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Avishkar Shinde
UX Designer
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Spotify Social Hub
7 mins read
Making it easier to connect and share on Spotify
Timeline
8 Weeks
March 2024 — May 2024
mY ROLE
User Experience Designer
Motion Designer
responsibilities
UX Research
Conceptual Designs
Brand Strategy
Prototyping
Tools
Figma
Adobe Creative Suite
Lottie
Notion
Overview
Spotify Social Hub is a design concept that rethinks how people can connect and share music within the app. My goal was to build a dedicated space where users can see what songs their friends are listening to, engage with their activity in real time, and express themselves better through profile personalization.
Spotify has largely incorporated similar features to what I designed in their app as of May 2025.
challenge
Spotify's social features fall short
As listening to music has become a social experience, I wanted to rethink how Spotify can support this experience beyond individual listening, since most of it's social features have remained stagnant and don't meet the evolving user expectations.
The challenges I faced for this redesign were
01
How might we help users stay connected with their social circle?
02
How might we make music sharing feel natural within the listening experience?
03
How might we help people express themselves through Spotify?
Solution
A fresh approach to make listening social
Social Hub is a two-sided social space within Spotify that connects listeners through real-time friend activity and rich profile personalization for self‑expression.
Below is a feature breakdown.
Friend
Activity
01
01
Friend activity feed
Users can see what their friends are or were listening to, and like or comment on the activity. This creates a more social listening experience.
01
01
Friend activity feed
Users can see what their friends are or were listening to, and like or comment on the activity. This creates a more social listening experience.
02
02
Personalized profiles
User can now choose a banner from their album art of choice and display their favorites (song, album, artist) on their profile, allowing them to better express their taste and personality.
02
02
Personalized profiles
User can now choose a banner from their album art of choice and display their favorites (song, album, artist) on their profile, allowing them to better express their taste and personality.
03
03
In-app music sharing
Users can send and receive songs, reply to activity, or start conversations directly within Spotify, making sharing music seamless and more meaningful.
03
03
In-app music sharing
Users can send and receive songs, reply to activity, or start conversations directly within Spotify, making sharing music seamless and more meaningful.
04
04
Manage your friend list easily
A management UI lets users approve or remove friend requests, giving them more control over their social network.
04
04
Manage your friend list easily
A management UI lets users approve or remove friend requests, giving them more control over their social network.
mOTION GRAPHICS
Motion branding
I also made motion graphic highlighting the features with a refreshed visuals.
Brand Values
Values that define Spotify
Values that define Spotify
I started my research by referring to Spotify’s brand values to understand their voice and culture. These values shaped my approach to user research and also aligned my design decision with Spotify's intent and brand.
Collaborative
Innovative
Passionate
Sincere
Playful
Collaborative
Innovative
Passionate
Sincere
Playful
User Research
Listening to users
Using the values as a base, I conducted interviews and surveys to learn how people actually use Spotify. Particularly, how they listen, share music, and connect (or don’t) with others on the platform. Here are some user quotes from my research.
Listening Habits
Daily usage patterns and playlist behaviors
Social Needs & Frustrations
Gaps in connecting with friends through music
Profile Personalization
Desire for self-expression and identity
Sharing & Interaction
Current workarounds for music recommendations
Discovery & Community
How users find new music through social circles
Listening Habits
Daily usage patterns and playlist behaviors
Social Needs & Frustrations
Gaps in connecting with friends through music
Profile Personalization
Desire for self-expression and identity
Sharing & Interaction
Current workarounds for music recommendations
Discovery & Community
How users find new music through social circles
Listening Habits
Daily usage patterns and playlist behaviors
Social Needs & Frustrations
Gaps in connecting with friends through music
Profile Personalization
Desire for self-expression and identity
Sharing & Interaction
Current workarounds for music recommendations
Discovery & Community
How users find new music through social circles
Listening Habits
Daily usage patterns and playlist behaviors
Social Needs & Frustrations
Gaps in connecting with friends through music
Profile Personalization
Desire for self-expression and identity
Sharing & Interaction
Current workarounds for music recommendations
Discovery & Community
How users find new music through social circles
Key Findings
Insights that emerged
From the 14 semi-structured interviews of casual and dedicated Spotify users, these were the key insights that emerged.
78%
of the users were interested in seeing songs their friends were listening to.
67%
of the users felt their profiles didn’t reflect their music identity.
100%
of the users were agreed that the app could be more vibrant.
Low-fidelity Wireframes
Testing early concepts
I started the design work by wireframing different layout options to see how the new features would fit into the app's existing structure. Early testing showed that users wanted a more detailed layout for friend activity, so I made changes accordingly.
Logo
A new look
While rethinking the brand, I also made a new logo to feel more fluid and expressive while keeping it's core identity intact.
Color Palette
The role of color
This is the palette I developed for my UI Design and branding. It is divided into core, accents, and greys,
Core colors kept my design grounded in Spotify’s brand and identity.
