Your Music, Your Time, Your Playlist : Timer Playlists An Addition to Spotify
Overview
The timer playlist creator is a Spotify feature designed to generate playlists that match a user’s desired time duration. Whether for a workout, study session, or meditation, users can set a timer, select a genre, select a task and receive a playlist that ends precisely when they need it to. Eliminating the hassle of manually curating playlists or dealing with awkward song cutoffs.
Goal
The project goal is to design an intuitive and effortless playlist creation experience that enables users to set a desired duration and receive a perfectly timed music selection with minimal input. The focus is on reducing cognitive load, ensuring seamless transitions, and enhancing user satisfaction by providing music that aligns precisely with their activities.
Skills
UX Design
UI Design
Audience
The timer playlist creator targets users who are looking for convenience and simplicity in their music experience, where the music adapts to the user's schedule rather than the other way around.
Workers & Students
Needs: Background music for deep concentration that fits their specific work or study duration without the need to manually adjust the playlist.
Challenges: Losing focus due to songs that are too long, too short, or disruptive, making it difficult to stay immersed in the task.
Fitness Enthusiasts
Needs: Music that fits perfectly with their workout time, creating a high-energy atmosphere that ends when they’re finished.
Challenges: Constantly skipping songs or resetting playlists during their workout can disrupt the flow and energy.
Relaxation Seekers
Needs: Calm and soothing music that plays throughout a meditation or wind-down session, stopping precisely when the session ends.
Challenges: Interruptions from songs that either cut off too early or continue past their relaxation period.
Commuters
Needs: Music that matches the time of their commute or journey, ensuring the playlist ends as they arrive at their destination.
Challenges: Playlists that are either too long or too short, requiring manual adjustments during the trip.
Process
Before diving into the design, we gathered insights by interviewing users about their current experiences with music streaming apps. We wanted to understand their frustrations and aspirations, focusing on how music could be better integrated into their routines.
Many users were frustrated with the smart shuffle function and how it used the same couple of songs.
User Insights:
Others reported needing to manually skip songs or adjust playlists mid-activity, disrupting their flow.
There was a desire for more time-oriented, automated features that could simplify the process of choosing music based on the task at hand.
With this feedback in mind, we were tasked with creating a feature that could improve the user experience on a music streaming app. I pitched two ideas:
Music Time Capsule – A feature where users could attach photos to songs, creating a nostalgic, evolving playlist.
Timer Playlist Creator – A solution that generates playlists of a specific duration, perfectly synced to users’ activities.
Based on the pitch feedback, the Music Time Capsule feature was scrapped since it functioned more like an Instagram add-on for Spotify. Instead, I chose to focus on developing the timer-based playlist creator.
After pitching the timer playlist creator—I conducted user research to validate interest in the timer playlist creator. Using a Google Form survey, I gathered insights from 19 participants to understand their current music streaming habits and whether a time-based playlist feature would enhance their experience.
Would you find a feature that automatically creates a playlist to match a specific time duration useful?
36.8% yes, 57.9 maybe, 5.3% no
Insight: The majority of users see potential value in this feature, but customization options may be crucial for wider adoption.
In what situations would you use a timed playlist?
Studying/Working 55.6%, Exercising 66.7%, Cooking 27.8%, Sleeping/Relaxing 50%, Driving 44.4%, showering 5.6%, chores like cleaning etc 5.6%
Insight: The strongest use cases are for exercise, work, and relaxation, where having a playlist that aligns with a set duration would enhance focus and flow.
Would you prefer this feature to...
Use only songs I’ve already liked or saved 26.3%, Include new recommendations based on my taste 5.3%, A mix of both. 26.3%
Insight: Users prefer some level of familiarity in their playlists, with a slight lean toward keeping their own music rather than relying on algorithmic recommendations.
On a scale of 1-5, how likely would you be to use this feature? (1 = Not Likely, 5 = Very Likely)
19 responses average rating is (3.68)
1 star 10.5%, 2 star 5.3%, 3 star 15.8%, 4 star 42.1%, 5 star 26.3%
Insight: While not universally appealing, the majority of users expressed interest, with nearly 70% rating it 4 or 5 stars. The challenge lies in refining the experience to convert the "maybe" respondents into active users.
Barriers
User Pain Points:
Manual Curation Fatigue
Problem: Many users have to spend time manually adjusting playlists or skipping tracks that don't fit the mood or duration.
Impact: This takes away from the enjoyment of the activity, and can cause additional stress or distraction.
Inconsistent Music Endings
Problem: Songs may end too early or continue playing after the activity is over.
Impact: Users feel like their music doesn’t sync with their activities, causing an unnatural end to their session and interrupting their focus or mood.
Playlist Length Mismatch
Problem: Users often find themselves with playlists that either don’t match the time they have or are difficult to adjust.
Impact: This creates frustration and disrupts their flow during activities, especially when they have to interrupt their task to manually adjust the playlist.
A/B Testing
After validating interest in the Timer Playlist Creator, I conducted A/B testing with six design variations to refine usability. These tests focused on optimizing how users interacted with the timer and genre selection behavior.
Time Selection Method
Version A (Apple Clock Style) – Users scrolled through hours, minutes, and seconds to set a precise duration.
Users preferred Version B because they preferred having options for a quicker setup.
Genre & Task Selection
Version A – Dropdown menu for selecting genres/tasks.
Version B (Presets Timer Style) – Pre-set durations with a custom button.
Version B – Side arrows for scrolling through options.
Users preferred Version C because they preferred having all of their options in front of them, they don’t have to search for the genres or task, and for a quicker setup.
Version C – All options displayed at once for quick selection.
First Iteration
For the first draft, I explored different color schemes, testing a blue-themed UI similar to Spotify’s DJ feature. I also experimented with how users accessed the feature, initially placing it on the home screen as a scrollable option. This design choice was based on A/B testing feedback, which showed that users preferred having all their options visible upfront rather than hidden behind extra interactions.
Feedback:
Testing the first draft revealed areas for improvement. Users found the timer feature placement unclear, leading to layout adjustments for better visibility. Playback needed a smoother flow, so I ensured the timer starts automatically when a playlist begins. Additionally, instead of locking in the selected tasks, I allowed users to change their task selection even after the timer has started, giving them more flexibility.
The Microwave Rules system needed fine-tuning, so I made sure users could easily adjust time increments. I also revised the color palette after feedback showed that blue wasn’t working well for readability and aesthetics.
Final Iteration
Revamped Home Page
Timer Feature Opened
Timer Started
Playlist Added
Takeaway
The Timer Playlist Feature enhances the music streaming experience by allowing users to generate playlists that match a specific time duration. By incorporating microwave rules for intuitive time selection and ensuring flexibility in task adjustments, users can seamlessly customize their listening experience even after playback begins. The feature is strategically integrated into the app without disrupting the home screen layout, maintaining familiarity while adding functionality. This balance of automation and user control makes time-based music experiences more intuitive, engaging, and personalized.