Spotify
Spotify is a music streaming platform that offers millions of songs, podcasts, and audiobooks. It provides users with easy access to audio entertainment through a freemium model, combining personalized recommendations and user-friendly features to create an engaging listening experience worldwide.
Company
Spotify
Role
Platform
Desktop App
Overview
This project focuses on improving music discovery by understanding how people choose songs based on their mood, current activity, or preferred genre. Instead of redesigning the whole app, the aim was to enhance key search and user flows for a more personalized, enjoyable listening experience.
Tools
Key Responsibilities
UI/UX Design
User Flow Redesign
User Research
Addressing Pain Points
Link to App
Link to Survey
Problem Statement
Users struggle to find songs that truly match their mood, activity, or preferred genre. This makes music discovery feel generic and frustrating. Our goal was to create a smarter search that groups music by these three key categories for a more personal listening experience.
Challenge
The challenge was to improve Spotify’s search and discovery without overhauling the whole app. We focused on designing intuitive categories—mood, activity, and genre—and seamless filtering to help users find music that fits their current vibe and lifestyle.
Approach
I studied user behavior to identify music listening patterns and then created a search experience organized by mood, activity, and genre. Users can pick a category tile and then easily filter within the other two, making music discovery simple, relevant, and fun.
Core Impact
By redesigning key search and listening flows, I made music discovery faster, more personal, and intuitive. Users can now effortlessly find tracks by mood, activity, or genre, manage playlists with ease, and enjoy seamless looping of favorite songs—all enhancing their overall Spotify experience.
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Research
Research lays the groundwork for thoughtful, user-centered design by exploring both the market landscape and real user behavior. In the sections below, you’ll find deep analyses of competitors and users alongside authentic data collection that together shape informed and impactful design choices.
Data Collection
This survey showcases my ability to create seamless, bias-free research experiences that adapt intelligently to each respondent’s unique context. With clear logic and an intuitive flow, it captures honest insights while respecting users’ time and comfort.
44
Respondents
06
Interviews
Survey Overview
To gain real insights into how people experience music, I created a survey that focuses on genuine user feedback and respects individual perspectives. The following introduction explains the purpose and spirit behind the questions, setting the stage for meaningful responses.
Making Music Listening Effortless
Music listening is a deeply personal experience but how often do we get to share our honest thoughts about it? Imagine a music experience that truly understands you, intuitive, effortless, and tailored to your unique tastes. This survey invites you to reflect on your habits, frustrations, and joys to make your voice heard and help shape a better future for all music lovers. Thank you for taking the time to participate!
PROTIP: Listening to your favorite song while sharing your insights is a pure delight. So grab your headphones and enjoy :)
What Makes This Survey Unique
Seamless, bias-free question flow ensures honest, transparent feedback
No mandatory questions: Respondents answer at their comfort and pace
Adaptive logic: Irrelevant sections automatically skip to completion
Inclusive design with diverse question formats for efficient responses
Emphasis on user autonomy, encouraging genuine and thoughtful answers
Clear separation of general listening vs. Spotify-specific feedback
Non-collection of personal data builds trust and privacy
Engaging and inviting introductory message boosts participation
The Survey is divided into 3 sections
Demographics
Listening Preferences
Spotify Insights
Demographics
This section gently opens the survey by understanding basic respondent profiles and music frequency, setting the context without pressure. Depending on their music engagement level, the survey either wraps up early or advances smoothly, respecting their time and interest.
Which generation do you come under?
How often do you listen to music?
Listening Preferences
Here, we dive deep into how users interact with music apps and what frustrates or delights them, avoiding any brand bias. The questions are designed to keep the experience relevant and personalized.
What devices do you use to listen to music?
Which music streaming app do you currently use?
What features do you appreciate in a music streaming app?
What frustrates you when using music streaming apps?
Are there any specific tasks you find difficult to perform within your current music streaming app?
How important is personalized music recommendation to you?
How do you discover new music?
What do you think could enhance your music listening experience?
Spotify Insights
Dedicated only to Spotify users, this section explores detailed feedback on its interface and premium features, peeling back layers of user experience. This controlled narrowing ensures responses are rich and focused, honoring user effort with meaningful questions.