Accent colors highlighted actions like likes, messages, and categories, making interactions more expressive.
Greys handled the structure and hierarchy, helping the colorful stuff pop out without overwhelming the design.
Style Frames
Defining the visual direction
Based on the color palette, I designed these two style frames which became a foundation for my UI and brand design.
Design System
Designing for consistency
I built a set of reusable components to keep everything consistent. This streamlined my design process and kept everything visually cohesive.
Avishkar's
Playlist
Home
Search
Social
Your Library
I GOT YOU
TWICE
Social Hub
Design Kit
Currently playing
Bed Chem
Bed Chem
David Hernandez
No need to be fed
If you're in the mood
We can take it to the moon
Just like a movie scene
Table for two
Tip Toe
HYBS
Making Steak
2:43
4:46
Send a song or message...
1h ago
Spotify
New Message
Someone sent you a message.
Avishkar's
Playlist
Home
Search
Social
Your Library
I GOT YOU
TWICE
Social Hub
Design Kit
Currently playing
Bed Chem
Bed Chem
David Hernandez
No need to be fed
If you're in the mood
We can take it to the moon
Just like a movie scene
Table for two
Tip Toe
HYBS
Making Steak
2:43
4:46
Send a song or message...
1h ago
Spotify
New Message
Someone sent you a message.
Prototype
Prototype
Prototype
Test it yourself
Here's the complete prototype with all the features. Ready to try it?
to navigate the prototype.
R
to restart the prototype.
Usability Testing
Validating with Users
I tested this prototype with 8 users to validate the features, design direction, and identify pain points. Participants were asked to complete the following tasks.
Find and view what a friend is currently listening to.
Like and reply to a friend's listening activity.
Customize your profile by adding a banner and selecting favorite tracks
Send a song recommendation to a friend via in-app messaging
Approve or decline incoming friend requests
Key Findings
What I learned
Testing showed that features worked really well, with almost all the participants saying they would use Social Hub daily.
94%
completed all user testing tasks without help.
3x
faster song sharing in-app compared to external apps.
4.7/5
satisfaction score for profile personalization features.
Reflection
Looking Back
This project started as a motion design piece, but as I explored ideas, it also made sense to work on parts of the app itself. That’s where the idea of the Social Hub came in. It also gave me practice designing around real user needs and not just visuals. Overall, it taught me how to build more connected, intentional experience.
Conclusion
What's next?
While I’m happy with where this project landed, there’s still a lot more I’d like to explore like
What does deeper personalization look like beyond just banners and favorites?
How might these features impact user retention or encourage more interaction over time?
This project made me realize that ideas can come from anywhere. Sometimes from a small detail, a design gap, or just noticing something that could be made better.
This project made me realize that ideas can come from anywhere. Sometimes from a small detail, a design gap, or just noticing something that could be better. Moving forward, I want to stay open to those moments and keep building on them as part of my design process.
Simplified clean energy adoption by connecting users to community solar projects with an intuitive mobile platform.
Empowered 40+ students in Motion Design through hands-on learning, curated resources, and continuous feedback.
Optimized food distribution and reducing waste by connecting food banks and pantries through a centralized coordination platform.
Spotify Social Hub
7 mins read
Making it easier to connect and share on Spotify
Timeline
8 Weeks
March 2024 — May 2024
mY ROLE
User Experience Designer
Motion Designer
responsibilities
UX Research
Conceptual Designs
Brand Strategy
Prototyping
Tools
Figma
Adobe Creative Suite
Lottie
Notion
Overview
Spotify Social Hub is a design concept that rethinks how people can connect and share music within the app. My goal was to build a dedicated space where users can see what songs their friends are listening to, engage with their activity in real time, and express themselves better through profile personalization.
Spotify has largely incorporated similar features to what I designed in their app as of May 2025.
challenge
Spotify's social features fall short
As listening to music has become a social experience, I wanted to rethink how Spotify can support this experience beyond individual listening, since most of it's social features have remained stagnant and don't meet the evolving user expectations.
The challenges I faced for this redesign were
01
How might we help users stay connected with their social circle?
02
How might we make music sharing feel natural within the listening experience?
03
How might we help people express themselves through Spotify?
Solution
A fresh approach to make listening social
Social Hub is a two-sided social space within Spotify that connects listeners through real-time friend activity and rich profile personalization for self‑expression.
Below is a feature breakdown.
Friend
Activity
01
01
Friend activity feed
Users can see what their friends are or were listening to, and like or comment on the activity. This creates a more social listening experience.
02
02
Personalized profiles
User can now choose a banner from their album art of choice and display their favorites (song, album, artist) on their profile, allowing them to better express their taste and personality.
03
03
In-app music sharing
Users can send and receive songs, reply to activity, or start conversations directly within Spotify, making sharing music seamless and more meaningful.
04
04
Manage your friend list easily
A management UI lets users approve or remove friend requests, giving them more control over their social network.
mOTION GRAPHICS
Motion branding
I also made motion graphic highlighting the features with a refreshed visuals.
