To understand the behaviors, needs, and challenges that SoundCloud users face when discovering, attending, and re-watching live-streamed events.

Based on the research findings, SoundCloud could successfully expand into the live-streaming space by offering an integrated feature that enhances event discovery, provides real-time artist engagement tools, supports monetization through tipping and ticketed events, enables replay functionality, and fosters a seamless, community-driven live music experience.

I used affinity mapping to organize and analyze data from my user interviews, grouping insights into key themes and patterns to better understand user behaviors, preferences, and challenges in discovering, attending, and engaging with live-streamed events on SoundCloud.

I created two user personas to represent key segments of my target audience, helping to ensure that the design solutions for SoundCloud’s live-streaming feature were tailored to meet the specific needs, expectations, and goals of real users.

I created POV (Point of View) and HMW (How Might We) statements to clearly define the user's needs and challenges.

Based on my research, I formulated the following goals to guide the direction of the design.

• Make live-stream discovery simple and intuitive through personalized recommendations and event notifications
  
• Enhance artist-fan engagement through interactive features like live chat, Q&As, and tipping
• Enable users to save and replay live-streams to maintain long-term engagement beyond the live event
• Create new revenue opportunities for artists through merch sales, ticketed events, and fan support features
• Foster a sense of community through group watch parties, chatrooms, and exclusive artist interactions
• Ensure a seamless streaming experience with high-quality video, reliable servers, and scalable infrastructure
• Support independent artists and smaller creators by improving discoverability and promotional tools

I had to narrow down the list of features for this project due to time constraints, focusing on those that would deliver the most immediate value to users. To achieve this, I created a feature matrix, ranking features as high, medium, or low priority.

Based on user insights and research, I identified the most impactful features to enhance the SoundCloud live-streaming experience, focusing on engagement, discoverability, and monetization.

I created a sitemap based on results of the open card sort to establish the information architecture, ensuring a logical and intuitive structure for the platform that allows users to easily navigate and access key features.

The user flows illustrate how users navigate the SoundCloud live-streaming feature, covering key interactions for discovering, saving, and watching live-stream events. By mapping out these flows, I ensured an intuitive experience that allows users to seamlessly engage with live content.

I created low-fidelity wireframes to outline the basic layout and structure, allowing me to quickly visualize and refine the overall design before moving into more detailed iterations.

• Participants: 5 individuals (1 woman, 4 men)
  
• Age Range: 28 to 35 years old
• Methodology: Conducted usability testing with the low-fidelity prototype to evaluate the ease of use, functionality, and overall user experience of key features.
• Goal: To identify usability issues, gather feedback, and suggest improvements based on user interactions with the platform.

• Some users felt the "Watch Later" section was buried under too many clicks
  
• The "Past" (streams) section label caused confusion for some users
• Most users expected the "Watch Later" feature to be easier to access
• Most users felt finding live-streams currently happening was straightforward
• Adding an upcoming live-stream to “Your Schedule” was easy for all users
• Users felt the icon for adding events was clear and intuitive

• Streamline navigation to make "Watch Later" easier to find
  
• Rename "Past" section to reduce confusion
• Conduct further usability testing for improved intuitiveness

I developed high-fidelity wireframes to provide more detailed visual elements and interactions, ensuring the design was ready for prototyping and user testing.

• Participants: 5 individuals (1 woman, 4 men)
  
• Age Range: 28 to 35 years old
• Methodology: Conducted usability testing with the high-fidelity prototype to assess the visual design, interaction flow, and overall user experience of key features.
• Goal: To validate design decisions, refine functionality, and gather user feedback to enhance clarity, efficiency, and engagement before final implementation.

• Some participants felt the "From Your Line-Up" section looked visually inconsistent
  
• The "Watch Later" option was too nested according to some participants
• Participants expected a pop-up confirmation after adding events to "Watch Later" or syncing their schedule
• The sync calendar button was too small and unclear for most participants
• One participant expected the sync to calendar feature to also be in the settings page
• Some participants had to backtrack to find features like the calendar and saved events

• Redesign the "From Your Line-Up" section to match the visual style of other elements
  
• Add a pop-up menu on event thumbnails for quick actions like "Watch Later"
• Implement confirmation messages for key actions to provide visual feedback
• Increase visibility of the calendar and sync button to be more prominent
• Add the sync feature to the settings page to align with user expectations

After implementing priority revisions based on usability testing feedback, I finalized the design, ensuring a seamless user experience, improved functionality, and a visually cohesive interface.