Sonus Web EPK
Client: Sonus, a heavy metal group based in San Jose, CA
Role: Primary UX Researcher and Designer.
Length: 5 weeks
Skills: Interview, Competitive Analysis, Writing, Wire Framing, Prototyping, User Testing, Stakeholder management
Parameters
Sonus has completed their third album, “Planes of Torment”, and needs an Electronic Press Kit (EPK) that they can present to record labels to get signed.
Problem Statement
Labels seek a clear brand, professionalism, and an active presence on streaming and social media. Common issues in attracting label attention are poor design, too much information, and hard-to-navigate formats.
Goals
An EPK should be:
Eye-catching
Reflective of the brand
Easy to use
Relevant
Time
Style Guidelines
Manpower
Constraints
Cohesive design centered on latest album
Simple and clear navigation
Clear links to streaming and social media
Scannable without the need for multiple pages
Solution
Research Plan
Understand what drives people to engage with band websites, what the common frustrations are, what already exists in the market, and band goals and requirements.
Methodology
Stakeholder Interviews
Survey
Interview
Competitive Analysis
Limitations
Time
Location
Accessibility
Goals
Understand what drives online engagement
Understand common frustrations
Understand market standards
Understand band goals and requirements
Stakeholder Interview
Stakeholder: David Wachsman- front man, lead guitarist
Interview Duration: 1h15m
Location: Residence
Time: 2pm
Key Questions
• Who are your key stakeholders and what are their roles/goals? Who is your target audience?
• How is your band structured, and how does that impact decision-making related to product design and development?
• What are your long-term goals for Sonus? How does this website assist with those goals?
Learnings
Competition: There are many small bands in the area Sonus does gigs with. When asked which sites of big-name bands he liked, Mr. Wachsman brought up the likes of Mastodon, and King Buffalo as inspirations.
Target audience: This new website is going to labels instead of the general public as the band is finishing up their latest album and looking to be signed.
Goals for website: To consolidate and have under one roof everything the label would need from them, in a professional and stylish manner, reflecting the sound and look of the band.
Survey
11 people were surveyed remotely
90.9%
A majority of participants stream music as their primary method
of consuming music.
63.6%
Results conclude that a majority of users use Spotify to stream their music.
90.9%
90% of those surveyed say they visit band websites. In subsequent interviews the main reason given was up to date information on shows and news.
Having a comprehensive website with up to date information and easy navigation is important so that fans can easily engage with their content.
With the popularity of streaming and social media, having links that are clearly visible on the site can direct users to some of these popular platforms where they can listen to and share the music with their friends.
Engaging photos, videos, and content are key to peaking and sustaining the attention of existing and new fans.
Conclusion
Interviews
6 people were interviewed over the span of a week
4 women and 2 men were interviewed
Participants
Interview Settings and Methods
All 6 interviews were sit-down, either in person or over video chat.
The duration of the interviews lasted between 25- 35 minutes.
All interviews were recorded with consent.
A set of 14 talking points were used to guide the conversation.
Key Questions
Tell me about the last time you visited a musician/ band’s website.
How do you typically discover new music?
Why do you choose to use (insert service) over other services?
Describe a time that you were using (service) and a feature stood out to you.
Learnings
• People primarily use their phones to listen to music because of its transportability and compatibility. Having a link to a mobile streaming service can increase engagement.
• Participants listen to music throughout the day, mainly while doing “mundane tasks”.
• Every interview participant uses a streaming service with Spotify being the predominant service.
• Most users that visit a band website will do so to get information that doesn’t exist on other platforms.
• People mainly discover new music through friends, streaming service suggestions, and social media. Having a comprehensive online presence increases discoverability.
• More than half of participants only stream music and no longer buy or download music anymore.
“I can’t just send them the Tidal song link because they don’t have Tidal, right? So, it’s the platform effect, everyone is using Spotify and that makes me want to use Spotify.”
“I typically go on their website when I’m not finding the information that I need from their Instagram. ”
Competitive Analysis
Feature Matrix
While some features such as Merch and Tour
info appear across all platforms, they are
not traditionally included in an EPK.
Multiple Social Media, and Streaming links appear across all platforms and illustrate the
importance of a social presence online. Labels can look at fan engagement and
streaming metrics.
Videos, Band Photos, and Album Art, also
appear in at least half of sites.
SWOT Analysis
A SWOT Analysis was conducted on three band websites. Queens of the Stone Age, Mastodon, and King Buffalo
Multiple websites had unclear menus
that blended into the background or would disappear when clicked.Having a clear and central navigation is important
Only 1 site had a Bio section with info on their music and previous releases
Artwork and and photos are present in most websites and provides a nice visual representation of a brand or style
Learnings
Striking artwork at the center
of the page, giving the user a clear visual of the style of the band and promotes their latest latest album.
Strengths
Interactive links to the streaming
services they are on allow users to
sample their music on the site and
continue to explore them further.
Menu is not easily visible as it sits
on either side of the page and is washed out by the dramatic background.Not entirely clear that the homepage artwork is for their new album.
Weaknesses
Create a Bio section of the site that can provide more information about the band and their work
Opportunities
Embed music links or ways for fans to listen to music through the site in an easy and cohesive way
Personas
These personas are based on the survey, interview material, and stakeholder knowledge gained during the research phase of this project.
User Flow
The EPK site would allow a user to simply scroll to the appropriate section or click on the corresponding tab on the menu. This would allow the user to peruse the content at their own pace or jump to the necessary information.
In this example the user can simply jump to the next section while searching for band member information.
Crazy 8s
Ideate
The design phase began with a series of quick sketches focused on layout.
Iterate
The menu and homepage design were a priority to grab attention. Various versions were made.
Wireframing
Multiple variations of the home page and subsequent sections were created to present to stakeholders during a design meeting. A combination of designs were used to create the final product.
Prototyping and user testing
3 users tested the initial prototype
Tasks
Find a video of a live performance
Read through the Bio
Navigate from Album Art to Press
Changes
Feedback
When navigating through the website, the logo was permanently situated below the menu and every user mentioned that they did not find the overlapping letters clean or neat as they scrolled.
When reading through the Bio and About Album, two out of three users mentioned some difficulty with the font.
One user mentioned the background being too busy against the photos laid out on the page
Second Iteration
The background of the page (which features the main album art) was darkened to have content stand out.
The logo was made to scroll up with the page
The Bio and Album overview were condensed into one section to reduce content overload
The body font was adjusted and the background darkened for better contrast.
Photos were made scrollable to clean up the page and the background art
Album art was realigned and given shadow to make them stand out.
Reflections
Learned
I learned how to navigate user needs and stakeholder expectations, this included presenting findings in a way that was compelling and illustrating usability concerns while looking for solutions that kept the integrity of the original vision.
User testing continues to challenge my design assumptions, testing early is important in the design process.
I learned project management skills including planning and executing studies within an appropriate timeframe. Proper communication has been key.
Going Forward
I would like to User Test the newest version of the EPK to further refine the design
I would like to find an avenue to build rapport with people who work at record labels in order to conduct more wholistic research.
Impacts
I was able to research user expectations and experiences and apply that knowledge
to the design and layout of this website.
Balancing stakeholder wants and user feedback allowed me to create a site that was visually appealing to both stakeholder and user, and keep functionality and ease at the forefront of design.