Which aspects of the current Spotify interface do you like?
Which aspects of the current Spotify interface do you dislike?
Do you have Spotify Premium?
Are there any elements of the current Spotify interface that you don't use or seem unnecessary?
Do you feel the current interface caters well to your music listening habits?
Is there anything else you would like to share about your music listening preferences or app experiences?
Survey Results
The aggregated data paints a vivid story of diverse music habits and expectations, visualized through compelling charts and graphs. These insights reveal clear trends and nuanced preferences, guiding targeted design improvements to elevate the music listening journey for all users.
82%
Listens to Music Daily
68%
27%
use Spotify Premium
Insights
Research is essential to uncover what users want, how competitors perform, and which technologies work best. It provides a solid foundation for design decisions. In this project, research included competitor analysis, user persona, empathy mapping, and SWOT analysis to ensure improvements are meaningful and aligned with user expectations.
Competitor Analysis
Competitor analysis compares Spotify with Apple Music, Amazon Music, and YouTube Music to see what they do well and where they fall short. It helps us find ways to make Spotify’s music discovery smarter and more personal by focusing on unique user needs.
Feature / Platform
Huge Music Library
Free Tier Available
High Resolution Audio
Personalized Playlists & Discovery
AI-Driven Music Recommendations
Cross Platform Compatibility
Social Sharing & Collaborative Playlists
Integration with Smart Devices
Spotify
✔
✔
✘
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔
Apple Music
✔
✘
✔
✔
✘
✔
✘
✔
Amazon Music
✔
✘
✔
✔
✘
✔
✘
✔
YouTube Music
✔
✔
✘
✔
✔
✔
✘
✔
User Persona
A user persona is a fictional representation of an ideal user that helps designers understand their needs, goals, and challenges. It guides the design process to create solutions that truly resonate with the people who will use the app, making the experience more relevant and user-friendly.
Stevie George
Age
29 Years Old
Profession
Marketing Manager
Location
Bangalore, Karnataka, India
Quote
"I love discovering new music and sharing my favorite songs with my friends. I wish there was a way to easily loop through a few songs without creating a playlist."
About
Steve is a music lover who uses Spotify to discover new music and share his favorite songs with his friends. He values the ability to easily navigate and find music, search by genres, and change the order of songs in a queue. He also enjoys making personalized playlists and listening to daily mixes. However, He wants improvements in the shuffle feature and the ability to listen to imported songs across devices.
Behavior
Looks through a lot of playlists, sometimes searching for a mood or a genre.
Plays through playlists and picks tracks that he likes.
Shares music that has a story behind it.
Wants to easily navigate and find music, search by genres, and change the order of songs in a queue.
Listens to personalized playlists and daily mixes.
Uses the full-screen mode.
Goals
Discover new music from sources that he feels are relevant to him.
Share his stories related to certain music.
Easily find previously played playlists.
Loop through 3-4 songs without creating a playlist.
Clear listening history.
Listen to imported songs across devices.
Avoid long, sharp, disruptive, and irritating ads.
Pain Points
Dislikes the long, sharp, disruptive, and irritating ads.
Wants to discover new music from sources that he feels are relevant to him.
Wants to loop through 3-4 songs without creating a playlist.
Wants to clear listening history.
Wants to listen to imported songs across devices.
Empathy Mapping
Empathy mapping helps us understand what users say, think, do, and feel when using the app. It reveals their frustrations and motivations, guiding us to design features that truly meet their needs and improve their overall experience.
Says
"I wish the app would stop playing different versions of the same song."
"I love the personalized playlist suggestions."
"I want a seamless experience when listening to songs on repeat."
"I wish the app would remember the history of the songs that were played under queued."
"I wish the app had a true shuffle feature."
"I want to be able to loop through 3-4 songs without having to create a playlist."
"I want to be able to find alternate versions of a song that are available on YouTube but not on the app."
"I don't like the long, loud, and screechy ads."
"I want to be able to create and manage playlists efficiently."
"I want to listen to imported songs across devices."
"I want to start an auto-generated playlist."
