SPOTIFY GROUP SESSION REDESIGN
Duration
3 weeks, Feb 2023
Skills Utilized
User Research
User Journey
Affinity Diagram
Prototyping
Visual Design
Summary
The project addresses the pain points in Spotify's group session feature to enhance the user experience. By conducting user research and implementing solutions, I aim to improve functionality and usability for easier collaboration and enjoyment of music.
01 App & Feature Overview
What is Spotify?
A popular digital music, podcast, and video streaming service that provides users with access to millions of songs, audiobooks, and other audio content. It provides a comprehensive and intuitive platform for music and audio content, making it a popular choice for users around the world.
What is Group Session?
A Spotify feature that allows multiple users to control a shared playlist in real time. This is perfect for group listening sessions or parties.
02 Problem & Solution
I expanded the problem of Spotify's Group Session feature through user interviews. I gathered insights from users to understand their challenges and pain points. During the interviews, I discovered various issues such as privacy concerns, technical difficulties, and difficulty in setting up Group Sessions. To refine the problem, I analyzed the data and identified the most critical and recurring issue faced by users. I then focused on solving this key problem to enhance the user experience.
Problem
What strategies can be implemented to resolve the user difficulties in utilizing the group session feature, particularly with regard to the complicated setup process and competitive queueing issues?
Solution
Introduce the feature of saved groups to simplify the process of accessing repeated sessions, and implement two options to ensure equal opportunities for all users in the group to play their songs.
03 User Research
I conducted a user survey with 30 Spotify Premium users to gather insights on the group session feature. The survey aimed to understand users' concerns, priorities and thoughts on my proposed solution for the competitive queueing problem. The responses received provided valuable insights that helped to improve the solution and ensure it meets the needs and expectations of users. Some of the key insights gained included a deeper understanding of the users' priorities and pain points, their preferred features and functionalities, and their overall experience with the group session feature. By incorporating these insights, I was able to improve my solution and ensure that it effectively addresses the competitive queueing problem and enhances the overall user experience with the app.
04 Wireframes
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1. Auto Shuffle Queue Management: Allow users to manage the queue with an auto shuffle button.
2. Turn-Based Queue: Implement a turn-based queue system where each user gets a turn to add a song to the queue. A visual indicator could be displayed to show whose turn it is.
3. User-Specific Queues: Allow each user to have their own personal queue so they can add songs to. At the end of each user's turn, their personal queue is added to the main queue.
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4. Queue Satistics: SUsers will have access to view the queue statistics, including their personal song count and the rankings of the top three users with the most and least song submissions. This information may motivate users who haven't yet added songs to choose their favorites and contribute to the queue.
5. Time-Limited Queue: Set a time limit for each user to add a song to the queue. If the user doesn't add a song within the allotted time, the turn automatically moves to the next user.
05 digital Prototypes
OPTION 1
Auto Shuffle Queue Management
This feature enables users to control the queue through an auto-shuffle button. By toggling the button on and off, it automatically creates the queue using a rotation system.
OPTION 2
Turn-Based Queue
Each user takes turns selecting a song to add to the queue, indicated by a dynamic carousel display. The profile of the next user to queue will be highlighted in color, while all others are displayed in black and white. If a user has yet to make a selection, their profile will be represented by a mysterious box.
06 Conclusion
The end result of this project was a refined and improved group session experience that addressed the pain points identified in the user research phase. The final design solution was informed by a deep understanding of the users' needs and was validated through repeated testing and feedback. One of the biggest challenges encountered during this project was balancing the needs of the users with the technical limitations of the platform. The desire to add new and advanced features was limited by the technical feasibility of integrating them into the existing system. To overcome this challenge, creative solutions were explored, and compromises were made to find the best possible design solution within the constraints of the platform. In the future, if given additional time, I would explore further opportunities to improve the group session feature, such as integrating with other music streaming services or exploring more sophisticated ways to connect with friends within the platform. This would provide users with a more seamless and comprehensive experience, further enhancing their enjoyment of the music they love.