Tom Wicks

Good Stuff

An app that helps you share book, film and place recommendations with friends

A hand holding an iPhone with options for places, films, television, podcast, books and music.

Good Stuff helps people discover the things their friends love.

Context

During lockdown, the conversations I found myself having with friends and family were about our recommendations - for films, television, music, books and podcasts. Often we'd leave the call forgetting what was suggested to watch, read or listen, and go back to scrolling through endless pages of Netflix.

App screenshots showing the home and places screen where users can see their friends place recommendations.

Users browse categories shaped by their friends’ recommendations

About

Good Stuff began as a way to bring order to the scattered recommendations people collect — from notes on their phones to messages buried in old WhatsApp conversations. It provides a simple space to discover, share, and return to the things friends genuinely recommend.

Friends and notifications screen showing user profile and notification screens.

Users can add friends and see their recommendations in the app

Discovery

To understand whether the idea held weight, I spoke to people about how they discover, keep track of, and share the things they enjoy. These conversations helped reveal the mental shortcuts people use when thinking about recommendations — and whether a dedicated space for them would feel valuable.

Screens showing the user experience for finding films and television.

Third party sources made it quicker for people to add the content they love

Prototyping

I built and tested a coded prototype in private beta. Although the idea resonated initially, sustained engagement was lower than expected. Rather than continue iterating indefinitely, I chose to pause the project and focus on opportunities with stronger long-term potential.

Create account, login and add new content screens.

Notifications helped users stay informed when things changed.

Testing

I built and tested a coded prototype in private beta. Although the idea resonated initially, sustained engagement was lower than expected. Rather than continue iterating, I chose to pause the project and focus on opportunities with stronger long-term potential.