Spotify

Overview

The streaming market is saturated with apps catering to specific services, resulting in a fragmented user experience. Spotify's successful expansion into podcasts demonstrates the value of diversifying its offerings. Recently, Spotify released 9 classic books for free, signaling its interest in exploring the audiobook market. This case study aims to design a user-centered audiobook feature that complements Spotify's existing music and podcast collection.

ROLE

UX/UI Designer

TIMELINE

April - May 2022

TOOLS

PROBLEM STATEMENT

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, online streaming services have become increasingly popular, leading to a surge in subscription fatigue. Users are seeking a unified platform that provides a seamless listening experience, reduces costs, and increases discovery of new content.

Research

I started off the project by defining a research plan, which outlined the following goals, methodologies, participants, and timeline. The research aimed to answer the following key questions:

User interest in Spotify audiobooks.

Integration with music and podcasts.

User response to the new feature.

Key user goals and pain points.

PRELIMINARY SURVEY

To validate the audiobook feature hypothesis and assess market demand, I conducted a preliminary survey with 10 participants. The results:

80% expressed interest in the feature;
10% were not interested;
10% were undecided.

COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS

Ownership: users can own books for life;
Purchase options: no direct in-app purchasing;
Pricing: monthly credit system;
Audiobook costs: full retail price is often higher;
Compatibility: available on all devices.

SECONDARY RESEARCH

In 2020, book readers increasingly sought digital alternatives, with audio versions being the most preferred;
The audiobook market size was $1.3bn in 2021, with a 13.3% annual growth rate from 2016 to 2021;
Smartphones have become the primary listening device, accounting for 43.9% of revenue share in 2019;
The narrator's voice and pronunciation are critical factors influencing market growth.

CONSIDERATIONS

Spotify's expansion into podcasts has been successful, with 25% of total users engaging with podcast content. This growth, along with Spotify's release of 9 free classic audiobooks, suggests that integrating audiobooks could be a natural next step.

INDIVIDUAL INTERVIEWS & ONLINE SURVEY

To gain deeper insights into user habits and preferences, I conducted 5 remote interviews and 6 online surveys with Spotify users aged 18-34 who listen to at least 4 audiobooks per year.

Consolidation

Users want all their favorite elements in one place.

Narrator

The narrator's voice is crucial in choosing an audiobook.

Recommendations

Users desire relevant recommendations based on their preferences.

Simplification

Users want to reduce their number of subscriptions and apps.

QUOTE FROM PARTICIPANT #2

" The form is a concern as it's hard to correct it by myself. Also, I need someone to constantly motivate me. "

QUOTE FROM PARTICIPANT #5

" I spend so much time finding the right class on Youtube. I really would like a structured plan with personalized exercises. "

Projects Goals

The primary objectives of this project are to investigate user interest in integrating audiobooks into Spotify and to design a user-centered feature. The following goals will guide the project:

Reduce streaming platform clutter.

Combine music, podcasts, and books in one place.

Provide access to audiobooks.

Attract new users.

Persona

Based on research findings, Jess has been identified as the primary persona, representing the key user archetype to inform future decision-making and design development.

Site Map

Developing a sitemap was essential to integrate the new feature into the existing app framework, ensuring a cohesive user experience.

Task Flow

To understand Jess's journey, I created a task flow to empathize with her experience: purchasing an audiobook, opening the app, and navigating to the new feature.

Sketches &
Wireframes

After defining the key design elements, I started sketching the website's pages and subsequently translated them into wireframes.

SKETCHES | Home SCREEN, SEARCH SCREEN, AUDIOBOOK SEARCH SCREEN

SKETCHES | AUDIOBOOK SCREEN, LIBRARY SCREEN

The wireframes were created to establish the app's architecture and analyze the content hierarchy, ensuring a logical display of information based on my research findings.

WIREFRAMES

GROUP SESSION

I conducted a group session with 9 participants to gather feedback and observe reactions to the high-fidelity design:

Premium benefits unclear: benefits of premium account unclear.
In-app purchasing: Apple's 30% cut a concern.
Payment preference: credit system preferred.
Chapter visibility: participants want to see chapters.
Rating system: review system seems out of brand alignment.

Usability Testing

I conducted 15 usability tests (5 remote via Zoom and 10 via Maze) to observe how users interacted with the prototype:

View Prototype

OBSERVATIONS

90% of users completed all tasks successfully.
Users rated navigation 9/10.
100% felt the prototype aligned with Spotify's brand.
30% expected a separate audiobook section.
100% believed the feature added value to the app.

INSIGHTS

Non-audiobook users are willing to try the trial version due to curiosity.
Podcast listeners may also engage with audiobooks.
Increasing monthly subscription prices would disappoint users.
Users are concerned about the effectiveness of the recommendation system.

Revision

Based on usability testing findings, I implemented the following revisions:

Created a clear differentiation between Spotify plans on the onboarding page.
Added a concise explanation of the credit system on the onboarding page.

Designed a page for users to browse all audiobook chapters.

Added a search bar to the audiobook page.

BEFORE & AFTER

Enhanced player controls to allow 15-second skipping.

BEFORE & AFTER

Implemented the credit system, replacing the in-app buying option.
Replaced the review system with a liking system.

BEFORE & AFTER

View final prototype

TAKEAWAYS

I believe Spotify will explore audiobook integration soon. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated demand for digital alternatives, with audiobooks being the preferred choice for many.

Spotify's potential audiobook integration must address two key challenges: creating clear separation between music, podcasts, and audiobooks to avoid user confusion, and offering a one-stop-shop experience that consolidates favorites in a single app.

This integration could be a game-changer, reducing the number of apps users rely on daily.

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