observed user actions, think-aloud statements, and post-test reflections
05
Data Analysis
Ease of Use (SEQ Score):
• Average usability rating: 5.5 out of 7
• 85% Confidence Interval: [4.82, 6.17]
I'm 85% confident that the average usability rating in the population is between 4.82 and 6.17. That means that, even at the low end, most users would still find this workflow usable.
✅ H2 Accepted: Users rated the workflow around a 5 on the SEQ
Expressed Confusion with Task 2: Navigate to Wishlist
• Confusion rate: 50%
• 90% Confidence Interval: [36.6%, 63.3%]
I’m 90% confident that up to 63% of users in the population will experience some confusion when navigating to the Wishlist. While the tasks are generally completed, this suggests the interface could be clearer.
✅ H1 Accepted: Users expressed confusion when navigating to their Wishlist.
Satisfaction Score
• Average satisfaction rating: 4.1 out of 5
• 85% Confidence Interval: [3.60, 4.59]
I’m 95% confident that the true average satisfaction rating is at least 3.60. This suggests that most users are satisfied or very satisfied with Steam’s Wishlist feature.
Success Rate
• Success rate: 85.7%
• 90% Confidence Interval: [76.3%, 95.0%]
I’m 90% confident that at least 66.4% of people in the population will complete the workflow successfully.
Error Rate
• Average error rate: 0.2 errors per user
• 90% Confidence Interval: [~0, 0.41]
I’m 90% confident that the average number of errors per user in the population is no more than 0.41. This means most users are unlikely to make more than one mistake during the workflow.
06
Key User Quotes
Below are three key quotes from users, each reflecting sentiments that were echoed repeatedly during the testing sessions.
01
“...the problem is I can’t find the Wishlist. It’s not in a place where I would expect it because usually it should be on the right, but I cannot see it.”
02
“Feel like it might be easier if the game you just added was at the top, and would be cool to have a button with a star to add to wishlist.”
03
“They organize it based on your highest-ranked game, but I would prefer it to be lowest to highest in terms of price, or the highest rated games first.”
07
Design Recommendations
Based on usability findings and user feedback, I propose the following improvements to the Steam Wishlist workflow.
1. Move Wishlist Button to Global Navigation Bar
Over half of users noted the inaccessibility of the Wishlist button in terms of size and placement, and my analysis shows that up to 63% of the population may experience confusion when trying to navigate to the Wishlist.
I propose moving the Wishlist button to the global navigation bar, which is where the majority of users initially went to search for it.
2. Sort Games by Recently Added and Price
Although all of the users successfully found the game on Wishlist after adding it, the process of scrolling through the long list of games to find the most recently added one felt unintuitive to several users.
They suggested sorting the games from most to least recently added, or sorting them by price, which is a key factor in purchasing decisions.
3. Add Star Button to Game Cards on Home Page
While there is currently a way to add a game to the Wishlist from the Home page, none of the users opted for or knew about this option. This may be due to the smallness or low visual contrast of the button, or the many steps to select it.
I propose adding a Star Button at the top right of game cards instead of the current button to improve usability.
08
Takeways
Next Steps:
Create an interactive prototype of the proposed design changes and conduct usability testing to validate improvements.
Limitations
Most users were moderately familiar with Steam, so results may differ for completely new users.
Observations were based on a desktop interface: usability on mobile was not tested and may differ.
Learnings
Quantitative data should be supplemented with qualitative data: even though the survey data showed that most users could successfully navigate the Wishlist feature, users expressed confusion and potential improvements while talking through their process. Even small visual changes can significantly impact usability.
From toxic forums to trusted feedback: my human-centered design theis project.
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