Brand Values
Values that define Spotify
I started my research by referring to Spotify’s brand values to understand their voice and culture. These values shaped my approach to user research and also aligned my design decision with Spotify's intent and brand.
Collaborative
Innovative
Passionate
Sincere
Playful
User Research
Listening to users
Using the values as a base, I conducted interviews and surveys to learn how people actually use Spotify. Particularly, how they listen, share music, and connect (or don’t) with others on the platform. Here are some user quotes from my research.
Listening Habits
Daily usage patterns and playlist behaviors
Social Needs & Frustrations
Gaps in connecting with friends through music
Profile Personalization
Desire for self-expression and identity
Sharing & Interaction
Current workarounds for music recommendations
Discovery & Community
How users find new music through social circles
Listening Habits
Daily usage patterns and playlist behaviors
Social Needs & Frustrations
Gaps in connecting with friends through music
Profile Personalization
Desire for self-expression and identity
Sharing & Interaction
Current workarounds for music recommendations
Discovery & Community
How users find new music through social circles
Listening Habits
Daily usage patterns and playlist behaviors
Social Needs & Frustrations
Gaps in connecting with friends through music
Profile Personalization
Desire for self-expression and identity
Sharing & Interaction
Current workarounds for music recommendations
Discovery & Community
How users find new music through social circles
Listening Habits
Daily usage patterns and playlist behaviors
Social Needs & Frustrations
Gaps in connecting with friends through music
Profile Personalization
Desire for self-expression and identity
Sharing & Interaction
Current workarounds for music recommendations
Discovery & Community
How users find new music through social circles
Key Findings
Insights that emerged
From the 14 semi-structured interviews of casual and dedicated Spotify users, these were the key insights that emerged.
78%
of the users were interested in seeing songs their friends were listening to.
67%
of the users felt their profiles didn’t reflect their music identity.
100%
of the users were agreed that the app could be more vibrant.
Low-fidelity Wireframes
Testing early concepts
I started the design work by wireframing different layout options to see how the new features would fit into the app's existing structure. Early testing showed that users wanted a more detailed layout for friend activity, so I made changes accordingly.
Logo
A new look
While rethinking the brand, I also made a new logo to feel more fluid and expressive while keeping it's core identity intact.
Color Palette
The role of color
This is the palette I developed for my UI Design and branding. It is divided into core, accents, and greys,
Core colors kept my design grounded in Spotify’s brand and identity.
Accent colors highlighted actions like likes, messages, and categories, making interactions more expressive.
Greys handled the structure and hierarchy, helping the colorful stuff pop out without overwhelming the design.
Style Frames
Defining the visual direction
Based on the color palette, I designed these two style frames which became a foundation for my UI and brand design.
Design System
Designing for consistency
I built a set of reusable components to keep everything consistent. This streamlined my design process and kept everything visually cohesive.
Avishkar's
Playlist
Home
Search
Social
Your Library
I GOT YOU
TWICE
Social Hub
Design Kit
Currently playing
Bed Chem
Bed Chem
David Hernandez
No need to be fed
If you're in the mood
We can take it to the moon
Just like a movie scene
Table for two
Tip Toe
HYBS
Making Steak
2:43
4:46
Send a song or message...
1h ago
Spotify
New Message
Someone sent you a message.
Prototype
Prototype
Test it on Desktop
The prototype is currently only available on desktop and tablets to prevent this page from crashing. Please switch to a larger screen.
to navigate the prototype.
R
to restart the prototype.
Usability Testing
Validating with Users
I tested this prototype with 8 users to validate the features, design direction, and identify pain points. Participants were asked to complete the following tasks.
Find and view what a friend is currently listening to.
Like and reply to a friend's listening activity.
Customize your profile by adding a banner and selecting favorite tracks
Send a song recommendation to a friend via in-app messaging
Approve or decline incoming friend requests
Key Findings
What I learned
Testing showed that features worked really well, with almost all the participants saying they would use Social Hub daily.
94%
completed all user testing tasks without help.
3x
faster song sharing in-app compared to external apps.
4.7/5
satisfaction score for profile personalization features.
Reflection
Looking Back
This project started as a motion design piece, but as I explored ideas, it also made sense to work on parts of the app itself. That’s where the idea of the Social Hub came in. It also gave me practice designing around real user needs and not just visuals. Overall, it taught me how to build more connected, intentional experience.
Conclusion
What's next?
While I’m happy with where this project landed, there’s still a lot more I’d like to explore like
What does deeper personalization look like beyond just banners and favorites?
How might these features impact user retention or encourage more interaction over time?
This project made me realize that ideas can come from anywhere. Sometimes from a small detail, a design gap, or just noticing something that could be made better.
Simplified clean energy adoption by connecting users to community solar projects with an intuitive mobile platform.
Empowered 40+ students in Motion Design through hands-on learning, curated resources, and continuous feedback.
Optimized food distribution and reducing waste by connecting food banks and pantries through a centralized coordination platform.