Lean UX Canvas

I chose Spotify, mostly because it is possibly my favorite and most used app. and Music is life right? To get started I needed to conduct a Business Analysis to get a better scope of the company and its users. I entrusted my process with a Lean UX Canvas, which served as a framework for what I need to focus on and accomplish, by setting certain goals that would translate to user benefits.

Normally, you would have access to the stakeholders however as that was not the case here, I made an educated assumption based on secondary research.

With the Lean UX canvas, I was able to outline the Business Problem, possible Business Outcomes, defined the users I should focus on first, and User goals & benefits. 

Competitive Feature Chart

Now that I have a framework to guide me, I needed to delve a little deeper into research. I started with the Competitive Feature Chart, which allowed me to discover who the direct (Apple Music, Amazon Music, Youtube Music) and indirect competition (Audible, Ted Talks, Live Shows) was. From there I started to list the features each had to uncover any patterns, mental models, and areas of opportunities there might be.

Market Positioning Map

In order to analyze Spotify’s current position and competitors' position within their market, I turned to the Market Positioning Map, which allows you to visually determine blue oceans (uncontested market space). Based on the list of features created with the Comp. Feature chart, I looked to define the axis for the Map, X-Axis, Niche & Popular, and Y-Axis, Multifaceted & Standard, provided the clearest blue ocean, to become more multifaceted thus becoming more popular. 

Quantitative Data

I now had a better understanding of the market and where there were areas of opportunity. However, I still needed to get a better understanding of the targeted user and their needs and wants. I started my user research by collecting Quantitative data in the form of surveys and received 37 responses.

The main insights here were:

• 73% use Spotify on a daily basis

• 100% find Spotify easy to use

• 77% listen to Podcasts

• 67% use Spotify to listen to Podcasts

Qualitative Data

I now had a better understanding of the statistics associated with Spotify users. I wanted to better understand the perspectives and the behaviors by collecting Qualitative data in the form of interviews. I was able to conduct 5 interviews via zoom (we are now in month 11 of Quarantine) and used my trusty app. Otter. 

The main insight here was that it backed up the quantitative data gathered, in that you could see a common thread; the rise of the podcast listener. 

•4/5 Listen to Podcasts

•All Listen to Educational, Motivational and comical podcasts

•All Prefer Spotify to competitive apps

An interviewee mentioned something that would prove to be very important to defining my MVP. 

“I have been listening to podcasts more than ever…I find myself taking notes to share with others or to come back to for reference.”

Affinity Diagram

I now wanted to dissect all the data gathered to find patterns and insights. I started with the Affinity Diagram and placed alike categories together. For instance, how often they use Spotify, where they use it, and what they use it for most. I was then able to label the patterns into groups and lastly color-coordinated the post-is to visually enhance the patterns. 

Main Takeaway was again the recurring theme of the increase in users listening to podcasts that motivate and educate.

Value Proposition Canvas- Customer Profile

The Value Proposition Canvas consists of two sides; Products & Services and Customer profile. You start with the customer profile side, which is intended to define the customer’s “job to be done” and the associated positive (gains) and negative (pains) experiences, including Functional, Emotional, and Social jobs. 

‘Jobs to be done’ as defined by Strategyn proposes that “in order to understand customer needs in a way that makes innovation predictable, companies should stop focusing on the product or the customer and instead focus on the underlying process or “job” the customer is trying to get done.” Meaning, what does a user “hire” Spotify for.

We use the Value Proposition Canvas in its entirety ( I will talk about the Products & Services side later) to ensure the product or service we ultimately provide is a good market fit with the customer and adds value to their experience. 

As-Is Map

From the data collected and some assumptions, I started by brainstorming things a user would do/think/ and feel while using Spotify. From there I was able to find patterns that translated to phases.

Phases:

Activity — Listening while: working, exercising, at home, commuting

Discovery — Looking for: new songs, playlists, artists, podcasts

Customizing — Creating: playlists, cover art, editing playlists

Sharing/Social — Sharing playlists, songs, podcasts, listening with friends, group sessions

Journey Map

From the insights gathered in the As-is Map as well as user research, I was able to hone in on a specific user journey in order to uncover specific pain points to address. The journey was, User wants to share a great podcast they have discovered.

I was able to establish 3 pain points that when dissected would become areas of opportunities. 

Problem Statements

I converted the pain points into more detailed problem statements.

Needs to be able to easily share certain content to someone that might not want or have time to listen to it in its entirety.

Needs to be able to access certain areas of content to be able to revisit for sharing, inspiration, education etc.

Needs to make a quick and easy choice when listening to new music of where to save the new content

IDEATE

I was now ready to ideate solutions for the 3 pain points. Using the HMW statements as the framework, I came up with 21 ideas. Brainstorming is not as fun when you are doing it alone. Without the ‘yes, and’ technique, it really is a struggle to pump out ideas in a short period of time. I used the timeboxing technique and gave myself 12 minutes for each HMW statement.

MoSCoW Method

I was now ready to dissect my ideas in order to prioritize features that would ultimately form the MVP. I applied the Moscow method in order to filter these ideas into Must-have, Should have, could have, and won’t have. By combining the impact vs effort and Moscow method I was able to visually see the impact an idea would have and how much effort it would take to implement. 

Value Proposition Canvas- Products & Services

I now needed to ensure the services we would offer were a good market fit. So I was ready to complete the value proposition canvas by addressing the products and services side to make sure the ideas I filtered down to indeed would offer gains and relieve pains or frustrations for the user.

Job Story

After concluding that the features would provide value to the user, to back up my findings I used the Jobs story framework as that allows you to focus on context instead of assumptions. First I wanted to get a grasp on what the company’s overall job story is or why the user hires Spotify. 

Essentially, Spotify’s story is their mission statement, “to unlock the potential of human creativity — by giving a million creative artists the opportunity to live off their art and billions of fans the opportunity to enjoy and be inspired by it.”

From there I focused on a user’s very specific journey. By seeing a job in a specific context, it allowed me to hone in on a solution that would bring value to the user’s experience.

“WHEN listening to a podcast for motivational and educational insights, 

USER WANTS TO highlight or preserve a certain part that resonated with them, 

SO THAT THEY CAN share with friends and family and can revisit when the user pleases without effort. 
WHICH MAKES THEM FEEL motivated, accomplished, productive, and influential.”

User Flow

Now I was ready to start prototyping but first I needed to create a flow outline that would help me map out the User’s Happy Path, a scenario featuring no exceptions or error conditions.

Lo-fi Prototype & Usability Test

I start with a lo-fi prototype, as it is quick, easy, and inexpensive. It allows you to get the product testable quickly for feedback to then improve and iterate the process.

I submitted the sketched prototype into Maze and had 8 testers.

Lo-fi Prototype & Usability Test

On this particular page, a few of the users while narrating their process, came to a crossroad when asked to go to the podcast section. They said that they almost thought the ‘button’ looked just like regular headline text and not a pathway. However, I needed to adhere to Spotify’s design language and therefore no changes of that kind could be made. I was confident that once in hi-fi, it would be more clear and their mental models of Spotify would kick in.

Next Steps…

• Usability Test the Hi-Fi prototype

• Conduct additional research on any knowledge gaps

• Work on remaining Must Haves, Should haves

Success & Failure Metrics

In order to measure the success of the feature, you need to implement and define success and failure metrics.

Success Metrics

• High percentages of sharing “clipped content” 

• Increase in both DAU/MAU 

• Low Time on Task

• New users

Failure Metrics

• High churn rate

• Low usage of clip feature

• High misclick rates

• Longer times on task