"I want to clear my listening history."
Does
Listens to music from both the phone and the laptop.
Checks social media as a part of daily routine and find out about new songs
Shares music with friends.
Uses the personalized playlist suggestions.
Creates playlists to loop through 3-4 songs.
Skips ads when possible.
Tries to find a better way to create and manage playlists.
Searches for alternate versions of a song on YouTube.
Tries to track their subscription.
Listens to music on Spotify every day.
Searches for new music and genres.
Creates playlists and shares them with friends.
Thinks
"I like the ability to make personalized playlists of repeated songs."
"I wish the app had a true shuffle feature."
"I need to create a playlist to loop through 3-4 songs."
“I wish I could seamlessly listen to songs on repeat.”
"I wonder why the app doesn't remember the history of the songs that were played under queued."
"The ads are too long, loud, and screechy."
"I need to find a better way to create and manage playlists."
"I need to find alternate versions of a song that are available on YouTube but not on the app."
"I wish there were fewer recommendation tabs."
"I want to see the list of songs in the queue."
"I like the synced lyrics and the ability to see the next song that will be played."
"I like the ability to see the songs that I have in common with my friends."
Feels
Frustrated with the app's bugs and issues.
Annoyed when the app plays different versions of the same song.
Excited about the video playing in the background.
Excited when discovering new music.
Disappointed when unable to find certain songs or the right songs.
Overwhelmed with the number of recommended songs and playlists.
Irritated with the long, loud, and screechy ads.
Satisfied when able to create and manage playlists efficiently.
Anxious about not being able to listen to imported songs across devices.
Disappointed when unable to find alternate versions of a song that are available on YouTube but not on the app.
Satisfied with the audio quality.
Appreciative of the ability to make playlists with others.
SWOT Analysis
I researched how Levy Lens can deliver meaningful value through simplicity, accuracy, and timely updates while identifying key opportunities to enhance engagement and revenue, supporting sustainable growth without compromising on user experience.
Strengths
Ability to search among top artists' playlists
Large user base
Ability to see songs that we have in common with our friends
Expansive music library
Choose between podcasts or music on the homepage conveniently
Good audio quality
Ability to make personalized playlists of repeated songs
Ability to make playlists with others
Weaknesses
Challenges in monetizing free users
High royalty costs
Unable to clear listening history
Unable to loop through 3-4 songs without creating a playlist
Not all songs are available on Spotify, hence requires platform switching at times
Competition from other streaming services
Desktop interface is boxy and ugly
Lack of a true shuffle
Unable to listen to imported songs across devices
Recently listened playlist cannot be removed at all
Unable to start an auto-generated playlist
Ads are long, sharp, disruptive, and irritating
Opportunities
Partnerships with other companies
Offering a true shuffle
Expansion into new content areas such as audiobooks
Ability to loop through 3-4 songs without creating a playlist
Expansion into live events
Offering a clear listening history option
Offering more exclusive content
Offering shorter and less disruptive ads
Threats
Competition from other music streaming services
There are too many overrated artists
Poor artist compensation
Recently listened playlist cannot be removed at all
Lack of live content
Ads are long, sharp, disruptive, and irritating
General recommendations are not great
Changes in laws and regulations
The Redesign
The redesign focuses on enhancing specific user flows to make music discovery and playback more intuitive and personal. Rather than changing the entire app, it refines key features to improve how users find and manage music, aligning with their moods, activities, and listening preferences.
Smart Music Search
This flow allows users to explore music by choosing from three main categories—mood, activity, or genre. After selecting one, users can easily filter within the other categories to create a personalized playlist that matches their current vibe without feeling overwhelmed.
Smooth Song Addition
Adding songs to playlists is streamlined to save time and reduce hassle. Users can quickly select tracks and manage their playlists with fewer steps, making it easier to organize and enjoy their favorite music collections on the go.
Initial - 4 clicks
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Redesigned - 2 clicks
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Looping Favorite Songs
Users can now loop 3 to 4 songs easily without creating a full playlist. This feature offers a quick and convenient way to repeatedly enjoy a small set of favorite tracks, enhancing listening control and flexibility.
