Audible
Adding a Feature to an Existing Product
Project Overview
Background
Don Katz, an award winning author and journalist founded Audible in 1995. Audible is now a subsidiary of Amazon, and has millions of subscribers. They account for 41% of audiobook sales in the U.S. As an audiobook service, Audible is the group lead and it wants to stay that way. For this reason, they want to improve engagement and retention in the app. In order to do that, they want to expand on their social capabilities.
People like to connect over books. Book clubs are commonplace, whether in-person or virtual format. There is an untapped opportunity to connect users in this space. With Audible’s focus on “People Principles” a social feature would be right in line with their company goals and values. The goal is to define what’s the best way moving forward in that direction, and provide Audible with a prototype of the feature(s) integrated seamlessly within the rest of the app.
Challenge
This project involved determining what existing users like and dislike about the Audible experience. From there, the focus would be designing solutions that can be seamlessly integrated into the existing product.
Objectives
Determine the feature(s) to add
Seamlessly integrate the new feature(s) into Audible’s existing design architecture
Project Scope
Adding a feature to an existing product
Tools
Figma, Pen & Paper, Zoom, Whimsical, Miro, Otter.ai
Role
UX Designer (Research, Visual Design, Interaction Design, Usability Testing)
Team
Self directed with guidance from my mentor & peers
Duration
4 weeks (80 hours)
The Design Process
01. Research.
Research Plan
Secondary: Market Research and Competitive Analysis
Heuristic Evaluation
Primary: User Interviews
Empathy Map
User Persona
02. Define.
User & Business Goals
HMW Questions
Sitemap
03. Ideate.
Brainstorming
Feature Roadmap
Task Flow
User Flow
UI Requirements
Low-fidelity Sketches
04. Prototype.
High-Fidelity Wireframes & Prototype
05. Test.
Usability Testing
Affinity Map
Priority Revisions
UI Kit
01. Research.
In this phase, assumptions are put aside. We look to learn more about the problem space, & create empathy for our users.
Research
Research Plan
A research plan helps outline the goals, assumptions, and questions. It also helps organize who our participants will be and how we will conduct our primary research.
Research Goals:
Identify user needs
Identify user pain points/frustrations with Audible
Identify delights/joys of Audible
Identify habits around Audible/streaming audiobook use
Where do they listen?
When do they listen?
How do they listen?
Why do they listen?
Identify how users select reading material
Identify motivations
Why the choice to use audiobooks over text?
Identify holes in Audible usage
Identify competitors and their strengths/weaknesses
Secondary Research
Market Research
I conducted general research first to gain more information about current trends and customer demographics for the audiobook industry in the United States. By getting a clear picture of the industry, this helps to inform who our participants will be for user interviews during the primary research phase.
TRENDS
The global audiobooks market size was valued at USD 2.67 billion in 2019 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 24.4% from 2020 to 2027.
Digital audiobooks continue to be the fastest growing segment in publishing.
The interoperability between personal digital assistants and audiobook platforms may act as a pain point to this industry. For instance, the books published by Audible are only accessible with the latter’s Echo smart speaker. Such lack of casting options and restriction from connected entertainment developers acts as a roadblock to the market growth.
The narrator’s voice and pronunciation are one of the critical factors impacting the market growth. Quality narration influences growth and poor narration is a factor in drop off.
With library closures during the pandemic, market players are offering multiple products to engage their audiences with unique screen-free entertainment. Audible, Inc. for instance launched an online taped books collection of free poetry, fables, novels, and educational material on their websites with no prior requirement of sign-up, log-in, as well as payment information.
The non-fiction segment is anticipated to witness faster growth with a CAGR of over 25.0% during the forecast period (attributed to parents wanting to increase learning time)
The most popular forms of non-fiction audiobooks are history, biographies, and self-development material.
The fiction genre primarily includes mysteries, fantasy, crime thrillers, and science.
Fiction held a higher revenue share of 65.6% of the overall market in 2019 and is likely to retain its dominance over the forecast period.
Within the fictional category, science and mystery have emerged as the most popular genres among the target audiences.
According to a consumer behavior survey conducted by the Audio Publishers Association (APA), approximately 60.0% of the listeners use these books while relaxing at home.
The various attributes of audiobooks such as offering brain stimulation and relaxation even during packed schedules or while multi-tasking is expected to highly contribute to the growth. (Motivations)
Consumers prefer buying subscription packages over one-time downloads as they provide access to a wide range of titles.
