Case study

I was commissioned by Dan Rose Music Consultancy to propose a web-based application for clients to connect to an online music library. Usability was a key factor for the site and a simple interface, which didn’t require a lot of thought to use was needed. Dan commented “I know the attitude and how people work and if everything to do with the site is not quick to load / simple/low maintenance for them to receive what they want… then they will lose interest. It is kind of obvious but it is important the website is quick, effective, easy to use, and functional as it will reflect my core service.”

Dan wanted a “sampler idea” whereby clients would be able to listen to examples of the music, without compromising the integrity and copyright of the artist. Instead of listing tracks by artist or genre, Dan wanted the audience to experience the music without any preconceived notions. If you categorise by genres such as drum ‘n’ base or rock, it gives people an idea of a sound even before they hear the music.

I have always had an interest in the condition ‘synesthesia’ which I discussed with Dan. This is a neurological condition, where the stimulation of one sense can lead to involuntary stimulation of another sense. Phrases such as "loud shirt," "bitter wind" or "prickly laugh" are examples of “synesthetic” experiences where the senses can become mixed up and amplified. I was particularly interested in sound, and color synaesthesia. As the title suggests sufferers of this condition have a unique relationship between sight and sound.

The condition has been described as "something like fireworks." A voice, piece of music, or even ambient environmental sounds such as dogs barking trigger color and firework shapes that arise, move around, and then fade when the sound ends. Synesthetes comment that sound often changes the perceived hue, brightness, and directional movement of color. Most say that loud tones are brighter than soft tones, and that lower tones are darker than higher tones.

Based on this condition and also using the book ‘Reinventing the wheel’ by Jessica Helfand as inspiration I proposed a solution that used a color wheel to organise the music. The samples would be categorised and arranged via color. This would allow the user to navigate the music via mood, suggested by the color choice, and eliminate any preconceived notions of the artist or genre. I have used wheels a lot in my work – or circles – and for me, they are perfect when you have a lot of content and you want to put it into a small confined space. The client also wanted a site that was compact and wasn’t a scrolling site.

For me, the wheel came out of the idea of how the client would actually use the site - as I find a lot of clients don't use sites when you build them - so for me, I thought how can we make Dan use the site to add new music on a regular basis. As a result of this, the next system proposed was on what sort of schedule new music would be added to the wheel. Should it simply be a case of when it was new or had just been discovered? I felt that this would get lost and so suggested using a monthly calendar system – so that at the beginning of each new month – new music would be added and clients would be informed.

There are two ways, in which you can interact with the color wheel;
Simply download the tracks to your desktop every time there is a monthly update.
As a personalised online music library using the functions currently available and only download when necessary.

I consulted with Dan and together we selected eight colors. Each of these is based loosely on the genre type. We then arranged the music via color according to our personal interpretation of it, such as orange for up-tempo, etc. Most of the arrangement was intuitive. We then devised a color system by selecting hues, which looked good on screen and had enough contrast from each other for them to be easily recognisable.

When you first enter the site you are presented with a wheel of music chosen by Dan Rose. The user can listen to the samples and then build their own wheels based on their preferences.

In the briefing, Dan had recognised that traditional radio and music TV are no longer the force it once was for introducing new music to fans. Individuals are finding their own niche through the Internet and word of mouth through social networking and file-sharing sites has had a huge influence as a tool for marketing and distribution. Recommendation sites from trusted tastemakers (be they friends or people who do internet fanzines) are a big way of getting your music exposed and discovered. Based on this the user is able to invite others to share their selected tracks on the wheel. The recipient receives a link allowing them to listen to one specific wheel and read any notes the originator has made.

I played with the navigation of the site looking at the placement of the information and the various functions that needed to be included, such as the ability to download tracks to the desktop. The site went through several versions before the final one was settled upon, but the basic premise of the wheel remained the same. The user wouldn’t see the tracks arranged alphabetically or via name, but by color association. The tracks were grouped via month for the general interface and then in a circular ‘holder’ for the personal wheels where the user was selecting and saving tracks to listen to later.

The budget was small - and we could have done loads of research into color theory but it wasn't needed. “For me when you design a site and then program it you have to go through a process of discovery. You can't just design a site and then tell a programmer to make it. The way it worked was that we got a general idea agreed - but when we started to program it I could see areas that had been missed - and new ideas could be developed.

The site has a lot of depth to it and it was built for clients. We programmed the site so that Dan could see who was using the site - and which tracks they were adding to the wheels.” There is also the full analytical side that keeps track of who is listening to the different types of library music, and tailored appropriately so the right kind of music is sent to the right kind of clients.

The project was developed systematically applying an approach across the whole application. To make sure it worked, Dan sent out the site to his clients who he trusted and got them to use it – the feedback was positive. Paul commented, “I think what Dan enjoyed was that when he first came to me he just thought he would be getting a website - but I wanted something much more - something that was bespoke for him and something his client could use to hopefully help their workflow - and also something that would make him stand out from the crowd.”

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