Project: SOULECTION Radio App (Unaffiliated)

Role: All UX Roles

Work By: Justin G. L. Dumlao

Duration: April 2021 - May 2021

Overview

Anton has a 45-minute to 1 hour-long commute into Manhattan at his job at an advertising agency.   He wants to listen to the new exclusive SOULECTION record but isn’t sure whether to check Soundcloud, Spotify, YouTube, Discord, or the website to find the most recent music drops.  If there was 1 consolidated app that controlled all these disparate assets and music releases, it could streamline and improve the overall experience. 

 

As a supporter, I was the UX Designer working independently to imagine a consolidated music and multimedia experience.   

The Problem      

SOULECTION assets are spread across multiple 3rd party apps, making It difficult for users to find the content they are looking for.  Furthermore, coming out of a Pandemic, how can we improve and maintain connection among the SOULECTION community?

Goal

Design a mobile app that consolidates music, videos, merch, events, and other information, in one SOULECTION-owned and run digital location. 

Research

Determined to target die-hard supporters with an exclusive record-release pre order, we asked ourselves, “what would make a user download a new app just to listen to new, unreleased music?”  We wanted to figure out how we could offer the user more “bang for their buck”; a reason to keep returning to the app.    

 

In the midst of the Pandemic in 2020, and with lockdowns still ever-present in people’s minds, a consistent theme was the desire to connect with other SOULECTION fans.  Another theme was the frustration of having to search multiple different platforms to find new content.

 

After gathering the data, I developed wireframes in Figma to ideate and test suitable features for the app.  A Hi-Fi prototype was then created to test the final features. 

 

Prototype

How it Works

 

  1. Keeping it Consistent:  Anton would normally be in a rush on his commute when searching for music.  We intentionally made the interface look and operate similarly to other music apps, which we hoped would decrease the amount of time users need to learn the app, thereby enhancing the experience.

2. Simplify:  Keeping the “less is more” idea top of mind, we wanted to lower the number of clicks Anton had to make in order to pre-order the exclusive music, reducing any mistakes and removing any barriers to him completing the task. 

3. Timely Notifications:  Red-colored notifications were included to signal that music was added to the cart and that a purchase process has started, in order to guide user attention and reduce any perception of waiting. 

Results:  Die-hard fans can stay updated on new music and other content releases thru the main SOULECTION app instead of disparate, 3rd party products.  Repeat usage can be encouraged thru discounted clothing, discounted concert tickets, new music & video releases, and other app-only features.      

User Impact

  • Removes any barriers that a user might come across when trying to experience the music or other content.

  • Rewards die-hard fans with exclusive discounts.

  • Commenting and a chat within the app supports community connection and interaction amid lockdowns.

Final look