In the vast world of music streaming, finding new artists can be overwhelming. Omni, an innovative music discovery app developed by Drexel University’s User Experience and Interaction Design (UXID) students, aims to simplify this process by exploring the relational similarity between artists.
The Concept: Tracing Musical Lineage
Omni tackles music discovery from a unique angle: exploring musical lineage. By allowing users to navigate through an artist’s influences and similar musicians, the app creates an interactive experience that connects past and present artists. This approach not only helps users find new music but also educates them about the historical threads that bind different artists and genres together.
The Team Behind Omni
- Ty Drake – Project Management / UI Design
- Kyle Dolphin – Front/Backend Development
- Christine Yim – UX Design
- Bryant Lu – Content Management
Research-Driven Design Process
The Omni team conducted extensive research to shape their product:
- Product Discovery: Initial concept testing revealed users’ interest in finding new music but highlighted the perceived effort as a barrier.
- User Preferences: While users generally prefer modern artists, certain genres bias towards historical acts.
- A/B Testing: Continuous user testing throughout the design process helped refine key features.
Key Features of Omni
- Artist search functionality
- Network web of related artists
- Expandable artist connections
- Artist overviews including top songs and discography
- Direct links to Spotify for each song and album
Visual Design and User Experience
Omni’s interface is designed to evoke the feelings associated with music: relaxing, calming, entertaining, and energizing. The team achieved this through:
- A complementary color scheme of blues and oranges
- Subtle motion effects
- Depth of focus in the design
Development Challenges and Learnings
While the team successfully implemented most of their goals, time constraints led to some features being cut. Key learnings include:
- The importance of allocating more time for development planning
- Challenges of working with new frameworks like d3.js
- The need for more extensive usability testing with the live product
Future Prospects
Despite some setbacks, Omni demonstrates significant potential. The team’s thorough research and design process have laid a strong foundation for future refinements and additional functionality.