Case Study
Case Study
Case Study
Case Study
Soundspace
Soundspace
Soundspace
Soundspace
A web platform designed to facilitate safe and comfortable interactions between users and create sense of community around a love for music.
A web platform designed to facilitate safe and comfortable interactions between users and create sense of community around a love for music.
A web platform designed to facilitate safe and comfortable interactions between users and create sense of community around a love for music.
A web platform designed to facilitate safe and comfortable interactions between users and create sense of community around a love for music.
Overview
Overview
Overview
Overview
My Role
UX/UI Designer
Course project for
Interaction Design Principles
Timeline
January - April 2025
Process
User Research
UI Design
Prototyping
Usability Testing
Tools
Figma
Miro
My Role
UX/UI Designer
Course project for
Interaction Design Principles
Timeline
January - April 2025
Process
User Research
UI Design
Prototyping
Usability Testing
Tools
Figma
Miro
My Role
UX/UI Designer
Course project for
Interaction Design Principles
Timeline
January - April 2025
Process
User Research
UI Design
Prototyping
Usability Testing
Tools
Figma
Miro
Context
Context
Context
I was initially tasked to examine existing music and streaming platforms and note what makes the features of these applications functional and useful. From here, I was asked to find ways to make experiences like these more socially inclusive for users, centered around a shared love for music.
I was initially tasked to examine existing music and streaming platforms and note what makes the features of these applications functional and useful. From here, I was asked to find ways to make experiences like these more socially inclusive for users, centered around a shared love for music.
I was initially tasked to examine existing music and streaming platforms and note what makes the features of these applications functional and useful. From here, I was asked to find ways to make experiences like these more socially inclusive for users, centered around a shared love for music.
Problem
Problem
Music listeners struggle to find an inclusive space to share and explore their love for music.
Music listeners struggle to find an inclusive space to share and explore their love for music.
Music listeners struggle to find an inclusive space to share and explore their love for music.
Initial Research
Initial Research
Initial Research
Insights from Music Listeners
Insights from Music Listeners
Insights from Music Listeners
At this point, I temporarily worked with a team of four, including Maggie Lee, Aspen Tabar, and Anke Stein. We conducted 5 interviews together, hoping to understand what music listeners enjoy and dislike about their listening experiences — including their sense of community within streaming platforms and how they prefer to engage with music-related content.
At this point, I temporarily worked with a team of four, including Maggie Lee, Aspen Tabar, and Anke Stein. We conducted 5 interviews together, hoping to understand what music listeners enjoy and dislike about their listening experiences — including their sense of community within streaming platforms and how they prefer to engage with music-related content.
At this point, I temporarily worked with a team of four, including Maggie Lee, Aspen Tabar, and Anke Stein. We conducted 5 interviews together, hoping to understand what music listeners enjoy and dislike about their listening experiences — including their sense of community within streaming platforms and how they prefer to engage with music-related content.
Users often felt uncomfortable talking about their true music taste or personal connections to music - lack of resources in their listening experiences made this feel even more difficult.
Users often felt uncomfortable talking about their true music taste or personal connections to music - lack of resources in their listening experiences made this feel even more difficult.
Sharing about music can feel intimate at times and hard to communicate.
Sharing about music can feel intimate at times and hard to communicate.
Sharing about music can feel intimate at times and hard to communicate.
Lack of tailored resources make an experience less comfortable.
Lack of tailored resources make an experience less comfortable.
Lack of tailored resources make an experience less comfortable.
Music connects people through a shared passion, even when tastes differ.
Music connects people through a shared passion, even when tastes differ.
Music connects people through a shared passion, even when tastes differ.
"Music can be very personal to each and every person and it's hard to share about sometimes. But it shouldn't be - music is a great way to get closer with people."
"Music can be very personal to each and every person and it's hard to share about sometimes. But it shouldn't be - music is a great way to get closer with people."
"Music can be very personal to each and every person and it's hard to share about sometimes. But it shouldn't be - music is a great way to get closer with people."
