User Experience (UX) methods were developed largely to evaluate product usability and are primarily applied to web usability contexts. Other methods, such as co-design and human centered design, also provide approaches to facilitate better understanding of the user. This project shows how to conduct user research using Design Thinking methodologies. The final recommendations pinpoint the next steps in the user-centered design approach.

1. 1
Soundcloud
User
Researcher
Role
-­‐
Renzo
D’Andrea
Challenge
&
Objective
I
carried
out
User
Research
Interviews
with
five
users
in
two
scenarios
in
London,
house
party
and
coffee
shops.
The
interview
insights
helped
me
to
forecast
potential
pivots
in
the
final
recommendations.
The
report
is
focused
on
the
SoundCloud
Android
app
to
identify
three
usability
issues
through
the
User
Experience.
Joanna,
25
yrs
old
from
Brazil,
Pret-­‐a-­‐Manger
Assistant
Chris,
22
yrs
old
from
Manchester,
student
Colin,
34
yrs
old
from
London,
independent
musician
Matthew,
31
yrs
old
from
Glasgow,
Web
Developer,
DJ
Andrea,
28
yrs
old
from
Italy,
Independent
Musician
Service
Innovation
In
the
Digital
Music
Industry
companies
need
to
decide
which
tech
trends
to
invest
in
to
fulfil
the
user
satisfaction.
In
the
last
two
decades
the
MP3
and
iTunes
buried
the
CD,
then
online
streaming
is
killing
MP3
and
iTunes,
and
now
the
Vinyl
is
showing
a
modest
comeback.
What’s
next…?

2. 2
Soundcloud
User
Researcher
Role
-­‐
Renzo
D’Andrea
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-­‐arts-­‐36027867
According
to
an
ICM
poll,
half
of
consumers
tend
to
listen
to
an
album
online
before
purchasing
a
vinyl
copy.
This
behaviour
sees
involved
SoundCloud
or
YouTube
users,
highlighting
that
free
music
can
generate
a
substantial
profit.
For
users
the
value
of
a
service
is
the
integration
of
their
interactions
and
experience.
Embracing
the
socio-­‐cultural
approach,
we
seek
to
learn
what
an
individual
does,
feels,
knows
and
says.
Service
Innovation
involves
changing
practices,
resulting
in
different
experiences
for
users
in
which
they
change
behaviours
and
perceptions.
Also,
think
of
the
importance
of
serendipity
as
a
mixture
of
observation
and
curiosity
that
allows
us
to
learn
from
the
unexpected:
habits,
stories,
and
meaning
in
the
user
experience.
In
the
face
of
the
consumer
‘weirdness’,
Service
Innovation
can
provide
a
holistic
picture
of
what’s
needed
in
designing
a
service
experience.
How
can
we
look
at
pains
and
gains
for
the
usability
issues?
I
applied
a
Value
Proposition
Canvas
split
in
two
maps.
Firstly,
the
Customer
Profile
clarifies
your
customer
understanding.
Secondly,
the
Value
Map
describes
how
you
aim
to
create
value
for
that
customer.
Finally,
you
achieve
Fit
between
the
two
when
one
meets
the
other.

3. 3
Soundcloud
User
Researcher
Role
-­‐
Renzo
D’Andrea
https://strategyzer.com/books/value-­‐proposition-­‐design
During
the
interviews,
I
used
the
Design
Thinking
toolkit
in
the
discovery
phase:
observation,
ethnography,
empathy
and
listening.
My
aim
was
to
unearth
feelings
and
struggles
in
order
to
map
extreme
pains
and
essential
gains.
Afterwards
I
started
the
Journey
to
step
into
the
customer’s
shoes:
Customer
Profile
The
Customer
profile
above
depicts
the
discovery
phase
where
I
conducted
interviews
with
five
users.
By
listening
and
observing
the
users
in
their
surroundings,
my
aim
was
to
understand
through
open
questions
in
three
areas
with
empathy.
The
customer
jobs
are
how
the
users
try
to
perform
their
tasks,
the
need
they
are
trying
to
satisfy.
The
customer
pains
are
anything
that
hinders
the
user
before,
during
and
after
Select
the
customer
segment
Identify
Customer
Jobs
Identify
Customer
Pains
Identify
Customer
gains
Prioritize
jobs,
gains,
3
issues
!!
! !Build!up!my!iden,ty!through!exposure!
with!my!image!on!line!
!
I!can!upload!my!remixes!easily.!!
Achieve!a!decent!income!from!my!music!
produc,on!on!line!!
lI!can!keep!listening!to!Music!when!the!screen!is!
locked!!
Keep!in!touch!with!my!DJ!friends!in!Brazil!
and!their!music.!I!see!their!soundcloud!
tracks!posted!on!FB!!!!
Too!long!to!market!myself!on!Souncloud,!I!prefer!
Youtube!with!images!and!video!!
I"can’t"chat"with"other"ar.sts"on"my"phone"I"need"
to"go"home"to"do"that!!
The!range!of!music!genres!is!narrow,!Dj!rap!and!
hip!hop…I!want!to!find!out!similar!ar,st!as!me!!
Soundcloud"download"is"not"as"fast"as"
Spo.fy,"same"story"for"quality!!
No"clear"path"to"top"list"on"the"app,"I"
can’t"find"it"actually!!
Shared!plaKorm!&!feel!connected!!
Download!faster!with!!more!quality!!
Discover!new!music!!engaging!more!ar,st!!
Enable!an!ar,st!network!chat!on!SoundCloud!app!!
Opportunity!to!create!your!own!personal!video!!&!!images!
porKolio!!
Customer!Pain!
Customer!Gain!
Customer!
Jobs!

