Implementing a new function into Spotify's UI
Implementing a new function into Spotify's UI
Spotify Feature Implementation
Spotify Feature Implementation
Spotify Feature Implementation
Role
Role
Product Designer
Product Designer
Timeline
Timeline
August 2025 - September 2025
August 2025 -
September 2025
Project Type
Project Type
Solo project
Solo project
Tools/Skills
Tools/Skills
Figma, User Research,
User Interviews,
Design Sketching,
Prototyping(low-med-high fidelity)
Figma, User Research,
User Interviews,
Design Sketching,
Prototyping
(low-med-high fidelity)
SUMMARY
SUMMARY
As a long-time Spotify user, I realized that while music discovery is seamless, playlist creation on mobile lacks the same fluidity. Adding or organizing songs requires repetitive actions and too many steps, making spontaneous playlist building almost impossible. This project explores a more intuitive, efficient way for users to select and manage multiple songs at once, streamlining the playlist creation experience and aligning it with Spotify’s otherwise effortless listening journey.
As a long-time Spotify user, I realized that while music discovery is seamless, playlist creation on mobile lacks the same fluidity. Adding or organizing songs requires repetitive actions and too many steps, making spontaneous playlist building almost impossible. This project explores a more intuitive, efficient way for users to select and manage multiple songs at once, streamlining the playlist creation experience and aligning it with Spotify’s otherwise effortless listening journey.
As a long-time Spotify user, I realized that while music discovery is seamless, playlist creation on mobile lacks the same fluidity. Adding or organizing songs requires repetitive actions and too many steps, making spontaneous playlist building almost impossible. This project explores a more intuitive, efficient way for users to select and manage multiple songs at once, streamlining the playlist creation experience and aligning it with Spotify’s otherwise effortless listening journey.
USER RESEARCH
USER RESEARCH
I interviewed four frequent Spotify users to better understand their struggles with Spotify and
specifically playlist creation
I interviewed four frequent Spotify users to better understand their struggles with Spotify and
specifically playlist creation
I interviewed four frequent Spotify users to better understand their struggles with Spotify and specifically playlist creation
The Final Takeaway
The Final Takeaway
The Final Takeaway
The insights revealed that users value personalization but are discouraged by the inefficiency of Spotify’s current playlist creation flow, highlighting the need for a faster, more intuitive way to manage multiple songs at once.
The insights revealed that users value personalization but are discouraged by the inefficiency of Spotify’s current playlist creation flow, highlighting the need for a faster, more intuitive way to manage multiple songs at once.
The insights revealed that users value personalization but are discouraged by the inefficiency of Spotify’s current playlist creation flow, highlighting the need for a faster, more intuitive way to manage multiple songs at once.
USER RESEARCH
USER RESEARCH
Looking into what has been made already
Looking into what has been made already
Here is information directly from the Spotify help site:
Here is information directly from the Spotify help site:
Currently, Spotify does allow users to select multiple songs, but this functionality is limited to the desktop version of the app. As confirmed by Spotify’s community support (see image reference), users can:
Use Shift + Click to select a continuous block of songs.
Use Control/Cmd + Click to add or remove individual songs from a selection.
However, this feature has notable limitations:
Selecting two songs that are far apart automatically selects all songs in between, making it difficult to only pick specific tracks across different parts of a playlist.
The feature is not available on mobile, where the majority of users engage with Spotify.
“The company has been telling its brand advertisers that mobile now accounts for the majority of listening, with 42% on phones…”(link)
This highlights a clear gap: while bulk selection exists on desktop in a constrained form, mobile users lack any equivalent functionality, reinforcing the need for a more streamlined and flexible multi-select feature across devices.
Currently, Spotify does allow users to select multiple songs, but this functionality is limited to the desktop version of the app. As confirmed by Spotify’s community support (see image reference), users can:
Use Shift + Click to select a continuous block of songs.
Use Control/Cmd + Click to add or remove individual songs from a selection.
However, this feature has notable limitations:
Selecting two songs that are far apart automatically selects all songs in between, making it difficult to only pick specific tracks across different parts of a playlist.
The feature is not available on mobile, where the majority of users engage with Spotify.
