Overview
Spotify is the biggest music streaming platform and is often used by listeners as a means of discovering new creators. However, the core app does not prioritize creators or provide tools for artists to connect and collaborate. Our team created this case study to uncover how Spotify could be more creator-friendly by using its status as a major platform to unite those entering the industry and shine the spotlight on undiscovered talent. Our goal was to mock up a feature that served the needs of small creators looking to collaborate by giving them a platform to communicate and grow together.
audience
Our target audience included all creators, no matter their experience, but with a focus on those who currently do not have a voice on the platform and want to grow as artists.
Research
Interviews/surveys with smaller creator and competitive analysis of other music distribution platforms was crucial to understanding who we are designing for and how to address their needs. We were able to identify common user struggles such as "bubblization" (when music is constrained to a geographical "bubble") and difficulty getting in touch with artists they are interested in working with. We were also made aware of entirely new needs which we had not considered such as live performers who currently don't have a centralized means of organizing their live events. These needs aligned with our goal of helping small creators and became something we committed to implementing in our designs.
User flows & sketching
Sketching helped our team visualize potential interfaces based on user flows created
personas
Personas were created based on real users who were interviewed throughout the entre design process. These representations of our user base were a consistent reminder of who we were building our feature for.
wireframing
After sketching, our team created a low fidelity prototype to test our features with interviewees. We received critical feedback regarding buttons layouts and information overload that enabled us to create a much more user friendly user experience as we entered the final stages of our project.
final prototype
Moving into our high fidelity prototype, our team implement feedback received from small creators and matched our interface to the style of Spotify to make the experience feel like an extension of the platform.
