SPOT IT
Spot It is a music recognition tool that improved music discovery through audio sampling, finding new tunes quicker white enhancing algorithm data.
Role—Product Designer Timeline—3 Weeks Project—Feature Addition Case Study
Role—Product Designer
Timeline—3 Weeks
Project—Feature Addition Case Study
PROBLEM—
HOW IT STARTED....
PROBLEM—
HOW IT STARTED....
Most music streaming services, including Spotify, have music discovery features but with limitations. It can be a frustrating experience for people who include music in their daily routines. After some discussions, I discovered that many shared similar problems: different music apps taking up storage, searching feeling tedious, and suggestions feeling underwhelming or repetitive. This validation of the problem sparked the idea to add a feature to Spotify.
HMW help users find the specific music they want with minimal effort within our app and increase app engagement.
Discover the Sound Around You.
Effortlessly identify any song playing nearby. Fast and precise—just let your device do the listening. Music recognition made simple.
Instant Music Discovery.
Spot It redefines how you find music. With smart audio sampling, discover new tunes faster while enhancing your personal recommendations. And with the Recently Spotted tab, revisit your discoveries anytime.
Explore More with Expanded Results.
Spot It takes music discovery further. The enhanced results page offers more detail, letting you explore genres, playlists, bios, track information, live events and more—all in one place. Your music journey just got broader and more personalized.
OBJECTIVE—
THE RIGHT GOALS....
→ Strengthen the lifetime value of Spotify Premium
→ Analyze and leverage user data effectively
→ Increase user retention
→ Improve search results
→ Developing a feature that is unobtrusive
APPROACH—
NAVIGATING THE
DESIGN JOURNEY....
APPROACH—
NAVIGATING THE
DESIGN JOURNEY....
The design of Spot It was driven by a thorough understanding of user needs, identified through extensive research, competitor analysis, and problem prioritization. Continuous user testing validated assumptions and refined the design iteratively, ensuring alignment with user expectations. This approach culminated in Spot It—a user-centric solution that effectively addresses the challenges of music discovery intuitively and efficiently.
Various POVs and HMWs were crafted to pinpoint primary user and business goals, supported by user flows for rapid exploration of design.
Looking at the popular players within the space, I discovered a topic across the apps that is centered around improving user experience. I hypothesized that this might be a key feature in the potential to grow and that there is an opportunity to position additional features differently through approach.
Comparing Top Music Streaming Platforms: Strengths, Weaknesses, and Opportunities for Growth.
Spotify
Apple Music
YouTube Music
SoundCloud
The interviews made it clear: Spotify rocks for finding tunes and being easy to use. People have some gripes about cost and what’s missing, but they’re still big fans. Plus, the idea of song-spotting got a thumbs-up, so it could be a hit if Spotify runs with it. These insights will help Spotify shape up for the future.
To gather insights about different uses of streaming music, being a Spotify user and the decisions behind choosing a platform, I conducted interviews with five different people.
USER INSIGHTS—
DATA-DRIVEN RESEARCH
INSIGHTS & HYPOTHESIS....
Meet Vincent, a 26-year-old creative professional who relies on Spotify daily for its vast music library and convenience. He values an intuitive interface for seamless music exploration but hesitates to pay for Spotify Premium. Vincent seeks improved music organization tools, better music discovery algorithms, and quick access to comprehensive artist information within one app.
"I use it for everyday listening, searching, sharing, work, sorting—so much stuff..."
Some insights & hypothesis that shaped the design direction
ENGAGEMENT BOOSTING:
Integrating the feature to keep users engaged and attract more Premium subscribers.
USABILITY STRENGTH:
Clear navigation, readable interface, effective error handling, and user control.
COMPETITIVE EDGE:
Leveraging Spotify's music library and algorithms.
FEATURE EXPANSION:
The possibility for public implementation to gauge broader user response and scalability.
DESIGN SOLUTION—
DESIGN DELIVERY EXPERIENCE....
Comprehensive Results, Clearly Organized.
Spot It delivers all the details you need in one place. From track information and concert dates to popular releases and artist playlists, everything is thoughtfully organized for easy exploration. Discover more about your favorite tracks and artists with just a glance.
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DESIGN OUTCOME—
EVALUATING THE DESIGN....
METRIC BASED OUTCOMES:
—The average completion time ranged from 30 seconds to 2 minutes.
—Ratings averaged 5 out of 5, showing a successful experience.
NON-METRIC BASED OUTCOMES:
—All usability testing indicates great user control, a readable interface, and efficient error handling.
USABILITY IMPROVEMENTS:
Refine design animations to ensure users are aware of their progress during a search.
FEATURE VALIDATION:
Positive qualitative feedback shows a positive user experience with clear opportunities for Spotify to enhance integration and capitalize on user preferences for streamlined functionality within the platform.
LEARNINGS—
THE TAKEAWAY....
The project naturally started off as a user centered project. I initially spent my time referring to my own experiences then conducting research based off those guidelines, that eventually uncovered critical points during user interviews.
It was through these insights and user interviews that proved to be equally, if not more valuable, in identifying opportunities and ideas that reassured the usefulness into a potential addition to Spotify.
With Spotify already integrated into many people's daily lives, it's evident that small changes can make a big impact.
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Intuitive Navigation. No More Third-Party Apps.
Navigate with ease using Spot It's built-in features. The integrated music recognition tool makes discovering new tracks effortless, eliminating the need for third-party apps. Everything you need is all in one place.
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Intuitive Navigation. No More Third-Party Apps.
Smart Error Handling.
When the unexpected happens, Spot It keeps you moving forward. If a song can’t be identified, simply try again with a tap, or explore similar sounds to keep the discovery going. No dead ends—just new opportunities.