“The company has been telling its brand advertisers that mobile now accounts for the majority of listening, with 42% on phones…”(link)
This highlights a clear gap: while bulk selection exists on desktop in a constrained form, mobile users lack any equivalent functionality, reinforcing the need for a more streamlined and flexible multi-select feature across devices.
PROTOTYPING
PROTOTYPING
Testing some ideas
Testing some ideas
Exploring a concept that would allow a multi select feature by doing a press and hold on a song.
Exploring a concept that would allow a multi select feature by doing a press and hold on a song.
Exploring a flow that would allow for grabbing songs from other playlists to add them to a new playlist.
Exploring a flow that would allow for grabbing songs from other playlists to add them to a new playlist.
For this feature implementation, it is essential that it is
INTUITIVE
SIMPLE
SEAMLESS
It needs to feel like it was always a feature; Ironically, I personally am so surprised that this does not exist already.
For this feature implementation, it is essential that it is
INTUITIVE
SIMPLE
SEAMLESS
It needs to feel like it was always a feature; Ironically, I personally am so surprised that this does not exist already.
THE FINAL FEATURE
THE FINAL FEATURE
Demonstrating the final prototypes
Demonstrating the final prototypes
The final feature demonstrates the ability to select multiple songs at once without selecting every song in between. It is intuitive with a press and hold to select action, allowing for more efficiency when adding or removing songs from playlists. This in turn will boost user engagement and playlist creation within the app.
The final feature demonstrates the ability to select multiple songs at once without selecting every song in between. It is intuitive with a press and hold to select action, allowing for more efficiency when adding or removing songs from playlists. This in turn will boost user engagement and playlist creation within the app.
Another demonstration of the intuitive
selection feature
Another demonstration of the intuitive
selection feature
Selecting multiple songs from another playlist
Selecting multiple songs from another playlist
OUTCOMES
OUTCOMES
Reviewing user feedback
Reviewing user feedback
Almost 90% of users said that they were extremely likely to use this feature!
Almost 90% of users said that they were extremely likely to use this feature!
Almost 90% of users said that they were extremely likely to use this feature!
If this feature were to get implemented, some metrics that I would like to track would be average time to create a playlist, feature adoption rate, and playlist creation frequency.
If this feature were to get implemented, some metrics that I would like to track would be average time to create a playlist, feature adoption rate, and playlist creation frequency.
TAKEAWAYS
TAKEAWAYS
1. Designing with Intent
I learned the importance of aligning usability with user intent. Good design should feel invisible; Users shouldn’t have to think about how to complete a task, it should just make sense intuitively.
2. Friction Impacts Engagement
Even small inefficiencies can discourage users from taking action. At times, I overrefine my work for the sake of presentation rather than clarity. Sometimes it is better to go simpler and really focus on making the simple action as perfect as possible.
3. Thinking Holistically
To design something holistically, I learned that it starts with deeply understanding the problem, the psychology behind user actions, and the small details that shape behavior. Even minor and "insignificant" inefficiencies in a flow can lead to larger and more significant drops in engagement over time.
1. Designing with Intent
I learned the importance of aligning usability with user intent. Good design should feel invisible; Users shouldn’t have to think about how to complete a task, it should just make sense intuitively.
2. Friction Impacts Engagement
Even small inefficiencies can discourage users from taking action. At times, I overrefine my work for the sake of presentation rather than clarity. Sometimes it is better to go simpler and really focus on making the simple action as perfect as possible.
3. Thinking Holistically
To design something holistically, I learned that it starts with deeply understanding the problem, the psychology behind user actions, and the small details that shape behavior. Even minor and "insignificant" inefficiencies in a flow can lead to larger and more significant drops in engagement over time.
1. Designing with Intent
I learned the importance of aligning usability with user intent. Good design should feel invisible; Users shouldn’t have to think about how to complete a task, it should just make sense intuitively.
2. Friction Impacts Engagement
Even small inefficiencies can discourage users from taking action. At times, I overrefine my work for the sake of presentation rather than clarity. Sometimes it is better to go simpler and really focus on making the simple action as perfect as possible.
3. Thinking Holistically
To design something holistically, I learned that it starts with deeply understanding the problem, the psychology behind user actions, and the small details that shape behavior. Even minor and "insignificant" inefficiencies in a flow can lead to larger and more significant drops in engagement over time.