SPOTIFY TUNED IN
Design flow for new features allowing for more social interaction on Spotify
Design flow for new features allowing for more social interaction on Spotify
📖 THE PROJECT
📖 THE PROJECT
Tuned In encourages users to share their love of music with one another with its main feature: real-time music listening.
Tuned In encourages users to share their love of music with one another with its main feature: real-time music listening.
🙋♂️ROLE?
🙋♂️ROLE?
Lead UI/UX Designer
Lead UI/UX Designer
📅 WHEN?
📅 WHEN?
Apr 2023 - Jun 2023
Apr 2023 - Jun 2023
🧑🤝🧑WITH WHO?
🧑🤝🧑WITH WHO?
Solo Project
Solo Project
🧰TOOLS USED?
🧰TOOLS USED?
Figma, Sketching, User Flow Mapping, User Prototyping
Figma, Sketching, User Flow Mapping, User Prototyping
DESIGN CHALLENGE
DESIGN CHALLENGE
Expand from personal music discovery to social music discovery to encourage users to leverage their own social networks to use premium services.
Expand from personal music discovery to social music discovery to encourage users to leverage their own social networks to use premium services.
SOLUTION
SOLUTION
Tuned In brings music back to its roots of community
Tuned In brings music back to its roots of community
With live group jam sessions…
With live group jam sessions…
Community
features…
Community features…
and instant
messaging…
and instant messaging!
INITIAL RESEARCH
INITIAL RESEARCH
FRIEND ACTIVITY
FRIEND ACTIVITY
Through Facebook friends, Spotify Desktop already offers real-time viewing of what a user's friends are listening to. Discord also has the same integration by connecting Spotify with Discord.
Through Facebook friends, Spotify Desktop already offers real-time viewing of what a user's friends are listening to. Discord also has the same integration by connecting Spotify with Discord.
IT'S ALREADY THERE…
IT'S ALREADY THERE…
A foundation for "social music discovery" can already be found within Spotify, but it's hidden page through the share icon. In fact, one of Instagram's most popular features, music sharing, is powered by Spotify.
A foundation for "social music discovery" can already be found within Spotify, but it's hidden page through the share icon. In fact, one of Instagram's most popular features, music sharing, is powered by Spotify.
NEEDFINDING
NEEDFINDING
Indicated by the success of Discord bots and services which allowed users to listen with friends, Spotify clearly needed concurrent music listening with friends. Livestreams of music on YouTube also show how even strangers enjoy listening to music with one another online. Popular livestreams, such as that of LoFi Girl, garners an average of 1 million unique daily viewers.
Indicated by the success of Discord bots and services which allowed users to listen with friends, Spotify clearly needed concurrent music listening with friends. Livestreams of music on YouTube also show how even strangers enjoy listening to music with one another online. Popular livestreams, such as that of LoFi Girl, garners an average of 1 million unique daily viewers.
PAST AND CURRENT SERVICES
PAST AND CURRENT SERVICES
Pancake
Pancake
Discord Bot
Discord Bot
Rhythm
Rhythm
Discord Bot
Discord Bot
LoFi Girl
YouTube Stream
turntable.fm
Music Platform
Routinely, there are posts on forums such as Reddit calling for Spotify to implement more social features. Take for example, this post which garnered 506 upvotes and 101 comments.
Routinely, there are posts on forums such as Reddit calling for Spotify to implement more social features. Take for example, this post which garnered 506 upvotes and 101 comments.
Or this post on Spotify's Community Forum, asking for Friend Activity on Mobile which has 7,687 upvotes at the time of writing.
Or this post on Spotify's Community Forum, asking for Friend Activity on Mobile which has 7,687 upvotes at the time of writing.
Even brands and influencers have begun to curate playlists as a means of connecting with their fans and users, indicating that brands receive positive publicity when using these features. Spotify claims "80% of Gen Z's in the U.S. like when brands are able to connect with ALL their sides."
Even brands and influencers have begun to curate playlists as a means of connecting with their fans and users, indicating that brands receive positive publicity when using these features. Spotify claims "80% of Gen Z's in the U.S. like when brands are able to connect with ALL their sides."
I saw there was a clear need for more music discoverability, especially through friends and social circles. Spotify's current features have laid a foundation which could be built upon in my design.
I saw there was a clear need for more music discoverability, especially through friends and social circles. Spotify's current features have laid a foundation which could be built upon in my design.
SYNTHESIZING AND IDEATING
SYNTHESIZING AND IDEATING
Because our user base focused on college students (who typically used Spotify Mobile), I chose to not design for Spotify Desktop.
