composer journaling app
UX/UI Mobile App Case Study | General Assembly
A journaling app that generates playlists based on the user’s entries.
Overview
Composer is a journaling app that improves self-reflection by associating user entries with custom music playlists. This unique approach encourages users to explore their emotions, process thoughts, and embrace mindfulness through the power of music.
Goals
Increase Journaling Frequency: Provide emotional rewards to motivate regular journaling
Foster User Connection: Establish trust between users and the app while developing a meaningful connection between them.
Encourage Self-Reflection: Utilize personalized music playlists to deepen introspection.
Creative Direction
UX/UI Design
User Research
Wireframing
Prototyping
Branding
Prototype
App Design
Composer:
Problem Statement
People use journaling as a coping mechanism in times of emotional distress yet find it challenging to make this practice regular. The composer creates a more appealing journaling experience with personalized music selections.
Objective
The platform aims to establish a unified journaling process that encourages users to connect their thoughts and emotions with music to enable emotional expression and creative discovery.
USER RESEARCH
Overview
Studies show users tend to write in journals inconsistently across various platforms. Many people rely on music as a powerful tool for processing emotions and establishing self-connection
General Findings
Journaling frequency increases during emotional lows.
Users value privacy and prefer a consolidated journaling platform.
Music is a critical component of emotional processing for many users.
USER PERSONAS
THEO, 31, works as a visual designer who prefers solitary thought processes yet finds enjoyment in social environments. Technologically adept and recently single.
SELENE, 28, works as a publicist for a tech company who enjoys socializing before she prepares for bed using music to create emotional experiences.
“I enjoy socializing with people but I also need time to re-charge. ”
Key Characteristics
Introverted, creative, thoughtful.
Key Characteristics
Outgoing, creative, self-reflective.
Pain Points
Experiences physical and emotional exhaustion from work; easily flustered.
Pain Points
Maintains a busy social life; journals across multiple platforms; neglects journaling during positive moods.
Goals and Needs
Increase awareness of mood changes; manage work-related stress.
“I love living in a big busy city, but I wish I had more ‘me’ time.”
Goals and Needs
Be more present; journal more consistently; establish a habit of regular self-check-ins.
COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS
Overview
Composer stands out by combining journaling functionality with music creation which competitors typically lack
The insights we gathered led us to investigate multiple concepts that combined emotional journaling with personalized music compositions.
IDEATION AND BRAINSTORMING
Overview
Our exploration centered around merging emotional journaling with creative outputs through emotional check-ins, playlist generation and intuitive navigation systems.
Ideas Generated
Music playlists based on journal entries.
Music playlists derived from journal entries.
Visual tools like mood charts and word clouds.
Enhanced privacy controls.
Prioritization
We prioritized features based on user needs and feasibility:
Music generator.
Mood tracking.
Visual tools like word clouds.
Card Sorting
Findings
Text creation and post creation were always linked by users who often added file attachments and post editing.
Mood charts and statistics appeared together in groups while tagged keywords connected to either mood charts or statistics.
Users typically grouped music functions such as edit, generate, and playlist viewing together and some added sync functionality.
Users associated camera functions with photo tasks and some of them included export and backup options.
Users typically grouped reminders and settings together and some added backup and sync features.
USER FLOW
SITE MAP
Overview
We mapped the essential user interactions with the app to create a seamless journaling experience. Here you will find the user flow diagram and the website map.
WIREFRAMING
The first wireframes emphasized user flow by concentrating on smooth journaling experiences along with easy playlist creation and emotional check-ins.
Low-Fidelity Prototype
During onboarding, users identified several usability concerns: The "playlist" feature was displayed under both "view post" and "music" tabs resulting in user confusion.
Uncertainty about editing initial responses during check-ins.
Users found it challenging to locate the editing controls for previous journal entries.
Ambiguity in some emoji representations.
HIGH FIDELITY PROTOTYPING
The app became more intuitive following four testing rounds when we made refinements.:
The "playlist" feature was taken out of "view post" and moved to the "music" tab.
Simplified the filtering system, eliminating user confusion.
We substituted the "x" button below the "create a post" section with an emoji to make the editing function clearer.
The interface now includes "edit" and "trash" buttons on the upper-right side of each record for straightforward access.
Limited the number of emojis to avoid overwhelming users with too many options.
IN CONCLUSION
Composer brings a new level of emotional wellness accessibility through its innovative journaling experience. Subsequent versions will continue to enhance personalization features while boosting user engagement.