“Zero Button” Music Player

Group Four - HFID 710

Project Outline

• The Echo Nest has developed a next-generation music

recommendation engine

• Extends current API capabilities to location and activity

sensing on smartphones

• A prototype has been built

• Turn that prototype into a product

Methodology

• Four team membersDamon Kiesow – Product Manager / Scrum Master

Saloni Borar – Design Lead

Shawnette Adams – UX Lead

Sarah Letham – Research Lead

• Agile MethodologySix Research/UX sprints

UI iterations

Expert review

Weekly scrum

UX Testing in Sprint Five

• Human-centered design process

Project Limitations

• User testing was unavailable prior to sprint five

• UX test subjects were a convenience sample

• API was not available for UX validation

Research Scope

• Use of current music apps

• Perceived value of recommendations

• Willingness to share data (privacy concerns)

• System image v.s. user model

• Minimum viable interface

Prototype One

Prototype One

Prototype Five

Findings

• Current app playlists are difficult to maintain

• Competitive products leave gaps in user needs

• Users are skeptical of recommendation tools

• Skepticism leads to reluctance to share data

• Reluctance can be mitigated

Data Sharing

• Willingness to share = (perceived value / privacy

concern)

• Users need to understand the value

• System image must be framed correctly

• App name, marketing language, in-app help

• Soft-pitch of permission requirements upon install

User Interface

• Core music controls easily understood

• Playlist management screen functions clear

• Actual functionality of „venues‟ unclear

• Dimension „tuning‟ did not match to user model

Discussion

• After initial prototypes, team re-scoped

• Simplification of UI = need for highly effective AI

• And, highly developed understanding of user needs

• Better understanding of API performance needed

• More foundational research recommended

• Team de-emphasized visual/interaction design efforts

Adjacent ideas

• Use iBeacons to identify nearby users and generate

shared playlist

• Use Songkick API to seed locally performing acts in

playlist

Recommendations

• App name and collateral should strongly frame the

unique values of the app

• Personas should be developed to help clarify

motivations/barriers to use

• Ethnographic study should be performed to identify

gaps to be filled in daily music-listening routines

Recommendations

• Conceptual interface designs should be explored to lead

direction of wireframe development

• Key performance indicators should be used to create

success metrics for „sensor-enhanced‟

recommendations

• User testing should be restarted and continue

throughout the design/development process