Platform

During a six month collaboration with Creative Connect, a startup revolutionizing the way fans engage with creatives and industry professionals. This innovative platform enables fans to subscribe to their beloved creatives and industry professionals, granting them access to exclusive content and merchandise. Going beyond conventional interactions, Creative Connect empowers creatives and professionals to not only share content and merchandise, but also to forge intimate connections with their fan base, all while retaining full control of their brand identity.

Leveraging over five years of UX design experience, I employed a user-centric approach to redesigning the app that fosters intimate and enjoyable experiences for both fans and creatives. This case study comprehensively details the design process, incorporating competitive research and user interviews, which culminated in an app that aligns seamlessly with the project's goals and objectives.

Objective: This case study chronicles the design process behind the creation of an app that facilitates intimate and enjoyable experiences for fans, creatives, and industry professionals alike.

1. To narrow the divide between established industry professionals and those aspiring to break into the field.

2. To provide creatives with the autonomy to curate their brand without the involvement of third-party intermediaries.

Platform

End-to-end Responsive iOS

Role

User Research Interaction Design Visual Design UI Design

Team

UX/UI Designer Developers

Timeline

6 months

Tools

Sketch Zeplin

In initiating my research process for this project, I had initially planned to begin with user testing. However, circumstances shifted due to the pandemic, and physical testing became unfeasible. Adapting to the situation, I opted to embark on a comprehensive competitive analysis, followed by engaging in insightful interviews, as the screens below will illustrate.

- The screens utilized in the app exhibited a lackluster aesthetic, featuring dull colors that neither complemented nor conveyed a modern vibe. Additionally, the small font size used posed challenges in terms of readability.

In a landscape dominated by platforms such as Patreon, YouTube Membership, and Instagram, it was vital to perform a comprehensive competitive analysis. This exploration highlighted the strengths and shortcomings of these platforms.

While Patreon offered subscription-based support for creatives, YouTube Membership focused on exclusive content. Instagram excelled at visual engagement. The synthesis of these features uncovered the opportunity to merge the best attributes while mitigating limitations.

Through interviews with industry professionals, emerging creatives, and potential users, I unveiled critical pain points that were overlooked by existing platforms:

Difficulty Finding Industry Professionals: Many users expressed frustration with the challenge of locating and connecting with industry professionals on other platforms, highlighting the need for a streamlined and efficient way to discover experts.

Obstacles in Content Sharing: Several participants cited difficulties in sharing videos due to excessive third-party interference. This underscored the necessity for a platform that streamlined content sharing without unnecessary barriers.

Song Processing Delays: Musicians using SoundCloud noted extended delays in song processing, hindering timely release of their work. This illuminated the significance of an efficient process for content upload and dissemination.

Content Limitations on Voisey: Interviewees using Voisey expressed dissatisfaction with the platform's constraints, allowing only 60-second clips and limiting recording options to pre-existing beats. This emphasized the need for creative freedom and flexibility.

Synthesizing insights from competitive research and user interviews, the design strategy aimed to create a comprehensive app addressing these pain points. It focused on seamless industry professional discovery, simplified content sharing, efficient content processing, and expanded creative possibilities.

Utilizing insights from the interviews, I developed two personas that became guiding beacons throughout the entire product development journey:

Location: Los Angeles

Background: Up-and-coming singer/songwriter with a bachelor's degree

Pain Points: Struggles with connecting with fans and fellow artists, and faces challenges in finding non-commercial opportunities.

Location: Atlanta

Background: Radio Personality

These personas provided invaluable reference points as I designed the app with users in mind. Throughout the design process, I consistently referred back to the pain points identified during the interviews, as they emerged as recurrent themes. These challenges remained at the forefront of decision-making, propelling each step of the design journey.

An exemplary instance of addressing these pain points manifested in the introduction of a crucial feature: an enhanced search capability that enables users to locate industry professionals by their specific titles. This feature directly alleviated the frustration expressed by the personas, showcasing how the design process was driven by a deep understanding of user needs.

Synthesizing insights from competitive research and user interviews, the design strategy aimed to create a comprehensive app addressing these pain points. It focused on seamless industry professional discovery, simplified content sharing, efficient content processing, and expanded creative possibilities.

The Creative Connect app emerged as a solution that catered to the specific needs identified in research and interviews. With enhanced search algorithms, users could effortlessly locate industry professionals. Streamlined content sharing mechanisms minimized third-party interference. Swift content processing was ensured through a streamlined system, and artists could enjoy unrestricted creativity, unlike platforms like Voisey.

Once I tested out all usability mistakes, I started designing the final screens in Sketch.

I wanted to make sure the app had a light, fresh and modern feel to it. I wanted the app to have a totally different feel than what is currently has.

I made sure to follow iOS style throughout the app.

I believe this design will attract creatives and industry professionals who are open to having that intimate experience with their fans and other professionals within the industry.

High-fidelity prototypes of the app were iteratively developed and subjected to rigorous usability testing. Feedback from industry professionals, creatives, and potential users was meticulously incorporated into the design, fine-tuning user interactions, aesthetics, and overall experience.

Outcome: The Creative Connect app seamlessly addressed the pain points identified through user interviews, offering an unparalleled solution for both creatives and fans. The app facilitated genuine connections, content sharing without hindrances, and streamlined content processing, providing a platform for boundless creativity.

Conclusion: This case study underlines the transformative role of competitive research and user interviews in shaping a digital product that caters meticulously to user needs. By synergizing these insights with the principles of user-centric design, the Creative Connect app emerged as a powerful testament to the impact of addressing pain points and delivering a product that truly empowers its users.

Since the app is a new concept, in about 6 months and gathering data and frustrations from users, there should be more research done to improve the app.