This user quote especially spoke to me, as music really can be used as a tool to unite people if presented in a comfortable environment for users to engage with each other.
This user quote especially spoke to me, as music really can be used as a tool to unite people if presented in a comfortable environment for users to engage with each other.
This user quote especially spoke to me, as music really can be used as a tool to unite people if presented in a comfortable environment for users to engage with each other.
Bringing it All Together
Bringing it All Together
Bringing it All Together
After brainstorming on Miro, I settled on…
After brainstorming on Miro, I settled on…
HMW use music as a tool to facilitate interactions and create a comfortable community between listeners?
HMW use music as a tool to facilitate interactions and create a comfortable community between listeners?
Solution
Solution
An inclusive, monitored, and personalized streaming platform for music lovers to find community in safe space.
An inclusive, monitored, and personalized streaming platform for music lovers to find community in safe space.
An inclusive, monitored, and personalized streaming platform for music lovers to find community in safe space.
Exploration & Iteration
Exploration & Iteration
Exploration & Iteration
Early Exploration
Early Exploration
Early Exploration
I started with quick thumbnail sketches to translate key insights into tangible ideas. These low-pressure drawings helped me visualize user flows, test layouts, and identify possible features I would want to include.
I started with quick thumbnail sketches to translate key insights into tangible ideas. These low-pressure drawings helped me visualize user flows, test layouts, and identify possible features I would want to include.
Through these sketches, I was able to finalize the features I wanted to include, centering around creating a comfortable environment for users.
Through these sketches, I was able to finalize the features I wanted to include, centering around creating a comfortable environment for users.
With a clear direction in mind, I went ahead and created 3 variations of my product, Soundspace. These options played around with different layouts of the dashboard, cards, and the channel interface.
With a clear direction in mind, I went ahead and created 3 variations of my product, Soundspace. These options played around with different layouts of the dashboard, cards, and the channel interface.
Narrowing It Down
Narrowing It Down
Narrowing It Down
Moving forward, I created mid-fidelity designs of all three variations in Figma, fleshing out details and preparing for internal review from my classmates and professor. Notably, they pointed out the increased emphasis needed for the chat section and user-generated content, but enjoyed the starter question from V1 and the stream interface from V3.
Moving forward, I created mid-fidelity designs of all three variations in Figma, fleshing out details and preparing for internal review from my classmates and professor. Notably, they pointed out the increased emphasis needed for the chat section and user-generated content, but enjoyed the starter question from V1 and the stream interface from V3.
Using this critique, I combined the variations into an official mid-fi design and moved onto prototyping it to prepare for a round of external user testing.
Using this critique, I combined the variations into an official mid-fi design and moved onto prototyping it to prepare for a round of external user testing.
User Testing
User Testing
User Testing
I conducted testing with 2 users, each provided with the task: "Search for, find, and join a 'Mac Miller' channel on Soundspace." Through observation and post-testing conversations, I was left with clear areas of opportunity.
I conducted testing with 2 users, each provided with the task: "Search for, find, and join a 'Mac Miller' channel on Soundspace." Through observation and post-testing conversations, I was left with clear areas of opportunity.
What Works Well
What Needs Improvement
What Needs Improvement
Clear layout of popular channels and genres
Card thumbnails and general flow before choosing to enter a channel
Organization of information overall aligns nicely with similar products
Unsure about whether a channel is live —> need for a status icon
Lack of information on cards —> the importance of including a moderator profile photo, username, and a description
Users were unsure about channel resources —> suggesting a need for a tooltip walkthrough
Cluttered space in channel screen —> option to toggle sidebar, giving priority to chat section
Clear layout of popular channels and genres
General flow before choosing to enter a channel
Organization of information overall aligns nicely with similar products
Unsure about whether a channel is live
—> need for a clearer status icon
Users were unsure about channel resources
—> suggesting a need for a tooltip to emphasize importance
Cluttered space in channel screen
—> no need for sidebar, include a back button
Lack of guidance to review channel
—> need for a modal/dialogue to prompt users to review promptly
Using Jakob's 10 Usability Heuristics, I categorized these findings to better understand why the product needed to improve and what can be changed to address them.
