ruckus.fm
Portfolio Project | UX and UI Design | View Prototype
Tools: Figma
Scope: UX Research and design, storyboarding, wireframing, prototyping
make a playlist.
meet a match.
make a hit.
Overview
ruckus.fm is a mobile app designed to solve for the gap in the market for matchmaking apps related to music production and creation. Primary target users of the app include unsigned or independent musicians who require additional expertise in completing their songs or projects, while secondary target users of the app are co-writers, producers, and engineers who are also independent and/or seeking to collaborate on temporary projects or non-label work.
Objective
Match musicians to the right talent using an algorithm based on user-generated playlists and parameters like pricing, timing, budget, and location.
Behind the Design
Research started by reviewing the design of similar music-related apps, including FeaturedX, BandMix, and Reddit. To better understand the primary users of ruckus.fm and identify any design considerations, user data was then collected from independent musicians in the industry via surveys, questionnaires, and anecdotal evidence.
User Research was conducted to create a persona reflective of the target audience.
Quotes from musicians fitting the target audience were parsed out and then analyzed to address a design solution that would meet their needs.
Initial design iterations included storyboards and interactive wireframes to troubleshoot how the ruckus.fm account creation and matchmaking process should flow.
Low-fidelity wireframes of early stages of the playlist customizer page and the match profile detail page were created to give an idea of navigation and structure.
Prototype
Once the overall user flow and interactivity was designed, focus shifted to the UI design. Black and white are the primary colors used here to keep the app simple and in line with user expectations. Greens, reds, and blues are also used to influence user navigation throughout the path to finding a match.
Account Creation Flow
Project Creation Flow
Match Flow
Conversation Flow
Considerations
The interactive prototype of ruckus.fm captures many features requested by target users of the app, such as quick account creation, customizable playlists, social navigation, initial screening parameters to mitigate irrelevant matches, and the match process is entirely contingent on the musician initiating a conversation (think Bumble, but for bands).