Understanding the Competitive Landscape and User Needs
I started with a competitor analysis. Deezer had AI features but less than 5% of its premium U.S. users had access to them. Amazon Music offered AI tools but remains users' second choice. Apple Music had no AI feature at all, a clear opportunity for Spotify to differentiate. I also studied Suno AI to understand how music generation tools structure their creative UX.
Surveys
Users feel overwhelmed and want to save time when creating a playlist.
This directly shaped my approach. I moved the quick creation feature to the same entry point as standard playlist creation, and designed an onboarding flow for first-time users to reach their goal as fast as possible.
10
Response survey
5
User interview
Iterating UX Writing to Streamline the Experience
During usability testing, users navigated the prototype without major difficulties. However, one participant pointed out that the copy mentioned "2 clicks" when they had counted three.
This was a real UX writing problem. The mood selection step is essential for the AI to understand user intent, and skipping it was not an option. Instead of removing a step, I changed the framing.
I applied a psychology principle and replaced "clicks" with "steps", updating the copy to "Set the mood in just two steps." This small change shifted user focus from counting interactions to following a simple process, making the experience feel clearer and more intentional.
When Product Intuition Gets Validated
Once my case study was published, Spotify released a similar feature two months later. Both their team and I had reached the same UX intuitions independently, which confirmed the direction was right.
Iteration
Analyzing their version, I noticed it could be more emotionally engaging. I rewrote the header as "Ready to create your own mood" and updated the carousel prompts to better reflect real user activities.
User testing
In an A/B test with 4 users, my version was preferred for clarity, engagement, and emotional resonance. All 4 participants correctly identified Spotify's original interface, confirming that thoughtful UX can make a feature feel more personal, even against the market leader.
Contact
Let's work together
Contact
Let's work together
User testing
In an A/B test with 4 users, my version was preferred for clarity, engagement, and emotional resonance. All 4 participants correctly identified Spotify's original interface, confirming that thoughtful UX can make a feature feel more personal, even against the market leader.
Spotify 2025
How I Improved the Playlist Creation
Experience on Spotify Using AI
Spotify, Leader in Music Streaming: How Can AI Help Maintain Its Position?
Spotify is the world's leading music streaming platform with over 600 million users worldwide.
The industry is rapidly evolving, pushing Spotify to continuously innovate to maintain its position.
Playlist creation can be frustrating and time-consuming, especially when users try to capture a specific mood.
My goal was to identify user pain points during playlist creation and explore how AI could reduce
friction and create a seamless,
enjoyable experience.
Understanding the Competitive Landscape and User Needs
I started with a competitor analysis. Deezer had AI features but less than 5% of its premium U.S. users had access to them. Amazon Music offered AI tools but remains users' second choice. Apple Music had no AI feature at all, a clear opportunity for Spotify to differentiate. I also studied Suno AI to understand how music generation tools structure their creative UX.
Surveys
users worldwide, Spotify is the leader in music streaming. the industry is rapidly evolving and pushing Spotify to continuously innovate and enhance its products to maintain its position.
10
Respons survey
5
User interview
Iterating UX Writing to Streamline the Experience
During usability testing, users navigated the prototype without major difficulties. However, one participant pointed out that the copy mentioned "2 clicks" when they had counted three.
This was a real UX writing problem. The mood selection step is essential for the AI to understand user intent, and skipping it was not an option. Instead of removing a step, I changed the framing.
I applied a psychology principle and replaced "clicks" with "steps", updating the copy to "Set the mood in just two steps." This small change shifted user focus from counting interactions to following a simple process, making the experience feel clearer and more intentional.
When Product Intuition
Gets Validated
Once my case study was published, Spotify released a similar feature two months later. Both their team and I had reached the same UX intuitions independently, which confirmed the direction was right.