Goals.

Primary and Secondary Research methods were used to learn what the user goals, needs, motivations, and frustrations include. The following goals were created to accomplish this:

• Gain an understanding of how users use Spotify (Phone app, desktop app, or web player).

• Discover how people engage with Spotify.

• Figure out the true target audience.

• Identify and understand good and bad design choices of indirect competition.

• Discover and analyze user behaviors while speaking about Spotify.

• Discover and analyze user behaviors while using Spotify.

• Understand how or why people do or do not utilize social media with Spotify.

Market Research.

Market Research was conducted to collect qualitative data and quantitative data from various sources about general streaming, Spotify specific, and social media statistics. Some other information about what Spotify has done in the past and what features they are currently testing was researched as well. This helped to develop an understanding of user expectations for streaming services and social media usage. After completion, 2 provisional personas were created to help identify potential interview participants. The following facts were uncovered during my market research:

• In a five-year period, the number of songs streamed over the internet has increased by over 800%.

• 91% of people ages 12-24 have listened to online audio.

• Over 60% of Gen Z and Millennial consumers stream videos daily.

• 81% increase in live video viewership from 2015-2016.

• Live video viewers are 67% more likely to buy a ticket to a concert or event after watching a live video of that event or a similar one.

• Live video has seen a 113% increase in ad growth yearly. 

• 130 million Spotify Premium subscribers.

• 36% control of global streaming market.

• 60 million users engaged with “Your top songs” & “Spotify Wrapped” playlists in 2019.

• Most popular channel with people under 30.

• 67% of Spotify usage done through mobile devices.

• Spotify is prototyping a new way to see what friends have been listening to, called “Tastebuds”.

1-on-1 Interviews.

Following secondary research, I determined who Spotify’s target audience was, and from there, I created provisional personas that would guide me as I sought out appropriate participants for one-on-one interviews. I knew that I needed participants that use Spotify Premium weekly and were between the ages of 25 and 34.

Interviews were conducted to weed out any assumptions and answer any hypotheses that were created. General questions of streaming music and Spotify specific questions created a good baseline of user expectations. Also, this process helped teach about any pain points, frustrations, or positive points the interviewees had while using Spotify. To see the full interview transcripts please click here.

Empathy Map.

Following the 1-1 Interviews, I created an empathy map by referring to the transcripts and notes taken during the interviews. The main points I was able to pull from the maps were:

• Users mainly listen to Spotify while driving.

• Users feel music provides nostalgia.

• Users follow artists for new music.

POV Statements & HMW Questions.

After learning users listen to Spotify while driving, listen to feel nostalgia, and follow artists for new music. These POV statements were developed from combining those insights with their needs to further empathize with users. From the POV statements, I created How Might We questions to conduct rapid ideation brainstorming to begin developing solutions for the needs of the user.

Brainstorming.

Using the HMW questions, I conducted both independent and group brainstorming sessions. Through rapid ideation and discussion of ideas, we generated some great design solutions for each user need.

Site Map.

Following the creation of the Feature Roadmap, I was able to create this sitemap which reflects the organizational structure related to the research and feature roadmap. This is not reflective of every element within the app, but a basic skeleton of the app’s structure and interactions. To ensure that navigating the new features would be intuitive to users, I referred back to my Heuristic Evaluation.

Task Flow.

To kick off the Ideate & Design Phase, I created in a UI Requirements document outlining exactly what screens and features I would be designing. Based off of the UI Requirements document, I then created a Task Flow to show the different actions and screens involved to complete the tasks. This helped define the main screens and actions which will be necessary in the site design.

Low Fidelity Wireframes.

With the tasks, user needs, and Spotify’s UI in mind, I created Low Fidelity Wireframes. These quick, annotated wireframe sketches were used to quickly map and help visualize how elements and features will take shape. Also, this helped develop hierarchy and laid a base for the Information Architecture. Each screen was developed to allow the user to seamlessly navigate Spotify and utilize these new features such as the Mood Gauge and Newsfeed while feeling as if they had always been part of Spotify.

Usability Tests.

Along with the prototype, a usability test plan was created based on the task flow. The test plan was developed to evaluate how users interact with the app, how they navigate the app, and to find pain points, frustrations, failures, and positive points.

During the usability tests, detailed notes were taken which highlight the way users navigated the app and how they interacted with the new features. Also, quotes were notated detailing pain points, questions, and positive remarks about the features. These results were critical in revising the different areas of the app where users experienced difficulties.

Affinity Map.

Referring to the notes taken from the usability tests, there were many helpful insights, frustrations, and positive remarks to help create an affinity map. The insights and notes were grouped together by similarities and then re-grouped by instances shared by users. Some commonalities that were noted included:

• Users thought that the newsfeed would be located within the Search screen.

• Users brought up possibly moving the mood gauge to the Home screen.

To see the full affinity map process, please click here

Priority Revisions.

After reviewing the insights and results from the user tests, the following revisions were determined to be most important:

• Move Newsfeed to the Search screen.

• Add a note in the initial instance of the mood gauge stating where to locate it later.

• Move the mood gauge up in the hierarchy within the Settings screen.

  • NOTE: Some users spoke of moving the mood gauge to the Home screen. Relocating the mood gauge to the Home screen would change the UI of Spotify therefore violating the project scope.