Spotify Mobile App Redesign Project

UC San Diego | 2022 | UI/UX Design, UX Research, Problem-Solving

About

For a course project in UC San Diego, our team conducted a redesign of the Spotify mobile app, focusing on improving user experience through data-driven insights. We collected data from real users through interviews to identify design flaws and pain points, then used design space charts to later explore redesign solutions.

Section I: Data Collection

A) Brainstorming

We used a mind map to draw out all possible ideas for the app we were interested in analyzing. We chose Spotify as it is a very common mobile app that many students use and we were curious about the possible errors that people could potentially make. Within Spotify, we expanded on the design of the interface, features offered, users, and activities people typically use Spotify for. Within each subtopic, we applied course concepts and detailed potential errors and solutions.

Our team’s brainstorming process in the structure of a mind map.

B) Methodology

For a more accurate data, we decided to interview the most common Spotify users: college students. We conducted our interviews in-person with our fellow roommates, friends, and classmates. Each interview consisted of pre-task questions, task-specific questions, and post-task questions. We made sure to be aware of minimizing leading questions and following the master-apprentice model. All questions and tasks were consistent among all interviewees.

1/ Pre-Task Questions

Do you have Spotify Premium or not? If yes, why did you get it?
- Goal: To provide us insight on how many people have Spotify Premium vs. Non-premium, which allows us to observe any differences in user experience based on Spotify Premium vs. Non-premium and identify potential trends for why users switch over to Premium.

When do you use Spotify?
- Goal: To understand the level of usage/frequency among users. Also, identify common tasks and activities people do while using the Spotify app.

How long have you been using the Spotify app? (0~6 months, 6~12 months, 1~2 years, 2~3 years, 3~4 years,4 years
- Goal: To gauge the level of comfort, experience, and knowledge of the mobile app, and to observe if there was a connection with the length of time users have been using the app and the familiarity of the app.

2/ Task Questions

Ask them to show you their Spotify profile
- Goal: To observe how many steps and how long it takes for participants to complete this task and discover if there were any difficulties with the location of this feature. Navigating their profile can also help take note of any signifiers (specific icons or colors) that lets users bridge the Gulf of Execution.

Ask them to search up any artist
- Goal: To track if there was familiarity with the search feature and understand the overall comfortability of participants when navigating the app. Also, observe the time it takes for users to complete it and if there were any problems with finding an artist.

Search up any song
- Goal: To discover any difficulties users have trying to find a specific song and to observe if they encounter any accidental misclicks or hesitations when looking up for a specific song.

Ask them to play that song; then ask them to pause the song before it ends (do this randomly).
- Goal: To see how the user interacts with the play/pause function, and identify any potential errors that may arrive with the size, color, or location of the play/pause button.

Ask them to add that song to any playlist
- Goal: To observe how many steps it takes for participants to complete this task and to take notice of any shortcuts made or signifiers that let them know how to accomplish the task. We can figure out how much the app relies on Knowledge in the Head and if the mapping of this function is obvious for users.

Ask them to queue that song
- Goal: To observe if users know how to queue a song and how many steps they take to complete this task. The process by which they queue a song will reveal to us their knowledge of the interface and observe any confusion they had trying to find this feature.

Ask them to share the song’s Spotify code with you
- Goal: To reveal if participants know what a Spotify code is and if they know how to use it. Also, provides us the opportunity to note any confusion, hesitation, or struggles they have finding this function.

3/ Post-Task Questions

What are the benefits of using the Spotify app?
- Goal: To identify common positive trends of the app’s features.

What are the drawbacks of using the Spotify app?
- Goal: To identify common negative trends and potential dislike of the app’s features, and take responses into consideration as we brainstorm potential redesigns for this app.

What are your thoughts on the overall features (e.g. Top Mixes, Spotify Codes, Collaborative Playlists, etc.)?
- Goal: To gauge how much users know of the special features and the functionality behind each feature. We also planned to utilize this information to identify any potential redesigns that could be made for these features.

How would you rate your overall experience of the Spotify app? (1-10)
- Goal: To collect quantitative data for the overall user experience of Spotify and identify any potential trends with user experience of the mobile app.

If there is anything you could change about the app, what would you change?
- Goal: To provide interviewees the chance to say anything else about the app that they did not get to say before. Also, to identify any potential solutions, feedback, and improvements needed based on personal user experience.

Collected Interview Responses

Section II: Error Analysis

A) Identify Errors/Error Classification

Knowledge-based mistake
- Definition: Do not achieve expected outcome due to knowledge deficits
- Example: Some interviewees did not know what or where Spotify codes were and thus were unable to complete the task of sharing a Spotify code
Rule-based mistake
- Definition: Situation is mistakenly interpreted → inappropriate rule is followed
- Example: Some interviewees thought that “sharing a song’s Spotify code” was the same as “sharing a song” and thus their misinterpretation of the situation led to the wrong action
Capture slip
- Definition: Instead of the desired activity, a more frequent or recently performed action gets done
- Example: Some interviewees accidentally click a song to play it, rather than pressing the three dots on the song, which provide song options

The figure shows an interviewee’s Spotify queue. We can see how they accidentally played the song when they intended to see the song options.

This graph displays the common errors we observed based on our interviewees’ answers. We can see that the most common errors were knowledge-based mistakes.

This graph displays the common trends we observed based on our interviewees’ answers. We can see that the most common trends were Spotify Premium users and an app rating of 9/10 or higher.

Section III: Design Space & Redesign

A) Design Space Chart #1

Design space showing axes of cost and quality. The different Spotify plans are graphed accordingly.

B) Design Space Chart #2

Design space showing axes of usability and features. The different Spotify device displays are graphed accordingly.

C) Redesign

1. Spotify Codes

Remove Spotify codes as most users do not know of or interact with the feature at all. 6 out of 12 participants (nearly 50%) had no knowledge of Spotify Codes and rather than providing the convenience of the app’s utilization, it brought confusion instead.

2. Tutorial

To resolve the questions of missing signifiers in Spotify, like how to queue a song, what does the like/unlike feature mean, and how to create collaborative playlists, creating a tutorial for the users and introducing different features’ functionality help them gain understanding.

3. Playlist organization feature

For users with several playlists (10+ playlists), the Spotify app’s “Your Library” section may consist of a long list of playlists that seems to be never-ending. There is a feature to “Pin” more relevant playlists but it is limited to only two.
There is also a feature for filtering out playlists, albums, artists, and downloaded songs, but no separate tool for organizing them.

4. Better algorithm and interface

Based on the interview data, 6 out of 12 participants noted that the algorithm and interface (especially the Home Screen) were flawed.
Users preferred the Home Screen interface to be more focused on the music they listen to most or more original music rather than being surrounded by mainstream music.
Reduce the promotion of podcasts → focus more on originality and the user’s personal interests.
The Home Screen is redesigned to prioritize the user’s interests, such as following artists, previously listened songs, and fresh, original music that can influence the user’s to expand their music choice.
The “Playlist” section follows a similar format to the current Spotify format where there is a horizontal list of playlists (ordering from most relevant/most listened to least).
The overall simple design of the home screen may prevent mistakes and constraints in finding music to listen to.