4. 4
Soundcloud
User
Researcher
Role
-­‐
Renzo
D’Andrea
trying
to
get
the
job
done.
The
customer
gains
are
about
how
much
the
users
would
expect
or
dream
a
better
performance
as
a
desired
gain.
I
identified
the
following
three
SoundCloud
usability
issues
according
to
what
might
leverage
the
users
experience
in
the
Android
app:
1
-­‐
The
barrier
to
communicate
between
users
through
messenger
on
the
phone
2
-­‐
Lack
of
top
sound
quality
along
with
a
faster
downloading
3
-­‐
No
clear
path
to
top
lists
on
the
app
Value
Map
In
the
second
map
of
the
Value
Proposition
Design
(above)
I
outlined
what
SoundCloud
currently
offers
as
Product
and
Services.
The
Pain
Relievers
describe
how
SoundCloud
alleviates
specific
customer
pains,
trying
to
remove
obstacles
that
annoy
the
users
before,
during
or
after
their
tasks.
The
Gain
Creators
are
potential
pathways
to
address
the
users’
expectations,
desires
or
how
including
functional
utility,
social
gains,
and
positive
emotions
would
surprise
them.
Therefore,
as
result
of
this
journey,
in
order
to
address
the
three
usability
issues
identified,
the
three
gains
creators
for
the
Android
app
would
be:
1
-­‐
A
messenger
platform
to
allow
users
to
chat
to
each
other
2-­‐
A
user
friendly
feature
for
a
clear
path
to
top
lists
3
-­‐
Improvements
in
sound
quality
and
downloading
speed
Product(
and(
Services(
Pain(Relievers(
Gain(Creators(
Free(Music(easy7to7use(
pla9orm(which(allows(
listeners,(up7and7coming(
ar?sts(and(DJs(to(share(their(
music.((
Soundcloud(Go(is(a(monthly(
paid(subscrip?on(with(over(125(
million(songs(and(includes(
content(from(major(ar?sts.(
(
Allows(users(to(manage(the(tracks(when(the(screen(is(locked(
Eliminate(social(and(economic(barriers(
Prototype(a(messenger(pla9orm(allowing(users(to(chat(on(the(app(((
Trying(to(improve(the(sound(quality(
Design(an(engaging(feature(for(top(list(on(the(app(
Freedom(&(Crea?ve(Networking((

5. 5
Soundcloud
User
Researcher
Role
-­‐
Renzo
D’Andrea
Final
Recommendations
The
three
identified
issues
require
a
further
analysis.
The
following
final
recommendations
are
to
expand
my
initial
research
for
this
complex
business
scenario
and
to
complete
the
Value
Proposition
Design
into
Beta
testing.
The
first
recommendation
I
suggest
is
to
create
the
SoundCloud
Brand
Persona
as
result
of
motivations,
attitudes,
and
behaviours
among
diverse
users.
Storytelling
plays
an
important
role
to
frame
the
challenge
in
human
terms.
A
compelling
story
will
bond
the
customers
on
an
emotional
level.
The
brand
persona
should
serve
as
‘Rosetta
stone’
for
the
innovation
process.
Secondly,
it
could
be
helpful
to
look
at
big
data
to
try
to
apply
a
deep
thinking
on
what
really
matters
to
the
music
users.
Observe
the
users
in
the
core
of
their
activities
to
develop
insights
based
on
their
known
and
unknown
needs
and
wants.
It
is
an
approach
that
entails
more
watching
than
talking
in
order
to
understand
where
do
they
come
from,
how
often,
how
long,
where
do
they
go,
why.
This
is
also
known
as
PEST
Analysis.
Finally,
I
recommend
the
Human-­‐Centered
Design
approach
(illustrated
below)
as
a
set
of
intuitive
principles
able
to
unlock
potential
solutions.
Through
a
deep
understanding
of
the
user
emotions,
needs
and
feelings
the
Human-­‐Centered
Design
approach
shapes
the
value
proposition
design
with
prototyping
possibilities.
This
methodology
is
an
iterative
process
of
investigating
the
users
in
their
natural
surroundings,
turning
barriers
and
obstacles
into
new
opportunities.
An
intersection
of
hard
data,
customer
centricity
and
human-­‐centred
design
can
provide
a
sustainable
competitive
advantage:
eliminate
customer
pain,
elevate
customer
service
and
create
a
personalized
customer
experience.