Design Thinking meets the User Experience with SoundCloud

Design Thinking meets the User Experience with SoundCloud

• 1.
   1     Soundcloud  User  Researcher  Role  -­‐  Renzo  D’Andrea                 Challenge  &  Objective     I  carried  out  User  Research  Interviews  with  five  users  in  two  scenarios  in  London,  house   party  and  coffee  shops.  The  interview  insights  helped  me  to  forecast  potential  pivots  in  the   final  recommendations.     The   report   is   focused   on   the   SoundCloud   Android   app   to   identify   three   usability   issues   through  the  User  Experience.                                                    Joanna,  25  yrs  old  from  Brazil,  Pret-­‐a-­‐Manger  Assistant                                                        Chris,  22  yrs  old  from  Manchester,  student                                                        Colin,  34  yrs  old  from  London,  independent  musician                                                          Matthew,  31  yrs  old  from  Glasgow,  Web  Developer,  DJ                                                                  Andrea,  28  yrs  old  from  Italy,  Independent  Musician         Service  Innovation       In  the  Digital  Music  Industry  companies  need  to  decide  which  tech  trends  to  invest  in  to   fulfil  the  user  satisfaction.  In  the  last  two  decades  the  MP3  and  iTunes  buried  the  CD,  then   online   streaming   is   killing   MP3   and   iTunes,   and   now   the   Vinyl   is   showing   a   modest   comeback.     What’s  next…?  
• 2.
   2     Soundcloud  User  Researcher  Role  -­‐  Renzo  D’Andrea             http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-­‐arts-­‐36027867     According   to   an   ICM   poll,   half   of   consumers   tend   to   listen   to   an   album   online   before   purchasing   a   vinyl   copy.   This   behaviour   sees   involved   SoundCloud   or   YouTube   users,   highlighting  that  free  music  can  generate  a  substantial  profit.     For   users   the   value   of   a   service   is   the   integration   of   their   interactions   and   experience.   Embracing   the   socio-­‐cultural   approach,   we   seek   to   learn   what   an   individual   does,   feels,   knows   and   says.   Service   Innovation   involves   changing   practices,   resulting   in   different   experiences  for  users  in  which  they  change  behaviours  and  perceptions.  Also,  think  of  the   importance  of  serendipity  as  a  mixture  of  observation  and  curiosity  that  allows  us  to  learn   from  the  unexpected:  habits,  stories,  and  meaning  in  the  user  experience.  In  the  face  of  the   consumer  ‘weirdness’,  Service  Innovation  can  provide  a  holistic  picture  of  what’s  needed  in   designing  a  service  experience.       How  can  we  look  at  pains  and  gains  for  the  usability  issues?     I  applied  a  Value  Proposition  Canvas  split  in  two  maps.  Firstly,  the  Customer  Profile  clarifies   your   customer   understanding.   Secondly,   the   Value  Map   describes   how   you   aim   to   create   value  for  that  customer.  Finally,  you  achieve  Fit  between  the  two  when  one  meets  the  other.      
• 3.
   3     Soundcloud  User  Researcher  Role  -­‐  Renzo  D’Andrea         https://strategyzer.com/books/value-­‐proposition-­‐design     During   the   interviews,   I   used   the   Design   Thinking   toolkit   in   the   discovery   phase:   observation,   ethnography,   empathy   and   listening.   My   aim   was   to   unearth   feelings   and   struggles  in  order  to  map  extreme  pains  and  essential  gains.     Afterwards  I  started  the  Journey  to  step  into  the  customer’s  shoes:          Customer  Profile           The  Customer  profile  above  depicts  the  discovery  phase  where  I  conducted  interviews  with   five   users.   By   listening   and   observing   the   users   in   their   surroundings,   my   aim   was   to   understand  through  open  questions  in  three  areas  with  empathy.     The  customer  jobs  are  how  the  users  try  to  perform  their  tasks,  the  need  they  are  trying  to   satisfy.    The  customer   pains  are  anything  that  hinders  the  user  before,  during  and  after   Select  the  customer  segment     Identify  Customer  Jobs     Identify  Customer  Pains   Identify  Customer  gains     Prioritize  jobs,  gains,  3  issues   !! ! !Build!up!my!iden,ty!through!exposure! with!my!image!on!line! ! I!can!upload!my!remixes!easily.!! Achieve!a!decent!income!from!my!music! produc,on!on!line!! lI!can!keep!listening!to!Music!when!the!screen!is! locked!! Keep!in!touch!with!my!DJ!friends!in!Brazil! and!their!music.!I!see!their!soundcloud! tracks!posted!on!FB!!!! Too!long!to!market!myself!on!Souncloud,!I!prefer! Youtube!with!images!and!video!! I"can’t"chat"with"other"ar.sts"on"my"phone"I"need" to"go"home"to"do"that!! The!range!of!music!genres!is!narrow,!Dj!rap!and! hip!hop…I!want!to!find!out!similar!ar,st!as!me!! Soundcloud"download"is"not"as"fast"as" Spo.fy,"same"story"for"quality!! No"clear"path"to"top"list"on"the"app,"I" can’t"find"it"actually!! Shared!plaKorm!&!feel!connected!! Download!faster!with!!more!quality!! Discover!new!music!!engaging!more!ar,st!! Enable!an!ar,st!network!chat!on!SoundCloud!app!! Opportunity!to!create!your!own!personal!video!!&!!images! porKolio!! Customer!Pain! Customer!Gain! Customer! Jobs!
