Thanh Nguyen
The Challenge
Develop an "intentionality layer" to curb maladaptive auditory disengagement, similar to doomscrolling, that draws users away from day-to-day tasks.
II. The Approach
Escalate levels of interactivity for check-ins to disrupt passive listening
III. The Details
3-month collaboration with Monay Whatley, Jessica Truong, and Sally Zorigoo.
Spotify
Case Study
Case Study
Interactive
Pauses
Questionnaire that prompts user to take a 1-minute break from the app.
User can pick from a curated playlist over nonstop playback.
Interactive activity that encourages reflecting on what was listened.
An extensive gapped playback for added customization.
Business Impact
Spotify operates in a hyper-competitive attention economy where it's business focus creates a new risk of passive overconsumption.
A subset of users, some we interviewed, expressed concerns about how nonstop listening serves as auditory disengagement that draws them away from productive tasks, similar to doomscrolling on social media.
Process Details
Conducted 3 rounds of user interviews to test and adjust design solutions.
Met twice a week to define design principles and narrow the scope with my team.
Leveraged Figma, Framer, Claude, and Canva to create UI sketches and mock ups.
Playback Extension
Reflections
Our user target group is fairly niche. Demonstrating empathy and proactive interest during interviews was key to our success.
Always try creating visuals such as GIFs and mockups manually before AI. It keeps images high-fidelity and saves time in the long run.
It's natural for priorities and preferences to shift over time. Regular check-ins and pivoting are natural to the design process.
Still
Reading