Carolina Burandt (UX & UI),
Isabel Blanco & Paulina Labastidas (UX); 2 weeks
Overview
Tuning into the Future...
Muse Scene Lab is creating an immersive music education app to improve skills and offer a virtual orchestra.
However the VR-app lacks a browser portal for tracking progress and a way to connect with peers for feedback, essential for music institutions.
We are tasked with creating a web-based MVP for conducting music students as a addition to the VR-application: a student Portal with focus on providing study progress.
Empathise
Stepping into the Maestro's Shoes…
In our pursuit of transforming conductor training, we undertook an extensive research endeavor for Muse Studio.
Through thorough secondary research, including a deep dive into academic papers and industry reports, we gained valuable insights into the conductor education landscape and the potential of virtual reality (VR) technology.
Additionally, interviews with 10 conductor students provided us with user perspectives, enabling us to refine Muse Studio's features and user experience.
By analyzing the market and competitors, we identified unique opportunities and areas of differentiation, positioning Muse Studio to revolutionize conductor training through immersive VR experiences tailored to the needs of aspiring conductors.
Secondary Research
In order to learn more about the issue and being able to specify the problem we set up a survey to collect some quantitative data. We receive 59 answers in total and realise that nicotine addiction seems to be the most common issue according to our interviewees.
User Interviews
To gain comprehensive user insights, we conducted in-depth interviews with a total of 12 target users over the course of three days.
These conductor students provided valuable information about their routines, priorities, and learning methods. We delved into the specific aspects of their professional journey that required honing to perfection in order to thrive, as well as their preferences for measuring improvement.
Additionally, we sought their input on how technology could assist them in their training, ensuring that Muse Studio catered to their specific needs and desires.
Market & Competitive Analysis
Expanding our research, we extensively analyzed existing student portals offered by prestigious institutions like Juilliard Online and Coursera. By studying their features and functionalities, we gained valuable insights into best practices and innovative approaches in the field.
Additionally, we drew inspiration from popular membership platforms such as Amazon Prime, Netflix, and HBO, leveraging their successful models to shape the design and user experience of Muse Studio's membership page.Through this comprehensive market analysis, we were able to identify gaps and areas of differentiation that Muse Studio could capitalize on.
Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of our competitors, we strategically positioned Muse Studio to offer unique value propositions, ensuring its prominence in the field of conductor training and education.
Define
Syncing Sights and Sounds: Organising and Conceptualising Insights
Using an affinity map, we gave priority to our discoveries, crafted a user persona and journey map, and employed them to shape our major insights and plan of action.
Affinity Diagram
Leveraging an affinity map, we carefully categorized and prioritized our discoveries, uncovering patterns and connections within the collected data.
This process enabled us to identify key themes and focus areas that would shape the future development of Muse Studio's VR-infused conductor training:
User Persona
Building upon the synthesized insights, we crafted a user persona, serving as a representative archetype, capturing the unique characteristics, needs, and motivations of the interviewees we encountered.
User Journey Map
By visualizing the conductor student's journey through the lens of the user persona, we gained a deeper understanding of their experiences, challenges, and aspirations.
The key takeaways were: In order to enhance their learning experience, users require a music library, progress data visualisation, and recordings of their virtual rehearsals. Additionally, they should be able to connect with other users, exchange feedback, and learn about all aspects of music.
Problem Statement
The problem statement goes as follows:
Muse Scene Lab users need to find a way to track their progress and connect with their fellow students, because it helps them to get a better understanding of their performance and learn from and with their peers.
To generate ideas and identify potential features for the app, we employed the "crazy 8s" technique and then used dot voting to prioritise our findings.
Through extensive discussion and brainstorming, we generated numerous features, and subsequently utilized the MoSCoW Method to arrive at a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) statement.
MVP Statement
The MVP of Muse Studio includes a dynamic home screen serving as a news feed with posts from fellow students/users. It also features "Your Studio," a comprehensive page combining the user's profile and dashboard for a visualized overview of training data. Additionally, Muse Studio offers a curated song library for practice and exploration, along with a settings page for managing preferences and subscription settings.
This section encompasses concept development, usability and desirability testing, and branding for Muse Studio.
Taking the lead in the rebranding process, I single-handedly redesigned the visual identity and personally crafted the high-fidelity prototypes, aligning them with the essence of Muse Studio's music and VR fusion. Through iterative refinement and rigorous testing, I created a seamless user experience that resonates with conductor students.
Concept Testing
Continuing with Concept testing, we received positive validation from prospective users regarding our app and its approach. Testers expressed overall satisfaction and appreciation for the concept. Additionally, we had the opportunity to gather valuable suggestions for further improvement:
Incorporating a personalizable goal on the home screen emerged as a popular suggestion, as it would serve as a motivating factor for users to persist in their practice sessions.
Users expressed their desire for song recommendations within the library, enhancing their musical exploration and providing a curated experience.
The data visualisation on the dashboard lacked clarity, prompting the need for enhancements to ensure users can easily interpret and understand their progress.
Usability Testing
Based on valuable feedback from our usability testing sessions, both from our testers and stakeholders, we implemented several noteworthy changes to enhance the user experience:
We observed that users had difficulty understanding the purpose and functionality of the "Studio" feature.
There was confusion surrounding the copy on the dashboard and its different states.
Furthermore, a recurring suggestion from testers and stakeholders was to incorporate a music player into our Library.
Desirability Testing
As part of our desirability testing, we conducted a survey over several days to evaluate whether our interface effectively conveyed the desired brand attributes. We were pleased to discover that the results overwhelmingly confirmed our success in capturing and communicating the desired brand essence.
Style Tile
Muse Scene Lab describes itself as innovative, professional, engaging and inspiring.
Aligning with the brand attributes, I opted to revamp Muse Scene Lab through a fresh and catchy rebranding. Please give a warm welcome to Muse Studio and check out the logo and style tile.
Final Prototype?
Watch a walkthrough of the final prototype below.