UX/UI Research + Product Design
5 Months | January - May 2024
ROLE
TEAM
UX/UI Researcher
Digital & Graphic Designer
3 Designers
FIGMA
ILLUSTRATOR
AFTER EFFECTS
NEXT.js
Groove
01.
Overview
Groove is a social platform for music lovers to discover, discuss, and share tracks that capture how they’re feeling. Through reviews, curated playlists, and a community-driven rating system, it creates connections around shared musical tastes.
Designed for Gen Z and millennials, Groove blends nostalgia with discovery, making music exploration more social and meaningful.
02.
Challenge
Music streaming platforms offer endless choices, but they don’t provide a real space for discussion and critique. Listeners can explore new tracks, but there’s no dedicated place to review, rate, or debate music.
Instead, conversations are scattered across social media, making it harder for music lovers to connect, share real opinions, and discover new sounds beyond what algorithms recommend.
03.
Designing Groove Around Listener’s Needs
After speaking with music enthusiasts, from casual listeners to dedicated fans, to understand how they engage with music discovery and discussion. Here’s what we found:
Key Findings
Music discussions are scattered across social media, making it hard for people to find in-depth reviews or real conversations in one place. Many felt that streaming platforms focus on listening but don’t offer a space to engage, debate, or share opinions meaningfully.
01. No Central Space for Music Conversations
Listeners often feel stuck in recommendation loops where algorithms suggest the same types of music repeatedly. Many expressed a desire for discovery through real people, whether through reviews, discussions, or curated playlists, rather than just AI-generated suggestions.
02. Algorithm Fatigue
For many, the best way to find new music is through friends, niche communities, and personal recommendations. There’s a strong interest in a platform where people can rate, review, and share music in a way that feels more personal and engaging.
03. Community-Driven Discovery Matters
04.
Solution
Groove creates a home for real music discussions with a Dedicated Review Section, where people can rate and review songs, albums, and artists, and Community Threads, which spark engaging conversations beyond just ratings.
01. A Central Space for Music Conversations
Instead of repetitive AI recommendations, Groove highlights what listeners truly love. The Trending Albums Display keeps everyone informed on what’s gaining traction, while the Personalized Music Quiz curates playlists that match different moods and evolving tastes.
02. Music Discovery That Feels Fresh & Personal
Music is best discovered through people, not just algorithms. With User-Curated Playlists and Community Ratings, Groove makes it easier to explore music through shared experiences, personal recommendations, and real conversations.
03. A Community-Driven Approach to Finding Music
05.
Wireframing & Initial Iterations
Groove is designed to feel effortless to navigate, keeping music discovery and discussion at the heart of the experience. Early wireframes helped shape how people explore albums, share opinions, and connect over the music they love.
Every detail was considered, from the review feed that keeps conversations flowing to the personalized music quiz that helps uncover the perfect soundtrack for any moment. The goal is to create a space that feels natural, inviting, and easy to use, where discovering and talking about music happens seamlessly.
06.
Branding & Styleguide
Groove’s visual identity is designed to feel lively, inviting, and seamlessly connected to the music experience. Every element, including colours, typography, and the logo, works together to create a brand that feels dynamic, expressive, and easy to recognize.
The colour palette takes inspiration from Groove’s mascots, capturing a range of moods and musical styles. The typography is clean and modern, making everything easy to read while keeping a distinct personality. The logo, inspired by sound vibrations, represents the energy and movement of music.
This style guide keeps everything consistent, ensuring that Groove looks and feels like a place for real music lovers to explore, connect, and share their passion.
07.
Final Iterations
Groove’s final iteration reflects a full-cycle design process grounded in research, creativity, and technical execution. After identifying key user needs through surveys and usability testing, the app was designed to prioritize meaningful music conversations, real-time discovery, and community-driven engagement.
Following multiple rounds of wireframing and prototyping, the interface was refined to enhance clarity, accessibility, and overall user flow. Key features such as the Dedicated Review Section, Trending Albums Display, and Personalized Music Quiz were polished to deliver a seamless experience.
To bring the vision to life, Groove was developed using Next.js, allowing for a fast, responsive, and scalable platform. This final iteration merges thoughtful design with robust front-end development, creating a space where music lovers can explore, review, and connect through the music they love.
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