SoundWave
Revolutionizing Music Creation with AI
End-to-end iOS App for music creation
Duration: 80 Hours
Role: User Research | Product Design | Visual Design | Branding
Tools: Figma | Otter.ai | Adobe Photoshop
Project Overview:
SoundWave is a revolutionary online music creation platform that harnesses the power of AI. It empowers users, from aspiring musicians to seasoned composers, to craft mesmerizing 4-minute musical compositions across various styles and instruments. With a user-centric approach and boundary-defying capabilities, SoundWave promises an intuitive and immersive experience that pushes the boundaries of music creation.
Problem Statement:
Traditional music creation faces limitations, hindering aspiring musicians and composers in their quest for diverse styles and instruments. This issue extends to the complexity of music theory, deterring newcomers and frustrating seasoned musicians yearning for new horizons. The absence of accessible AI-powered tools exacerbates these challenges.
SoundWave, our innovative AI-driven music creation platform, addresses these issues. It empowers users to blend musical styles, explore instruments, and receive real-time feedback. SoundWave breaks down barriers and inspires creativity for musicians and enthusiasts worldwide, revolutionizing music composition.
“A groundbreaking AI-driven music creation platform for musicians, enthusiasts, and educators. Seamlessly blend musical styles, access a vast array of virtual instruments, compose in real-time, and collaborate within a vibrant community. Join the harmonic revolution!”
Design Thinking Process
1// EMPHATHIZE
❐ Competitive Analysis:
I conducted a comprehensive competitive analysis of Amper Music, Jukedeck, and MuseNet to evaluate their strengths and weaknesses in the AI-generated music composition industry.
❐ SWOT Analysis:
I conducted a SWOT competitive analysis after a thorough competitive analysis to evaluate their strengths and weaknesses in the AI-generated music composition industry. This process helped me gain insights into SoundWave's position in the market and informed the design decisions for the project.
What unique user needs can our platform fulfill compared to competitors?
How can we enhance the user interface and experience for our platform?
What strategies can ensure superior music quality and originality?
How much customization and control should users have?
Should we focus on building a content library or emphasize on-demand music generation?
What competitive pricing models and monetization strategies can we offer?
How can we provide strong user support and educational resources?
What's our plan for handling licensing and copyright for AI-generated music?
What innovative features will set us apart, and what's our long-term roadmap?
How will our platform target specific audiences and market effectively?
❐ Take-away Questions:
❐ User Interviews:
What are people’s goals, what methods do they use to learn, and what do they struggle with?
“How familiar are you with AI-powered music creation apps or platforms?”
1// I'm quite familiar with AI-powered music creation apps. I regularly use them to experiment with different musical styles and generate new ideas.
2// I have heard about AI-powered music creation apps, but I haven't had the chance to explore them in-depth yet.
“How do you perceive the role of AI in music creation? Does it enhance or replace human creativity?”
1// I believe AI enhances human creativity by providing unique insights and suggesting novel musical ideas. It complements human creativity rather than replacing it.
2// I think AI plays a supportive role in music creation. While it can generate interesting compositions, the true emotional depth and artistry come from human composers.
“What attracts you to use AI-powered music creation apps over traditional music composition methods?”
1// AI-powered apps offer an exciting and convenient way to explore musical genres and instruments I wouldn't have considered otherwise. They open up a world of creative possibilities.
2// The real-time feedback and interactive features of AI-powered apps appeal to me. They allow me to experiment and fine-tune my compositions on the go.
Traditionalist Musician - David:
Background: David, 48, a traditional musician, values emotional connections in his compositions through conventional methods but is curious about AI-powered music creation.
Goals and Behaviors:
Wants to explore AI music apps cautiously, preserving traditional core.
Prefers platforms with clear guidance and support.
Seeks assurance that AI doesn't compromise authenticity.
Pain Points:
Worried AI may lead to emotionally shallow and unoriginal compositions.
Hesitant about sharing work broadly; prefers privacy.
Professional Composer - Alex:
Background: Alex, a 35-year-old professional composer, seeks technology to enhance his compositions without sacrificing emotional depth.
Goals and Behaviors:
Seeks AI platforms with advanced tools and high-quality instruments for complex musical arrangements.
Values AI-generated suggestions for fresh creative directions.
Enjoys collaborating with skilled musicians for innovative projects.
Pain Points:
Cautious about AI affecting emotional depth in his music.
Concerned about copyright issues with AI-generated music; prioritizes intellectual property rights.
