Spotify

Spotify

New app features for Spotify with the goal of transforming the UX.

New app features for Spotify with the goal of transforming the UX.

Timeline

September 2021 - December 2021

My Role

Lead UX/UI Designer — Research, Visual Design, Interaction Design, Prototyping

My first UX/UI Design work. As part of my master's degree, I got the opportunity to select a real-world brief set by Spotify themselves. From research to design to test, I tackled this project individually.

Overview

Spotify is not just about listening to what you love; it's also about the element of discovery.


This project was one based on developing Spotify's app interface to enhance the UX. Spotify identified that their current interface does not promote enough sociability on the app. Therefore, the main objective was to increase local engagement on Spotify to help users grow closer to friends, family, communities and artists.

Goals

Create a feature within Spotify that enables users to share content and get people talking about it.

Turn Spotify into a more personable experience.

Tap into each user's personal reach and influence.

Skills Developed

Adobe XD

App UI Design

Wireframing

Prototyping

Research, Flows and Journey Maps

THE BRIEF

Spotify needed new ways to engage its users.

The Challenges

Spotify found that their users wanted to develop a music related public identity and discover others.

For most today, online image and sociability is everything, Spotify doesn't yet facilitate this.

Spotify wants the app developments to allow users to instigate deeper connections with friends, artists and communities.

The Opportunity

To provide refined and brand new features for Spotify that will allow users to share and communicate about music more easily.

To increase personal and social engagement for all users.

To allow connections between friends, artists and communities to take place.

The Audience

Influencers of all types - influencers don't necessarily have thousands of followers, every social group has them.

People who love audio.

Those who socialise around their passions.

The Important Stuff

The features were to be designed for Spotify's mobile app.

The final executions were to be presented through a fully functioning prototype.

The campaign was designed to fit with Spotify's digital design guidelines.

CATEGORY RESEARCH

The dynamic world of audio.

The Audio Streaming Industry

Revenue: $23 billion (2020)

Users: 544 million (2020)

The category has seen constant growth and progression since its establishment in the early 2000s.

Key Players

Spotify, Apple Music, Google Play Music, YouTube Music, Deezer, Soundcloud, Amazon Music, Tidal.

Industry Trends

Sharing as Currency

Listeners want to further develop public identity and build deeper connections through music.

Music Personalisation

Users seeking more tailored content.

Live Streaming

Gained popularity over lockdowns i.e. live streamed music events.

Virtual Reality

360 degree music experiences i.e. festivals, music videos, immersive experiences.

BRAND RESEARCH

Maintaining the status-quo.

Strategies

Spotify employ a customer-centred strategy with the priority of elevating user experience (UX) and providing a service to suit all.


Spotify also employ a differentiation strategy, this enables the attraction of more customers and ultimately gains them competitive advantage.


Spotify's main differentiation point is their personalised playlist algorithms. However, their depth of audio available and intuitive app design further differentiate the brand.


Spotify creates a distinctive brand image by employing vibrant duo-tone colours, contemporary shapes and edgy photography, separating them from the competition.

Spotify employ a customer-centred strategy with the priority of elevating user experience (UX) and providing a service to suit all.


Spotify also employ a differentiation strategy, this enables the attraction of more customers and ultimately gains them competitive advantage.


Spotify's main differentiation point is their personalised playlist algorithms. However, their depth of audio available and intuitive app design further differentiate the brand.


Spotify creates a distinctive brand image by employing vibrant duo-tone colours, contemporary shapes and edgy photography, separating them from the competition.

Spotify employ a customer-centred strategy with the priority of elevating user experience (UX) and providing a service to suit all.


Spotify also employ a differentiation strategy, this enables the attraction of more customers and ultimately gains them competitive advantage.


Spotify's main differentiation point is their personalised playlist algorithms. However, their depth of audio available and intuitive app design further differentiate the brand.


Spotify creates a distinctive brand image by employing vibrant duo-tone colours, contemporary shapes and edgy photography, separating them from the competition.

Key Brand Information

CONCLUSIONS

Users need more from Spotify.

Problem and Opportunity

In addition to the information within the brief, the research carried out has highlighted a clear problem and opportunity for Spotify.

Problem and Opportunity

THE DESIGN PROCESS

Designing engagement.

User Persona

User Journey Map

Ideation

Wireframes

FINAL EXECUTION

Spotify's Enhanced Interface: Delivering next-level engagement.

Community Feed

Community is a new feature, it enables users to interact with their friends, desired communities and favoured artists in a designated feed area. Community can be accessed at all times due to its position in the shortcut bar.

•

Users can see what their friends or favourite artists have liked, shared or commented upon.

•

Users can like, share or comment on friends and artists posts whilst also being able to post themselves.

•

Community creates greater sociability on Spotify, stimulating users to spend longer on the app and interact with one another more frequently.

•

Community allows users to grow closer to their friends and artists musical preferences.

Home

Community Feed

Profiles

Personal profiles are nothing new to Spotify, however, they were in dire need of updating. Each user's personal profile can be accessed from the home screen by clicking on the profile picture.

•

Each user's profile contains what they have like, shared or commented upon, as well as displaying what they are listening to at the current time.

•

Friends can visit your profile to view, like, share and comment upon playlists and liked items, as well as view who you are following and who you are followed by.

•

The updated profile pages allow friends to become closer through music and also allow greater engagement to take place.

Home

Profile

Artist Community

Artist Community is another new feature to Spotify to help drive engagement and sociability on the app, but specifically with artists.

•

Each artist receives a designated community on their page where they can directly interact with their fans.

•

Here, artists can talk directly with fans on posts, share their music preferences, curated playlists and inform fans of new releases.

Artist Page

Artist Community

Share

A look at how content can be shared to the community and personal profiles.

Share Function