Vault Case Study
This is the complete research and design case study for Vault - An app for alternative music
About
Problem Statement
It is hard to find an app that has specifically alternative music. It is hard to discover new alternative artists on music apps available now, so creating an app specifically for this one genre will give the artist more exposure.
Solution
Easily discover new artists and new friends who also listen to alternative music while enjoying features that enhance their listening experience.
What is Alternative Music?
Alternative music is a genre that deviates from the mainstream. There are many subgenres that fall under the alternative label but they all share this in common. It focuses on the artist and often has deeper meanings focusing on personal or social issues.
The Team
Sydney Avery
Roman Schrock
Yujung Lee
How will it engage people?
Artists and friends can post what they’re listening to, what’s on their minds, and any events they might hold. People can easily discover new artists and credit for song production is clearly displayed.
Research
We did a deep dive into the genre of Alternative music so when we made an app for it, it catered to the right audience. Here is a list of questions we researched so we were more informed.
Genre
What defines the genre?
What makes it different from other types of music?
Where did it come from? How & when did it originate?
Where is it going? How do you know that?
What do people love and hate about it?
What does it look like? Sound like? Feel like?
What’s out there
What music apps are already out there?
What music apps currently meet some of the needs of your people? How do they do it?
How do music apps fall short of what your people need or want? Why and how?
What different methodologies or interesting new approaches are there regarding playing/listening to music?
Key Takeaways
Alternative music is a form of self-expression and there are many subgenres so there is a lot of diversity. It focuses on the artist because their music tends to have a deeper, more personal meaning. This genre is not like mainstream music so there is counterculture involved.
Interview Questions
Tell me a little about yourself
What role does music play in your life?
Is there a platform you prefer when listening to music?
Why do you listen to alternative music?
Do you listen to other music genres?
How did you get into alternative music?
Have you ever gone to a concert playing alternative music?
Can you tell me about a time you listened to this music and liked it? Tell me what you were doing, where you were, how you were feeling, and why this story stood out to you.
Quote from Interview
“I went to a couple of alternative punk and rap concerts and you could just see how much passion they had for their music. They were always in a really small venue, and sometimes it was just at someone’s house. It was music by the people for the people.”
People
Who are the people that like and enjoy this genre?
What are they like?
What are they into?
Why do they like this music?
What role does this music play in your life and why?
What connects them as a group of people?
In what ways might they be different from fans of other genres of music?
Interviewees
Caucasian, Male, 22
Asian, Female, 20
White, Female, 23
Interview Takeaways
Alternative music is more about the artist and not commercial like other genres
It is essential to create a sense of community and a safe place to listen to music for this app.
People need a place to be themselves; alternative music gives them that opportunity.
User Personas
Day in their life - Empathy
Thinking about moments when someone might listen to music helps us picture what kind of application we should create. It helps us figure out what we should include in the app based on the users’ needs in common moments like this.
Walking to school and listening to music
Recommending an alternative song to a friend
Discovering new alternative music
Working at home and listening to music
Listening to alternative music in the car
Playing music at the gym
*Each group member did 2 storyboards
Alternative music focuses on the artist so having flashes of light highlight certain objects like a stage light would be a good visual language. Fog is a texture we can also use.
Showcasing the originality of the album cover but using the gradient technique but with fog instead like in a concert.
Deep blues, blacks, and purples can create a sense of depth and create a more immersive listening experience.
Inspiration
Stick with black and white images but each sub genre has their own unique color (ex: cover images for playlists, so this one is pink)
Utilizing typography to showcase the originality of each sub-genre. This can be on the discover page, playlist covers, or the page where the song is playing.
Black is associated with edginess, rebellion, and counterculture attitudes. Red grabs attention and represents energy, excitement, and passion.
Incorporating album artwork, music videos, and other multimedia elements to help reinforce the visual language of the app.
Using unconventional and unique typography that is inspired by 80s and 90s grunge can add to the overall aesthetic and convey a sense of individuality and authenticity.
Sans-Serif is used to give a modern and clean look. It is used in all caps to be more impactful. Grunge and Distressed typefaces provide a raw and gritty feel pushing the idea of DIY.
Static reminds people of the 90s and early 2000s grunge, indie, retro vibes that make people reminisce (simpler times). This is good image treatment and texture.
Textures such as noise, scratches, and smudges can convey a sense of edginess and rawness that is often associated with alternative music.
DIY is one of the big themes found in alternative music. This could be represented by using distressed and scratched textures to convey feelings of rawness.
First-Round Wireframes
First-Round Wireframes
Version 1
Version 2
Version 3
Site Map
This is an overview of the main structure of this application so it is easier to understand the flow and main features.
Wireframes
These wireframes tell a story of how the features of this app interact with one another. It connects the information architecture to the visual design by showing paths between pages.
Style Guide
This is the toolkit used throughout that summarizes and unifies the design choices.
Style Guide
This is the toolkit used throughout that summarizes and unifies the design choices.
Discover
Discover new subgenres and artists of alternative music based on your music library. Finding other listeners with the same unique music preferences encourages a sense of safety in their community.
Discover Page
Listener’s Profile - Posts
Recommended
Music Player
The music player has 3 sections below:
Isolate parts of the song and immerse yourself in your favorite music
View the lyrics to understand and connect with the song better
Credits are shown clearly, which greatly benefits smaller artists
Music Player
Lyrics
Isolator
Credits
Music Feed
Artists share any updates about their music so they are more connected to their listeners. See what your Alt friends are listening to and what they are up to.
Artist’s Post
Friend’s Post
Connect with Others
Find others who listen to the same specific genre you do through the Suggested Friends list of artists you follow or use the Search Filters.
Chat with other listeners
Find new listeners like you
Filters to search for friends