The availability of the books in non-English, as well as different regional languages, is anticipated to foster growth in this region from 2020 to 2027
Key factors driving market growth: accessible books for physically-=abled and non-English speaking (blind and various other audiences).
A quarter of audiobook readers both listen and read the print version simultaneously: a behavior specific to 18-54 year olds; much more so among men.
Two identified key purposes: to help listeners relax. To be entertained.
Other motivations: Stimulate their brain, broaden knowledge of a particular topic.
A third of listeners use audiobooks to help them sleep at night.
57% of audiobook listeners never have time to sit down to read a physical book
Similar proportion said listening to an audiobook is a more immersive and intimate experience
Smartphones are the most popular device for listening to audiobooks - 60% of users
Smart speakers are now used by 1 in 5
Although the automobile is still the number one place where people listen to audiobooks, the home is where audiobooks are played for longer durations.
During the pandemic, Scribd is also exploring new ways to connect readers with one another and to authors, by providing curated reading recommendations to individuals across their social platforms.
DEMOGRAPHICS
In 2019, the adult audience accounted for the highest revenue share of more than 80% and was valued at over USD 2.00 billion.
57% of frequent audiobook listeners are under the age of 45
Kids are up to 12; 12 and over is viewed as Adults
The kids segment is anticipated to expand at the fastest CAGR over the forecast period. This is due to the many educational and developmental benefits of this type of media.
In 2019, North America accounted for the largest revenue share of close to 45.0% in the global business, the region is expected to continue dominating over the forecast period.
The U.S. captured a revenue share of over 40.0% of the overall market in 2019.
Audiobook reach is significantly higher in upper-middle, middle, or lower-middle class households. Particularly those with children living at home.
Greater use among 18-34 year olds.
The average audiobook users are affluent men, aged between 18 and 34 years old, who listen to at least four audiobooks every 12 months.
Overall, men, far more than women, listen to audiobooks while working, commuting and running outdoors.
Competitive Analysis
By looking at other companies that provide audiobook services, strengths and weaknesses of each could be evaluated of both direct and indirect competitors. I researched other companies with strong similarities to Audible, as well as indirect competitors such as options offered by the library.
Provisional Personas
Based on demographic trends found during market research, provisional personas are created. Here, I’m able to evaluate how user goals and pains differ, based on the primary populations that engage in audiobook listening. This assists when recruiting participants for user interviews.
Primary Research
User Interviews
During secondary research, I was able to determine my target demographic, as well as some significant insights regarding habits around the ways people listen to audiobooks. With this in mind, I connected with existing Audible subscribers that fell into this market demographic for the user interviews. This helped me understand the typical user: their goals, expectations, needs, and frustrations when using Audible. All were asked questions about their experience specific to Audible, as well as more general inquiries regarding audiobook usage.
Participants
6 Participants
5 Males, 1 female
Ages 32 - 44 years old
Recruitment: Colleagues from Slack, Friends
Process: On Zoom, Slack, or In-Person interviews using Otter.ai for transcripts/recording
Empathy Map
After all interviews were conducted every observation or quote was recorded onto a post it note. Initially organized by participant, they were then rearranged by patterns to determine insights from the user interviews.
Insights: Determined as users began saying the same things
The narrator deeply affects the listeners’ experience.
Audiobook users all site convenience being a major factor when listening to audiobooks.
Typically, readers have only a small circle of people they share their books with, if at all.
Educational content is more challenging to listen to on-the-go, particularly if there are accompanying pdfs to reference.
Needs: Derived from our insights
The user needs a way to easily find favorite narrators
The user needs convenient methods for listening on-the-go
The user needs the ability to directly share information about a book with specific individuals
The user needs a more convenient way to reach
accompanying materials
User Persona
After determining the user needs, goals, frustrations, and motivations I built a user persona. Michael guided the rest of my design decisions, keeping my solutions user-centered.
02. Define.
Now, we look to define the main problem we are solving for by synthesizing findings from the Research phase.
Point-Of-View Statements
These statements help frame the user in the problem space.
How Might We Questions
Using the POV statement, I created these questions to further help identify the problems I am attempting to solve. The HMQ are also used to brainstorm as many solutions as possible.
Project Goals
Now, I looked at how Michael’s goals overlap with the business goals of Audible. This helped me identify some of the problems to solve. It also refocuses the solutions to support both the business and its users.
App Map
Here, I looked at the current layout of the information architecture on the Audible app. Given the way the information is already organized, this allowed me to see where I could potentially add new features.
You can have a closer look at the appmap here.
