Blaqk Stereo

Project Overview

Blaqk Stereo is a pioneering web3 music platform designed to bridge the gap between artists and listeners by leveraging cutting-edge technologies like non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and decentralized crowdfunding. In an era where the traditional music industry often leaves creators with limited control and transparency, Blaqk Stereo aims to empower artists while providing fans with unique ways to engage with and support their favorite musicians.

As the Product designer on this project, my mission was to create an immersive, user-friendly app that streamlined the creative process for artists while seamlessly incorporating innovative web3 features like NFT minting, trading, and crowdfunding campaign management. By deeply understanding the needs and pain points of both creators and consumers, I strived to design an experience that would transform the way music is created, distributed, and appreciated.

User Research

To gain a comprehensive understanding of our target users' needs, motivations, and frustrations, I conducted extensive user research spanning multiple methodologies:

Musicians & Creators:

• Contextual inquiries observing artists in their creative environments, such as recording studios and live performances, to witness firsthand the challenges they face in the traditional music industry.

• In-depth interviews with independent musicians, band managers, and music label representatives to uncover their desire for new revenue models like NFT sales, crowdfunding campaigns, and tokenized royalties that provide more control and transparency.

• Participatory design workshops with creators to collaboratively ideate and gather feedback on features they would find valuable, such as tools for launching and effectively managing crowdfunding initiatives.

Music Fans & NFT Enthusiasts:

• Online surveys and polls distributed through music forums, social media, and web3 communities to understand their preferences for seamless music discovery and consumption experiences, as well as their interest in unique ways to support artists and engage with music ownership through NFTs.

• Ethnographic studies observing the behavior of music fans and NFT collectors in their natural environments, such as concerts, music festivals, and online communities, to gain insights into their priorities regarding visually appealing and intuitive user interfaces.

• Focus group discussions with a diverse range of music enthusiasts and web3 natives to gather in-depth feedback on their expectations and concerns regarding decentralized music platforms and NFT integration.

Key Insights

• Users across all segments craved a frictionless, user-friendly experience for discovering, sharing, and consuming music, seamlessly blending physical and digital realms.

• Creators were eager to explore alternative revenue models that provided more control, transparency, and direct connections with fans, such as NFT sales, crowdfunding campaigns, and tokenized royalties.

• Visual appeal, intuitive navigation, and a cohesive brand identity were critical factors for driving engagement and fostering a sense of community among music fans and web3 enthusiasts.

UI Design

Guided by the insights gained from my user research and the diverse needs represented by the personas, I meticulously mapped out user flows for key tasks and interactions within the Blaqk Stereo app.

These user flows served as the foundation for developing comprehensive wireframes that established the app's information architecture and laid out the structure and functionality of its core sections:

• Home: This section served as the central hub for the app, featuring an immersive media player for seamless music playback, curated highlights of featured artists and their latest releases or NFT drops, and prominent access to the NFT marketplace.

• User Profile: A personalized space where users could manage their crypto wallets, view and showcase their NFT collections, track tokenized royalties earned from supporting artists, and access account settings and preferences.

• Marketplace: A vibrant and dynamic marketplace where users could browse, discover, and trade a wide range of music NFTs, leveraging advanced search and filtering capabilities to find items aligned with their interests and preferences.

• Launch Deck: Designed specifically for creators, this section provided a powerful suite of tools for launching and managing crowdfunding campaigns, including campaign creation wizards, real-time progress tracking, and features to foster engagement and collaboration with supporters.

The wireframes established a clean, intuitive structure with clear navigation paths, ensuring that users could seamlessly navigate between the app's core features while maintaining a cohesive and consistent experience.