primary outcome
Idea ▸ Visual Prototype ▸ Launch
Scope of work
Product Logo Design Product Design Marketing Collateral
Client
Younode, Inc.
Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
Reviving the joy of music discovery
Music discovery has become easier in recent times, with algorithms suggesting tunes you might like.
But the team at Younode felt that they were being limited to the same type of songs on repeat, and not being exposed to different kinds of music. Back in the day when friends shared music with each other, there were new discoveries and organic connection. With only algorithm recommendations, we lose that serendipity and bonding.
They wanted to revive that joyfyul experience of stumbling upon new and unexpected songs that they might not have come across otherwise, and the idea for PULP was born.
Who is this for?
Many people love music, but who would be PULP's biggest fans? We worked with the Younode team to create a persona by gathering insights from their personal experiences.
Our initial persona was Mami Kawano, a 20-something Tokyoite working in corporate. She pays for Spotify Premium and listens to music all the time. She's not hooked on a specific genre, but is open-minded. She loves going to music festivals.
While we could have done extensive user research, we did not, as the Younode team consisted of developers. In this case, it was more efficient to build something to test with real users and get solid user input, rather than to interview hypothetical ones.
Crafting the story
So why should Mami care about PULP? To write the story and understand a bit of the user journey, we ran a workshop with the Younode team using the StoryBrand Brandscript framework.
For Mami, music was an integral part of who she was. Without PULP, she found herself scrolling through Twitter, consuming what everyone else was consuming, and feeling unfulfilled. She couldn't help but wonder if she was wasting her life away.
But by engaging with PULP, she would be able to dive into her passions and find her community. PULP offered a way for Mami to break free from the mundane and embrace her true self.
Mobile app design from the ground up
Beginning with a simple app description and a kickoff call to understand their vision, began with UX design, launching into light wireframing. We collaborated closely with their team to envision the app in broad strokes before going into the details.
Applying visual design
The Younode team was quite fond of the pink and orange vibe, which we decided to pull into the app design. During our discussions, we considered both dark mode and light mode. While we initially recommended dark mode for its underground music scene feel, the team ultimately preferred the vibrant, upbeat energy of light mode. We decided to go with their preference and used bright tones to create a lively and engaging user experience.
Prototyping, feature by feature
With new products, it's important to get user feedback from existing users to determine what's next on the roadmap. As the Younode team came up with new features they wanted to try, we helped to create the flow, visuals, and prototype.
Adding a friendly face
Mascot characters are common in Japan, and the team was looking for something to make their tech product more approachable.
Starting with their initial sketches, we concepted, modeled, and fleshed out a music-loving polar bear.
Discover your new favorite tunes
PULP is now available on the App Store.
