Musician Mobile/Tablet
This app is a tool that is used to help fellow musicians connect. The goal was to make the connection process easy and enjoyable.
The Problem
Musicians have a difficult time finding other fellow musicians. Current music connection tools have cluttered information, plus comparing and keeping track of musicians is tough.
The Solution
I solved this issue by compiling the user’s profiles into summarized profile cards. The user can use a filter to narrow down candidates and find a compatible match. The users can save these cards and then message the fellow musician once they are ready. Overall, this design layout significantly increases the chances of the musician finding the right connection, and it saves the user a significant amount of time finding a musician.
Understanding the user
User Journey
I wanted to get an idea of what the user was experiencing when going through the process of connecting with a fellow musician. One idea I got out of this study was having users scroll instead of swipe through users. Unlike traditional connection applications that rely on swiping, scrolling through profiles allows users to compare and contrast different musicians.
Compedative Audit
I did a competitive audit to figure out what direct music connections applications are doing well and what they need to improve. To the right is a shortened version of the audit. One edge that my device would have would be giving the user the ability to save musicians before connecting with them. This would help users sort and compare candidates.
Persona
Age: 28
Education: Bachelors
Hometown: Derry NH
Family: Wife
Occupation: Cabinet Designer
Pat is an experienced musician who needs to find a band because he enjoys playing music with other people.
Pain Points
Navigation:
Other musician connections apps try to fit too much text and features on one page. This makes the screen harder to scan.
Features:
Users can’t compare and save users. This increases the chance of not being connected with the right musician.
Time:
Users spend a significant amount connecting with bandmates who don’t have matching interests.
Research Summarization
Most users play music as a hobby or as a part-time job. Most that want to meet with other musicians that have a strong passion for music. I’ve concluded that users are frustrated when they get matched with incompatible musicians. They want to know the level of commitment that another musician is willing to make and where their passion for music lies. They’re frustrated with how cluttered the information can be on some music sites and how they can't compare and contrast other musicians.
User Interviews
In order to understand the users needs, I conducted an interview and had 6 Musicians answer questions. Here are some of the questions I asked.
How do you connect with other musicians? Do you find the process easy or hard?
“I typically go to open mics. There a decent amount of people but it was tough finding a drummer. ”
“I usually ask around at band shows. It can be hard to find someone.”
“I ask my friends if they know of anyone that might be interested. It can be a long tough process to find someone.”
“I go to open mics in my area. Depending on what you're looking for, it’s not too hard to find someone if you look around a bit.”
“I go to open mics in my area. Depending on what you're looking for, it’s not too hard to find someone if you look around a bit.”
“It can be tough finding someone with similar music taste.”
Is it easy or difficult to find the right musician?
“It’s been hard finding someone who’s at a similar skill level to me.”
“ The band that I’m in is pretty serious about practicing. It was tough to find someone with that level of commitment.”
“It hasn’t been to hard finding someone to jam with. It can be rare though to find someone that gels with me.”
“It was difficult. We went through three people before we found the right one.”
Starting the design
By letting users view multiple profiles simultaneously, they can effortlessly compare and contrast different musicians. If the user wants to know more about a musician, all they have to do is click on the card, and it will take them to the user's profile.
Wire Frames
Sitemap
For other music connect apps, one the main issue was navigation. I purposely wanted to make sure that the musician page was only a summarization page. By placing the detailed information about each musician on separate pages, the application becomes much easier to read and navigate.
Usability Study
After creating Wireframes and a Prototype, the next step was to do unmoderated usability. I asked 4 participants to complete different tasks in the app. The goal was to gather feedback from participants to figure out what in the design worked well or what didn't.
Filter
Need to cleanup filter design elements so user can easily scan the page.
Connections
Need to simplify the user connection page navigation.
Main Findings From Usability Study
Text
The text on the profile page needs to be enlarged to allow for easier readability.
Prompt 1: Add a skill to your search filter
Observations
Clicked on the filter option quicklyTook awhile to find the skills section
Prompt 3: Find a signer and send a connection request to a profile
Observations
Got back to the main page without issueFound and connected with a singer quickly
Promte 1 Quote
" The search fields through me off a little bit. Didn't realize they were search fields at first.""
Promt 3 Quote
"The process was easy and striaght forward."
Prompt 2: Add a skill and a audio recording to your profile
Observations
Got to the profile without any issueWas was moving closer to the screen to view the content
Prompt 4: Message a user named The Strokes
Observations
Clicked on connection sent page by mistakeAfter going back to connections made user didn't have any stopages
Promte 2 Quote
" I had a hard time reading the text on this page."
These users gave me very useful feedback on areas for improvement in the application. Below are some key insights I gained from studying and questioning them. I used these insights to refine the design and uncover issues with the application.
Prompt 4 Quote
" Accedently clicked wrong page, other than I didn't have any issues."
What Changed?
Getting rid of the user sent page simplifies the user’s path to sending a message. I also added an option to delete messages to help the user clean up the screen and stay organized.
Finished Product
What Changed?
I used contrasting colors and changed the shape of the search fields to help the user distinguish the text fields from the buttons. I also added more space between the filter categories so it’s easier for users to tell them apart.
What Changed?
Enlarging the text on the user profile page enhances readability, making key information easier to absorb at a glance. Additionally, relocating the location search field to the top of the page and grouping the Skills, Genre and Looking For categories together creates a cleaner layout and significantly improves scannability.
Match or delete a profile
Users can search for and connect with musicians. I decided to show a bunch of profiles at once so it's easier to quickly scan through them. This also makes it less tempting to just swipe without actually reading. Additionally, using buttons instead of swipe gestures helps reinforce more intentional browsing. Overall, this setup increases the chances of users finding what they're looking for.
High Fidelity Designs
App Design Changes
Impact
Users liked how you can filter through musicians and you can scroll through multiple musician profiles.
Refining The Design
What I learned
I learned that even the smallest changes to an app can make a big difference in the overall experience.
Filter
Users can refine their search by clicking on different filter buttons, helping them quickly narrow down their options. High contrast orange buttons clearly indicate which filters are selected, making the experience more intuitive. If users can’t find the filter they need, they also have the option to type into the search field to locate specific filters more easily. This setup ensures musicians can quickly and efficiently find exactly what they’re looking for.
Profile edit
The user’s profile ensures that people will know the musicians style and what they’re looking for. A variety of text fields, buttons, and music video uploads help make the user’s profile stand out.
Messaging user
This process helps users gather more information to make sure they’re a good match. Messaging is the final step in connecting with a musician. When users are ready, they can head to their matches and start a conversation.