• 4.
   4     Soundcloud  User  Researcher  Role  -­‐  Renzo  D’Andrea         trying   to   get   the   job   done.     The   customer   gains   are   about   how   much   the   users   would   expect  or  dream  a  better  performance  as  a  desired  gain.     I   identified   the   following   three   SoundCloud   usability   issues   according   to   what   might   leverage  the  users  experience  in  the  Android  app:       1  -­‐  The  barrier  to  communicate  between  users  through  messenger  on  the  phone   2  -­‐  Lack  of  top  sound  quality  along  with  a  faster  downloading     3  -­‐  No  clear  path  to  top  lists  on  the  app                                                                                                                                          Value  Map       In   the   second   map   of   the   Value   Proposition   Design   (above)   I   outlined   what   SoundCloud   currently  offers  as  Product  and  Services.       The  Pain  Relievers  describe  how  SoundCloud  alleviates  specific  customer  pains,  trying  to   remove  obstacles  that  annoy  the  users  before,  during  or  after  their  tasks.     The  Gain   Creators   are  potential  pathways  to  address  the  users’  expectations,  desires  or   how  including  functional  utility,  social  gains,  and  positive  emotions  would  surprise  them.   Therefore,  as  result  of  this  journey,  in  order  to  address  the  three  usability  issues  identified,   the  three  gains  creators  for  the  Android  app  would  be:     1  -­‐  A  messenger  platform  to  allow  users  to  chat  to  each  other   2-­‐    A  user  friendly  feature  for  a  clear  path  to  top  lists     3  -­‐  Improvements  in  sound  quality  and  downloading  speed     Product( and( Services( Pain(Relievers( Gain(Creators( Free(Music(easy7to7use( pla9orm(which(allows( listeners,(up7and7coming( ar?sts(and(DJs(to(share(their( music.(( Soundcloud(Go(is(a(monthly( paid(subscrip?on(with(over(125( million(songs(and(includes( content(from(major(ar?sts.( ( Allows(users(to(manage(the(tracks(when(the(screen(is(locked( Eliminate(social(and(economic(barriers( Prototype(a(messenger(pla9orm(allowing(users(to(chat(on(the(app((( Trying(to(improve(the(sound(quality( Design(an(engaging(feature(for(top(list(on(the(app( Freedom(&(Crea?ve(Networking((
• 5.
   5     Soundcloud  User  Researcher  Role  -­‐  Renzo  D’Andrea           Final  Recommendations     The  three  identified  issues  require  a  further  analysis.  The  following  final  recommendations   are  to  expand  my  initial  research  for  this  complex  business  scenario  and  to  complete  the   Value  Proposition  Design  into  Beta  testing.       The  first  recommendation  I  suggest  is  to  create  the  SoundCloud  Brand  Persona  as  result  of   motivations,  attitudes,  and  behaviours  among  diverse  users.  Storytelling  plays  an  important   role  to  frame  the  challenge  in  human  terms.  A  compelling  story  will  bond  the  customers  on   an  emotional  level.  The  brand  persona  should  serve  as  ‘Rosetta  stone’  for  the  innovation   process.     Secondly,  it  could  be  helpful  to  look  at  big  data  to  try  to  apply  a  deep  thinking  on  what  really   matters   to   the   music   users.   Observe   the   users   in   the   core   of   their   activities   to   develop   insights  based  on  their  known  and  unknown  needs  and  wants.  It  is  an  approach  that  entails   more  watching  than  talking  in  order  to  understand  where  do  they  come  from,  how  often,  how   long,  where  do  they  go,  why.  This  is  also  known  as  PEST  Analysis.     Finally,  I  recommend  the  Human-­‐Centered  Design  approach  (illustrated  below)  as  a  set  of   intuitive  principles  able  to  unlock  potential  solutions.  Through  a  deep  understanding  of  the   user  emotions,  needs  and  feelings  the  Human-­‐Centered  Design  approach  shapes  the  value   proposition  design  with  prototyping  possibilities.  This  methodology  is  an  iterative  process   of  investigating  the  users  in  their  natural  surroundings,  turning  barriers  and  obstacles  into   new  opportunities.           An  intersection  of  hard  data,  customer  centricity  and  human-­‐centred  design  can  provide  a   sustainable  competitive  advantage:  eliminate  customer  pain,  elevate  customer  service  and   create  a  personalized  customer  experience.