Spotify Desktop Re-design Project
Project Overview
Spotify Desktop Redesign is a personal UX/UI project focused on addressing key usability issues in Spotify's desktop application. Through user research and interface analysis, I identified critical pain points that affect different types of listeners - from students using Spotify as background music to podcast enthusiasts seeking better content management.
Project Goals:
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Streamline navigation and reduce interface clutter
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Optimize the mini player for background listening workflows
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Create content-specific interfaces for podcasts and audiobooks
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Improve consistency between mobile and desktop experiences
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My Role: UX/UI Designer
Duration: 4 - 6 weeks
Tools: Figma, React
Approach: User-centered design process starting with pain point identification, followed by user story development, competitive analysis, and iterative interface redesign focused on workflow optimization.
Problems with the current UI
Navigation & Accessibility Issues
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Inconsistent button sizing and placement creates usability friction throughout the interface. Critical navigation elements like back/forward buttons and the home button are undersized, making them difficult to locate and interact with efficiently.
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Search functionality placement varies across different sections, breaking user expectations and creating cognitive load as users must relearn interface patterns within the same application.
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Playlist Management Inefficiencies
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Visual clutter on the home screen displays the entire playlist library simultaneously, overwhelming users and making it difficult to focus on current tasks or discover new content.
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Non-functional drag interactions mislead users - playlist items appear draggable but provide no feedback or action, creating frustration and breaking interface expectations.
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Inconsistent sidebar controls use different interaction patterns for similar functions (queue minimization vs playlist panel), forcing users to learn multiple paradigms for basic navigation.
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Mini Player Limitations
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Static positioning requires manual repositioning when the mini player obscures important content, interrupting user workflow and creating unnecessary friction for background listening scenarios.
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Cross-Platform Consistency
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Desktop-mobile disconnect creates a fragmented experience for users switching between platforms, with different icon sets, layouts, and interaction patterns that don't translate learned behaviors.
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Content-specific optimization gaps fail to serve users who primarily consume podcasts or audiobooks, forcing them to navigate music-centric interfaces for different content types.
Common user complaints
(Source: Reddit & Spotify customer service platform)
User Stories
1. Background Listener (Mini Player)
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User type: Professional/student who uses Spotify while working
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Pain Point: The Current mini player is bulky and distracting during work
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User story: “As a background listener, I want a minimal, unobstrusive mini player so I can control music without disrupting my workflow.”
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Success metric: Controls are accessible with fewer clicks, and there is a smaller footprint
2. Music Explorer (Navigation & Discovery)
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User type: Active music discoverer with a large library
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Pain Point: UI feels cluttered, hard to navigate between multiple personal libraries, and discovery
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User story: “As a music explorer, I want streamlined navigation between my library and discover featured so I can easily access both familiar and new music.”
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Success metric: Faster access to saved albums, better discovery integration
3. Cross-Platform User (Consistency)
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User type: Mobile-first user adapting to desktop
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Pain point: Desktop interface doesn't match mobile mental model
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User story: "As someone familiar with mobile Spotify, I want the desktop app to follow similar navigation patterns so I don't have to relearn the interface."
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Success metric: Consistent navigation patterns across platforms
4. Podcast/Audiobook listener (Content - Specific UI)
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User type: User who primarily consumes spoken content
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Pain point: Podcast/audiobook interface lacks depth and takes up excessive space
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User story: "As a podcast-first listener, I want a dedicated interface optimized for spoken content discovery and management."
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Success metric: Better content organization, less scrolling, episode management
Research & Analysis
Coming Soon...