OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this project was to create a music application that stood out from its competitors and had something new to offer. To create an app, preliminary research needs to be done in order to understand who you are designing for and what the best solution might be. In the first steps of this process, user experience is heavily taken into account, so we studied competitors, interviewed users and broke down user flows.
User Interviews
To understand what consumers like and dislike about current music apps, I conducted interviews focusing on their favorite app, favorite features and things they would improve. I tried to find a diverse group of interviewees in different fields of study who have different preferences.
Interview Demographics
- 21-26 y/o
- Use iOS/Android devices and apps to listen to music
- Students who listen to music a small part of the day - very often
Customer Pain Points
- There are overwhelming options when trying to change a song quickly
- Finding specific content is a difficult task
- Wanting a hands-free feature when navigating in a car
Competitive Analysis - Apple Music
Before diving into our own app, research was done to understand the functions and usability of competitor music applications and their users. This also included studying the existing app’s user flow and developing a flow chart to view the functionality of the app and make connections. I decided to start my UX research with Apple Music because of its growing user base and the experience I have with it.
Apple Music Key Features
- Seamless experience across all apple devices
- More exclusives in regards to artists and personalized mixes
- Listen without wifi/data and view lyrics
Apple Music Challenges
- No free subscription tier exists
- Does not shuffle the music very well, especially within own library
- Issues with iCloud syncing and web version
Top Competitors:
- Apple Music, Youtube Music, Spotify
Napkin Sketches - Apple Music
Value Proposition
The targeted audience for this music app is younger people, ages 13-30, who listen to genres that are not very well known such as emo/rock/alternative/indie. There are not many options are offered for individuals who listen to these genres and having something geared towards them would be rewarding. I’d like to shift the narrative and give this music new life. My value proposition is creating an app for alternative music genres that have gathered a smaller, yet passionate following. The app’s purpose is to draw more attention to these genres/musical artists and make it easier for their listeners to find their music, stay updated, and even find similar artists they may like.
