Reimagining a music, radio and podcast experience
Reimagining a music, radio and podcast experience
Reimagining a music, radio and podcast experience
Overview
What is BBC Sounds?
BBC Sounds is a streaming and download service that includes live radio broadcasts, audio on demand, and podcasts.
Project at a glance
Product discovery to inform the strategy for BBC Sounds - a new service to replace BBC Music & BBC iPlayer Radio.
My role
Align team on aims & objectives
Stakeholder engagement
Plan & facilitate workshops
Task assignment & direction
Testing: planning, analysis & playback
Impact
A year on from launch BBC Sounds became the UK No1 podcast app
Sprint insights ensured alignment with user needs and business goals
Fostered a collaborative team environment, enhancing ideation across functions
Overview
What is BBC Sounds?
BBC Sounds is a streaming and download service that includes live radio broadcasts, audio on demand, and podcasts.
Project at a glance
Product discovery to inform the strategy for BBC Sounds - a new service to replace BBC Music & BBC iPlayer Radio.
My role
Align team on aims & objectives
Stakeholder engagement
Plan & facilitate workshops
Task assignment & direction
Testing: planning, analysis & playback
Impact
A year on from launch BBC Sounds became the UK No1 podcast app
Sprint insights ensured alignment with user needs and business goals
Fostered a collaborative team environment, enhancing ideation across functions
Overview
What is BBC Sounds?
BBC Sounds is a streaming and download service that includes live radio broadcasts, audio on demand, and podcasts.
Project at a glance
Product discovery to inform the strategy for BBC Sounds - a new service to replace BBC Music & BBC iPlayer Radio.
My role
Align team on aims & objectives
Stakeholder engagement
Plan & facilitate workshops
Task assignment & direction
Testing: planning, analysis & playback
Impact
A year on from launch BBC Sounds became the UK No1 podcast app
Sprint insights ensured alignment with user needs and business goals
Fostered a collaborative team environment, enhancing ideation across functions
Challenge
To establish the BBC listening habit of the future
Data showed a decline in linear radio and the rise of music streaming
The business could eliminate separate websites and apps and align the efforts of large teams toward one cohesive user experience
Challenge
To establish the BBC listening habit of the future
Data showed a decline in linear radio and the rise of music streaming
The business could eliminate separate websites and apps and align the efforts of large teams toward one cohesive user experience
Challenge
To establish the BBC listening habit of the future
Data showed a decline in linear radio and the rise of music streaming
The business could eliminate separate websites and apps and align the efforts of large teams toward one cohesive user experience
Approach
Hypothesis
A personalised space that allows both quick access to favourite content, and lean-back discovery to recommended audio content, will increase user engagement and encourage habitual use.
Approach
Hypothesis
A personalised space that allows both quick access to favourite content, and lean-back discovery to recommended audio content, will increase user engagement and encourage habitual use.
Approach
Hypothesis
A personalised space that allows both quick access to favourite content, and lean-back discovery to recommended audio content, will increase user engagement and encourage habitual use.
Adapting to a new strategy: I kicked off processes to update research outputs that would guide decision-making
Aligning on scope and structure: I conducted workshops with core stakeholders, resulting in three challenge statements aligned with our mission and objectives
Adapting to a new strategy: I kicked off processes to update research outputs that would guide decision-making
Aligning on scope and structure: I conducted workshops with core stakeholders, resulting in three challenge statements aligned with our mission and objectives
Insights for each design sprint: In advance of each design sprint I planned workshop materials and appropriate methods to support both divergent and convergent thinking.
Insights for each design sprint: In advance of each design sprint I planned workshop materials and appropriate methods to support both divergent and convergent thinking.
The interactive design sprint process: The 5-day sprint process I adopted for answering our critical business questions. An adaptation of Google Design Sprints to support our business needs.
The interactive design sprint process: The 5-day sprint process I adopted for answering our critical business questions. An adaptation of Google Design Sprints to support our business needs.
Cross-functional collaboration: I secured engagement from senior stakeholders from Product, UX & Design, Engineering, Editorial, and M&A from both Radio and Music teams.
