Introduction

HalalReads is a nonprofit book discovery platform connecting Muslim authors and readers. I designed the end-to-end user experience for the platform's Author & Reader Dashboards, creating flows from scratch for onboarding, book uploads, libraries, reviews, subscription management, and the Official Review Service.

This project challenged me to expand an existing brand framework into new areas while improving information architecture, accessibility, and content hierarchy. My designs are delivered and currently in implementation, with the goal of creating a seamless, values-aligned experience for both authors and readers.

Key Features

• End-to-end Author Dashboard (onboarding, profile, uploads, billing)
• Reader Dashboard (library, favorites, progress tracking, reviews)
• Custom Halal Values & Sensitivity review system with guided prompts
• Subscription & payment flows (integrated with ThriveCart)
• Mobile-responsive wireframes and scalable site architecture in Figma
• Collaboration with stakeholders to align usability, brand, and technical feasibility

Problem & Solution

Problem

Authors lacked a streamlined way to onboard, upload, and manage books or understand review status. Readers needed clearer discovery and a structured, values-guided way to share thoughtful reviews.

Solution

To address these challenges, I designed new Author & Reader Dashboards from the ground up, focusing on clearer information architecture, simplified flows, and accessible interactions. My solution included:

• Restructured onboarding to reduce friction and clarify next steps for both authors and readers.
• Built streamlined upload and subscription flows to make book management and payments more transparent.
• Designed a custom Halal Values & Sensitivity Review System to guide readers in writing thoughtful, values-aligned reviews.
• Integrated billing and review service flows with ThriveCart, ensuring a consistent experience across dashboards.
• Applied mobile-responsive design and accessibility best practices to reach a broad audience.

Information Architecture & Journeys

I mapped core tasks for authors and readers to clarify navigation and content hierarchy before wireframing, ensuring scalable IA and consistent terminology across the product.

IA Map

Author Journey

Reader Journey

Key Flows & Screens

Author Dashboard

• Registration & Success
• Profile & Bookshelf (notifications, “Upload another book”)
• Billing & Subscription (change and cancel your plan)
• Upload a Book: cover, metadata, links, page count, optional thank-you note, pen signature → Submit for review
• Published Book (book page view with ratings, reviews, and share options)

Reader Dashboard

• Registration & Success
• Library: Bookmarked, Currently Reading (progress), Favorites (with share prompt)
• Reviews list & Billing (trial-to-paid messaging)

Review Page (Values-Guided)

A guided review form with star rating, prompts (what you loved, feelings, audience, quotes), and a Halal Values & Sensitivity rubric (content awareness & positive content) to help readers write considerate, community-aligned reviews.

Official Review Service

Clear packages (Traditional vs Picture Book; standard vs expedited), ETA windows, and a transparent submission → reviewer assignment → download → optional publish flow help authors understand expectations and next steps.

Outcomes

• Designed streamlined author onboarding and book upload flows that reduced friction and clarified metadata requirements.
• Built reader dashboards with progress tracking, favorites, and share prompts to drive engagement and community growth.
• Developed a values-guided review system that standardizes feedback through clear prompts and Halal Values & Sensitivity criteria.
• Created subscription and payment flows (via ThriveCart) that made plan management and billing transparent for both authors and readers.
• Launched the Official Review Service experience, including packages, ETAs, and reviewer workflow, giving authors professional credibility and targeted reach.
• Delivered dev-ready specs and wireframes, ensuring smooth handoff for implementation of dashboards and the review service.

Reflection

This project strengthened my ability to extend an existing design system, align stakeholders, and improve IA and flows for two distinct user groups. The process emphasized accessibility, clarity, and scalability across dashboards and reviewing.

Testimonial

"WOW! Leonie was an absolute pleasure to work with, and I absolutely loved her and her approach! She truly went above and beyond in every aspect of her work. Leonie consistently demonstrated an exceptional level of talent and expertise, particularly in her ability to design numerous pages for us with a keen eye on optimizing the user experience. Her work in Figma was always meticulously crafted, showcasing a clear understanding of design principles and a highly professional output. She didn't just deliver designs; she delivered thoughtful, intuitive solutions that made a real difference."

- Aishah, Founder of HalalReads