Project Duration
April 2022 to June 2022
Role
UX Designer
THE CHALLENGE
Enabling users to experience the band's new album and its value, to promote pre-orders.
RESEARCH
I conducted competitive audit, interviews and created empathy maps to understand the users I’m designing for and their needs. A primary user group identified through research was working professionals who prefer to purchase new music only after having some idea about it by listening to available previews. This user group confirmed initial assumptions about the listeners of the band, but research also revealed that other factors come into play that stops listeners from purchasing music online. Such factors are limited modes of online payment, lack of order tracking or information about the music, and lack of value in purchasing music that will be available on streaming platforms eventually.
INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE
SKETCHES AND PAPER WIREFRAMES
DIGITAL WIREFRAMES AND LOW FIDELITY PROTOTYPE
USABILITY STUDIES
Round 1 findings
Users want better cart interactivity
Users want relevant buttons only and a clean layout
Users want the purpose of the app to be clear
Round 2 findings
Steps in the checkout process could be shortened
Pre-order banner is confusing
Texts and buttons need adjusting
HIGH FIDELITY PROTOTYPE
ACCESSIBILITY CONSIDERATIONS
Added alt text to images for screen readers.
Used icons to help make navigation easier.
Used color themes as per Web Content Accessibility Guidelines.
TAKEAWAYS
Impact
The app helps to connect the listeners with the band and support their indie journey while meeting the user’s need for a good musical experience.
What I learned
While designing the Phosphenes album pre-order app, I learned that the first ideas for the app are only the beginning of the process. Usability studies and peer feedback influenced each iteration of the app’s designs.
NEXT STEPS
Conduct another round of usability studies to validate whether the pain points users experienced have been effectively addressed.
Conduct more user research to determine any new areas of need.
Conduct a design critique session with the team and present the final designs for feedback.