Criteria for taking ideas forward: I introduced criteria on which to take ideas forward, and to avoid the most articulate or highly paid individuals’ ideas being voted popular:
Does the idea meet the design sprints challenge statement?
Does the idea focus on both speech & music needs?
Is the idea a new area of investigation, one not previously explored?
Cross-functional collaboration: I secured engagement from senior stakeholders from Product, UX & Design, Engineering, Editorial, and M&A from both Radio and Music teams.
Criteria for taking ideas forward: I introduced criteria on which to take ideas forward, and to avoid the most articulate or highly paid individuals’ ideas being voted popular:
Does the idea meet the design sprints challenge statement?
Does the idea focus on both speech & music needs?
Is the idea a new area of investigation, one not previously explored?
Output
Rich insights from prototypes, tested with target users
Output
Rich insights from prototypes, tested with target users
Output
Rich insights from prototypes, tested with target users
Outcome
Developed skills within the team
Myself and our researcher assumed leading roles as a reference point. As I encouraged team members to facilitate sessions, we provided guidance and support.
Insights from the design sprints directly informed decision-making
I played back insights to all stakeholders. The UX team took the insights from our initial explorations to start wire-framing more fully rounded concepts that address the entirety of the personalised landing space brief.
A year on from launch BBC Sounds became the UK No1 podcast app.
Outcome
Developed skills within the team
Myself and our researcher assumed leading roles as a reference point. As I encouraged team members to facilitate sessions, we provided guidance and support.
Insights from the design sprints directly informed decision-making
I played back insights to all stakeholders. The UX team took the insights from our initial explorations to start wire-framing more fully rounded concepts that address the entirety of the personalised landing space brief.
A year on from launch BBC Sounds became the UK No1 podcast app.
Outcome
Developed skills within the team
Myself and our researcher assumed leading roles as a reference point. As I encouraged team members to facilitate sessions, we provided guidance and support.
Insights from the design sprints directly informed decision-making
I played back insights to all stakeholders. The UX team took the insights from our initial explorations to start wire-framing more fully rounded concepts that address the entirety of the personalised landing space brief.
A year on from launch BBC Sounds became the UK No1 podcast app.
Reflections
Time to pause and reflect in between design sprints
The biggest challenge was running three consecutive design sprints, which only left a day to analyse insights after each round of testing and finish preparing for the week ahead creating a very intense schedule.
In the future, I would adopt a staggered workshop schedule. Although I had some time to analyse insights at the end of all three sprints, this approach would provide dedicated time for analysis and reflection between workshops, enabling a more in-depth examination of insights at the time.
Reflections
Time to pause and reflect in between design sprints
The biggest challenge was running three consecutive design sprints, which only left a day to analyse insights after each round of testing and finish preparing for the week ahead creating a very intense schedule.
In the future, I would adopt a staggered workshop schedule. Although I had some time to analyse insights at the end of all three sprints, this approach would provide dedicated time for analysis and reflection between workshops, enabling a more in-depth examination of insights at the time.
Reflections
Time to pause and reflect in between design sprints
The biggest challenge was running three consecutive design sprints, which only left a day to analyse insights after each round of testing and finish preparing for the week ahead creating a very intense schedule.
In the future, I would adopt a staggered workshop schedule. Although I had some time to analyse insights at the end of all three sprints, this approach would provide dedicated time for analysis and reflection between workshops, enabling a more in-depth examination of insights at the time.
Credits
Christian Statham, Senior UX Designer
Susan Walsh, Senior UX Designer
James Bowen, UX Designer
Alex Ballantyne, UX Designer
Joe Fung, UX Designer Mobile
Amelia Still, Senior Research Specialist
Credits
Christian Statham, Senior UX Designer
Susan Walsh, Senior UX Designer
James Bowen, UX Designer
Alex Ballantyne, UX Designer
Joe Fung, UX Designer Mobile
Amelia Still, Senior Research Specialist
Credits
Christian Statham, Senior UX Designer
Susan Walsh, Senior UX Designer
James Bowen, UX Designer
Alex Ballantyne, UX Designer
Joe Fung, UX Designer Mobile
Amelia Still, Senior Research Specialist