Creative Explorer - Amelia:
Background: Amelia, a 22-year-old aspiring musician, uses technology to explore various musical genres and seeks to break traditional boundaries in her compositions.
Goals and Behaviors:
Aims to blend diverse musical styles to create unique compositions.
Uses online platforms and AI apps for inspiration and refinement.
Open to collaboration and sharing work with a like-minded community.
Values user-friendly interfaces and real-time interaction for composition.
Pain Points:
Worries about the originality of her compositions and seeks authenticity.
Occasionally overwhelmed by the vast choices of styles and instruments in AI platforms.
❝HMW QUESTIONS❞
HMW empower musicians with real-time composition adjustments?
HMW use AI for personalized music feedback and exploration?
HMW build a supportive musician community in our AI platform?
HMW balance AI suggestions with human creativity?
HMW simplify the AI music generator for user-friendliness?
HMW allow user customization for unique compositions?
HMW offer effective user support, especially for beginners?
HMW continuously innovate our AI music generator?
❐ POV and HMW Statements:
I prepared POV and HMW statements to focus on specific user problems, generate design ideas, and align stakeholders around user-centric solutions.
❝POV STATEMENTS❞
As an aspiring musician, I seek an AI music platform like SoundWave with diverse styles and instruments for seamless genre blending and fresh inspiration.
As a composer, I desire an AI music generator that collaborates emotionally to create innovative, resonant compositions.
As a music enthusiast, I want a user-friendly AI music platform with personalized recommendations.
As a beginner composer, I need AI music software with tutorials and support to grow my skills and express my artistic vision.
2// DEFINE
❐ Affinity Mapping:
Following the user interviews, I transcribed each session and organized the key points into sticky notes.
❐ Research Insights:
Through affinity mapping, I identified the common user needs, user pain points and user goals.
User Needs:
Ease of music creation
Variety of musical styles
AI assistance
Instrument options
Accessibility features
❐ Personas:
Following the research insights, I created three personas; traditionalist musician, professional composer and creative explorer.
User Pain Points:
Learning curve
Technical issues
Lack of inspiration
Limited customization
Cost
User Goals:
Create music effortlessly
Explore diverse musical genres
Enhance creativity with AI
Experiment with different instruments
Affordable pricing
❐ The Problem:
The detailed ideas and priorities encompass a holistic approach to enhancing the SoundWave platform, ensuring it meets the diverse needs and expectations.
❐ Sitemap:
Since the product is more content focused, the navigation was quite simple.
❐ Visual Design:
Creating a consistent and effective style guide is crucial for maintaining a cohesive user experience throughout SoundWave project. Here's the style guide that aligns with the concept of revolutionizing music creation with AI:
3// IDEATE
❐ User Flows:
While developing the app navigation and wireframes, I focused on creating detailed user task flows. This involved mapping out specific steps and interactions to ensure an intuitive and efficient user experience.
❐ Task Flows:
After establishing my core features, I developed 2 task flows to demonstrate the navigation and determine key screens to wireframe.
4// PROTOTYPE:
❐ Low-fi Wireframes:
Then I made sketches of the future app screens.
❐ Mid-fi Wireframes:
Transitioning from rough low-fidelity sketches, I refined the design by creating mid-fidelity wireframes, providing a more detailed visual depiction of the app's structure and optimal utilization of key features.
❐ Hi-fi Mock-ups:
By following the UI style guide, I converted the mid-fidelity wireframes into a concrete depiction of the Soundwave application. Subsequently, I enhanced sections by incorporating information mockups and stock photos to ensure the presence of pertinent content. After achieving a lifelike mockup that encapsulated the potential of the product, I proceeded to make refinements in specific areas to optimize its usability before introducing the app to usability testing.
❐ Usability Testing:
Conducted moderated usability tests of the 2 user flows with 4 adults (2 in-person and 2 via Zoom).
❐ Closing Thoughts and Future Steps:
In closing, our SoundWave UX/UI design project has brought us closer to realizing a revolutionary music creation platform. With a strong foundation in user-centric design, we've established a platform that empowers musicians of all levels to create and explore music effortlessly. Looking ahead, we are excited to refine the user experience, ensuring its intuitiveness and accessibility remain top-notch. Our future steps involve continuous iterations, informed by user feedback and emerging trends, as we aim to enhance AI capabilities, expand musical offerings, and create a vibrant community of musicians. With gratitude for the journey so far, we anticipate an exciting future that pushes the boundaries of music creation while keeping our users at the heart of the SoundWave experience.