Using Jakob's 10 Usability Heuristics, I categorized these findings to better understand why the product needed to improve and what can be changed to address them.
Transitioning to High-fidelity
Transitioning to High-fidelity
Transitioning to High-fidelity
Feature #1
Feature #1
Feature #1
Anonymous chats between viewers
Anonymous chats between viewers
Anonymous chats between viewers
Within streaming channels, all chats are kept anonymous to allow users to freely share personal or sensitive input in the chat.
Within streaming channels, all chats are kept anonymous to allow users to freely share personal or sensitive input in the chat.
Within streaming channels, all chats are kept anonymous to allow users to freely share personal or sensitive input in the chat.
Feature #2
Feature #2
Feature #2
Mutual approval for direct messaging
Mutual approval for direct messaging
Mutual approval for direct messaging
Private conversations can only be initiated once both parties have mutually agreed to connect.
Private conversations can only be initiated once both parties have mutually agreed to connect.
Private conversations can only be initiated once both parties have mutually agreed to connect.
Feature #3
Feature #3
Feature #3
Channel reviews to provide direct feedback
Channel reviews to provide direct feedback
Channel reviews to provide direct feedback
When leaving a channel, users are prompted to fill out a simple form to ensure channel moderator and viewers are fostering a safe environment for everybody.
When leaving a channel, users are prompted to fill out a simple form to ensure channel moderator and viewers are fostering a safe environment for everybody.
When leaving a channel, users are prompted to fill out a simple form to ensure channel moderator and viewers are fostering a safe environment for everybody.
Feature #4
Feature #4
Feature #4
Channel-specific starter prompts and reactions
Channel-specific starter prompts and reactions
Channel-specific starter prompts and reactions
Curated questions designed to engage new viewers and spark authentic conversations between users.
Curated questions designed to engage new viewers and spark authentic conversations between users.
Curated questions designed to engage new viewers and spark authentic conversations between users.
Reflections
Reflections
Reflections
Experience conducting extensive user testing
Experience conducting extensive user testing
Conducting internal and external user testing on mid-fidelity designs taught me to actually listen. Observing participants revealed gaps between what I thought users needed and what they actually wanted. The difference between asking questions and watching behavior completely changed how I approached testing.
Conducting internal and external user testing on mid-fidelity designs taught me to actually listen. Observing participants revealed gaps between what I thought users needed and what they actually wanted. The difference between asking questions and watching behavior completely changed how I approached testing.
Conducting internal and external user testing on mid-fidelity designs taught me to actually listen. Observing participants revealed gaps between what I thought users needed and what they actually wanted. The difference between asking questions and watching behavior completely changed how I approached testing.
The power of divergent exploration in early designs
The power of divergent exploration in early designs
Starting with a large scope forced me to explore widely before committing. Sketching multiple directions and testing different approaches upfront clarified what direction I wanted to explore within my product.
Starting with a large scope forced me to explore widely before committing. Sketching multiple directions and testing different approaches upfront clarified what direction I wanted to explore within my product.
Starting with a large scope forced me to explore widely before committing. Sketching multiple directions and testing different approaches upfront clarified what direction I wanted to explore within my product.
Importance of placing yourself in the shoes of the user
Importance of placing yourself in the shoes of the user
I repeatedly asked myself whether each feature addressed the actual pain points from interviews, not just for the sake of adding on. This constant recentering kept the design grounded in user needs rather than my assumptions about what would be useful.
I repeatedly asked myself whether each feature addressed the actual pain points from interviews, not just for the sake of adding on. This constant recentering kept the design grounded in user needs rather than my assumptions about what would be useful.
I repeatedly asked myself whether each feature addressed the actual pain points from interviews, not just for the sake of adding on. This constant recentering kept the design grounded in user needs rather than my assumptions about what would be useful.