Estelle van Ravestyn
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Project 02 · Spotify ·

Spotify

Design research · TV

Queue on TV

Led a 3-day diary study followed by moderated prototype interviews into adding a queue to the Spotify TV app, understanding mvp before several engineering-months of investment. The feature shipped and boosted consumption and retention as key company metrics, with TV MAUs who adopted the queue consuming significantly more content, their average TV usage far exceeding non-adopters by January 2024.

Role
User Researcher (Estelle van Ravestyn) in collaboration with Design
Collaborators
Design
Team
TV
Timeline
2024
Animated demonstration of the Spotify Queue experience on TV.
Queue on TV experience.
01
Business goals & context

Context of this project. The Queue is not available on the Spotify TV app ↗︎. Songs are queued via Mobile, Laptop or Tablet. TV is mainly used as a speaker. Previous research indicates a desire to manage songs directly on the TV app, particularly in social settings.

Business Problem — Should we build it, and how? Building this would take several engineering months. Is it worth the investments, and if so — what should the team focus on?

What can we learn from research? ⭐ Learn how the TV queue boosts engagement during shared listening. ⭐ Gain insights into the TV queue use across different devices.

Should we build it, and how?

Part 13-day diary study
Part 3Interviews with prototype stimuli
ParticipantsSelected diary study participants
CollaborationDesign
02
The problem

TODO — add copy: the business + user problem, and what you got wrong.

03
My role

TODO — add copy: your scope, influence and what you initiated.

04
Direction

TODO — add copy: the decision you took, before the solution.

05
Impact
0-day
Diary study on current queue usage
With TV users and their household members, across devices.
0
Analysis weeks
One after the diary study, one after the prototype interviews.
0
Feature built off the back of it
This research directly led to the development of the TV queue.
06
Approach & rationale

Part 1. Conduct a 3-day diary study on current queue usage.

Research goals are: 🌟 Understand how TV users and their household members interact with the queue across different devices. 🌟 Note: TV currently lacks a queue feature.

Part 2. Analyze findings. Share insights with stakeholders. Implement insights into prototype design.

Part 3. Conduct moderated interviews with prototype stimuli, involving selected diary study participants.

Research goals are: 🌟 Understand users’ first impressions of the TV queue. 🌟 Investigate simplifying queue control and account access. 🌟 Determine if users expect to rearrange the queue using the remote control.

Part 4. Review findings during another analysis week. Deliver final results to the team and stakeholders.

3-day diary studyModerated interviewsPrototype stimuliTwo analysis weeksClose collaboration with Design
Diary studyAnalysis 1Prototype interviewsAnalysis 2 & delivery
Indicative phase split.
Figure 08
Diary first, prototype second — with analysis in between
01
3-day diary study
Current queue usage across devices
→
02
Analyze & share
Insights to stakeholders
→
03
Into the prototype
Implement insights into prototype design
→
04
Moderated interviews
Prototype stimuli, same participants
→
05
Analysis week & delivery
Final results to team and stakeholders
Returning to the same participants meant the prototype could be tested against their own reported behaviour.
07
Final solution

I delivered an insight report together with the designer, combining user feedback from a diary study and prototype testing. These insights helped the team evaluate the value of a TV queue feature and prioritize engineering efforts accordingly.

01
Insight report, written with the designer
Combining user feedback from the diary study and the prototype testing in one document.
02
Investment case
These insights helped the team evaluate the value of a TV queue feature.
03
Engineering prioritisation
And prioritize engineering efforts accordingly, against a build measured in engineering months.
08
Outcomes

Results of the launch of this feature on the TV experience & across the Spotify ecosystem. This research directly led to the development of the TV queue, which boosted consumption and retention — key company metrics.

Results showed that Queue contributed to an increased engagement during shared listening sessions. With TV Monthly Active Users (MAU) adopting the queue consumed significantly more content. In January 2024, their average TV usage far exceeded that of non-adopters, highlighting the feature’s impact.

The TV queue was built. This research directly led to the development of the TV queue.
Consumption and retention up. Key company metrics, both boosted by the feature.
Shared listening engagement. Queue contributed to increased engagement during shared listening sessions.
Adopters consume more. In January 2024, TV MAU who adopted the queue had average TV usage far exceeding that of non-adopters.
09
Reflection

TODO — add copy: what you would do differently.