With this, I begun taking inspiration from Spotify's existing design. First, I recreated a page on Spotify to understand how they are designed. I kept in mind details such as font sizes, margin sizes, and screen size responsiveness in my design.
Because our user base focused on college students (who typically used Spotify Mobile), I chose to not design for Spotify Desktop.
With this, I begun taking inspiration from Spotify's existing design. First, I recreated a page on Spotify to understand how they are designed. I kept in mind details such as font sizes, margin sizes, and screen size responsiveness in my design.
Spotify Original
Spotify Original
Figma Recreation
Figma Recreation
I also laid out clear goals I wanted my design to achieve:
My features should fit seamlessly into Spotify. Through Figma prototyping, it should look, feel, and interact like Spotify. It should also not drastically change any of the existing layout.
My features should adhere to Spotify's current branding by using the brand colors, fonts, spacing, and other minute details.
Both public and private capabilities should be offered. Since both social circles and brands rely upon Spotify as a means of connection, there should be spaces for both parties.
I also laid out clear goals I wanted my design to achieve:
My features should fit seamlessly into Spotify. Through Figma prototyping, it should look, feel, and interact like Spotify. It should also not drastically change any of the existing layout.
My features should adhere to Spotify's current branding by using the brand colors, fonts, spacing, and other minute details.
Both public and private capabilities should be offered. Since both social circles and brands rely upon Spotify as a means of connection, there should be spaces for both parties.
INITIAL PROTOTYPE
INITIAL PROTOTYPE
My first prototype was a high-fidelity screen showcasing real-time music listening.
My first prototype was a high-fidelity screen showcasing real-time music listening.
INITIAL FEEDBACK
INITIAL FEEDBACK
Here was the feedback I received:
Here was the feedback I received:
Dylan Ly
Dylan Ly
CS91SI Instructor
CS91SI Instructor
Initial Prototype Feedback
Initial Prototype Feedback
I really liked how real your prototype looks. I wouldn't have been surprised if you took a screenshot and added the listening bar. Really looking forward to how this turns out.
I really liked how real your prototype looks. I wouldn't have been surprised if you took a screenshot and added the listening bar. Really looking forward to how this turns out.
And some from fellow classmates:
Your direction is so simple and yet it's definitely something I'd use.
I like how true you stay to Spotify, but I'd like to see more social features.
You really made good use of the assets provided to us!
And some from fellow classmates:
Your direction is so simple and yet it's definitely something I'd use.
I like how true you stay to Spotify, but I'd like to see more social features.
You really made good use of the assets provided to us!
FINAL PROTOTYPE
Tuned In brings music back to its roots of community
With live group jam sessions…
Community features…
and instant messaging!
FINAL PROTOTYPE
Tuned In brings music back to its roots of community
With live group jam sessions…
Community
features…
and instant
messaging…
FINAL FEEDBACK AND RESULTS
FINAL FEEDBACK AND RESULTS
On presentation day, here's what Dylan had to say.
On presentation day, here's what Dylan had to say.
Dylan Ly
Dylan Ly
CS91SI Instructor
CS91SI Instructor
Initial Prototype Feedback
Wow, you really fleshed out everything. The only criticism I have is that the Community page looks a little too similar to the Search page, but otherwise, great work!
Because this was made prior to Spotify Jam (released Sep 2023), I feel my product would have been a successful addition to Spotify. However, I do admit I may have overstepped Spotify's purpose by introducing instant messaging. This takes Spotify away from being a music based app to a social app from music features. Spotify does lose some of its identity there.
Because this was made prior to Spotify Jam (released Sep 2023), I feel my product would have been a successful addition to Spotify. However, I do admit I may have overstepped Spotify's purpose by introducing instant messaging. This takes Spotify away from being a music based app to a social app from music features. Spotify does lose some of its identity there.
WHAT I LEARNED
WHAT I LEARNED
Adherence to a brand is an important constraint, both in the details of the design and in the features I choose to implement.
Product requirements can be extremely vague, but this is not always a constraint. It gave me freedom to experiment beyond the current confines of the existing features in the product.
Designing wholly new features can be difficult. Explore how current features can be improved upon first, and then take those ideas into new features.
Adherence to a brand is an important constraint, both in the details of the design and in the features I choose to implement.
Product requirements can be extremely vague, but this is not always a constraint. It gave me freedom to experiment beyond the current confines of the existing features in the product.
Designing wholly new features can be difficult. Explore how current features can be improved upon first, and then take those ideas into new features.
Last updated January 2025
Powered by 🎧 and 🎮 © Brandon Saltzman 2025
Last updated January 2025
Powered by 🎧 and 🎮 © Brandon Saltzman 2025
Last updated January 2025
Powered by 🎧 and 🎮 © Brandon Saltzman 2025