03. Ideate.
Now that the problem is defined, we can move to the ideate phase. Here, we are attempting to generate possible solutions.
Brainstorming
During individual brainstorming I used mind maps & rapid generation to create as many solutions as possible for each HMW question.
Check out all the mind maps.
During group brainstorming, we utilized brainwriting & rapid ideation to develop solutions for two of the HMW questions:
How might we provide listeners with the ability to select narrators that are compatible with his/her preferences?
How might we provide relevant accompanying information to the listener in real time?
Feature Roadmap
Based on my process thus far, I made a hierarchical list of features the product will require that support both business and user goals.
Task Flows
Using the solutions generated during brainstorming, I developed various tasks for the user. Keeping the feature roadmap and sitemap in mind, I thought about how the user would execute each task.
Task 1: Michael needs to get to the narrator details screen.
Task 2: Michael needs to mark a certain narrator as a favorite.
Task 3: Michael wants to find a featured narrator.
User Flow
In order to further empathize with the user, these user flow looks at all the various ways Michael might navigate when interacting with the Audible app given a variety of user stories.
To get into Michael’s shoes, click here to navigate through these user flows.
Low-Fidelity Sketches
During sketching, I used my task flows, user flows, feature roadmap, & UI requirements document to determine which screens I would be designing, & possible ways the user, Michael, might interact with various elements on each screen.
Narrator category screen under Library tab
Narrator details screen, with hearts icon for adding favorites. Additionally, a favorite narrators collection under the Collections in library tab.
Featured narrators category on the discover tab. Tappable narrator name to navigate to the Narrator Details screen.
04. Wireframes & Prototype.
Here, I breathe life into the ideation phase when digitizing my solutions into high-fidelity wireframes & a functioning prototype.
High-Fidelity Wireframes
I generated a total of ten screens in order make a prototype that felt like the Audible experience. I started with the home screen.
Home screen upon entering Audible
Titles screen under Library Tab
Added a Narrators screen under Library Tab
05. Test.
Using the prototype created, I moved into Usability Testing. This phase is exciting, as it tells me how effectively I designed for my users. Usability testing shows improvements that need to be made.
Usability Test Plan
Just as I had a Research Plan in the Research phase, here I plan for Usability Testing to ensure I measure the right things. Included in this Usability Test Plan is the following:
A script with non-leading language
Test goals
Test subjects
Methodologies
Test Completion Rate
Error Free Rate
Read the entire Usability Test Plan
Test Participants:
3 male, 3 female
Ages 29 - 34
4 located in continental United States
1 located in Hawaii, 1 in England
Overall Results:
Completion Rate: 100%
Error Free Rate: 98.6%
Affinity Map
Once the testing was recorded and completed, every observation or quote was put on its own post it note. Items that were similar were grouped together; each pattern yielded an insight. Recommendations were made for each insight. They were prioritized according to the time it would take, and level of importance.
Insight
Participants all used hearts (over kebab menu) but showed a lack of closure once task was completed (5/6)
Participants expected to be able to reach book details screen by clicking dirctly on book on homescreen (5/6)
Recommendation
Add further feedback/confirmation that a favorite has been added
Add navigation path to book details screen.
(This is an Audible design (not mine). Question of whether to implement any design changes here.)
Priority Revisions
Based on the usability tests findings, I made updates. These should help mitigate any issues users frequently encountered.
UI Kit
I created a UI Kit with both existing and new design patterns. This creates a cohesive document of all the elements and design patterns; further, it serves as a handy reference for building out more screens in the future.
High-Fidelity Prototype
In this final prototype, the priority revision have been included. There are now eleven screens.
Reflection & Next Steps
Reflection
This project was a fun & surprising undertaking. Ultimately, my hypothesis of needing a social feature was incorrect. However, I was able to uncover the importance of literary figures & performers within Audible, and the affect this has on the listener.
Given the constraints of this project, the Narrator feature has been added to the top menu in the Library tab. In a more expansive project, this type of content could be given its own domain within the Audible app. Given my research, the following suggestions for future updates to the product are as follows:
The Discover tab & Home tab are fairly redundant. Most of the features within Discover could be consolidated to the Home screen. I found that the user by-and-large, used this section the least.
Given the freed up category within the bottom Tab Bar, Audible could conceivable create a Figures tab that includes all content regarding Authors, Narrators, and Podcasters.
Next Steps
Usability testing of the current high-fidelity prototype, and further priority revisions
Potentially the implementation & handoff to a developer
The vision for a larger domain of content specifically regarding literary figures within the Audible community