A design for a more engaging and improved experience at DRLYD
Student thesis: Master thesis (including HD thesis)
- Berfin Polat
3. term, Experience Design, Master (Master Programme)
The aim of this master thesis has been to research and analyze if it is possible to create a more improved and engaging experience for the age-group 19-34 on the podcast application DRLYD, as statistic shows that there is less interest and activity from that specific age group. The ground for this assertion is based on pre-reflective research, where investigative research on previous literature within the field of podcasting, the motives for listening, and the whole podcast evolution, to establish knowledge and familiarity of the existing literature. This helped delimitate and uncover the need for more researched fields within this area and opened up the problem field. To answer the problem statement, I have done a user survey of the application with the help of four participants within the age group, and afterward interviewed and observed the users regarding their experience, expectations, motivation, and overall feedback, to, in the end, help identify what the specific target group values and find interesting in a podcast application. The user survey specifically consisted of the participants using the application for podcast listening for a week, exploring and examining its content and features, but how much they used it, what they listened to, and when was on their own terms. As the purpose is to understand their experience in the app, I must understand what an experience is, which became this thesis's theoretical perspective and investigation. The collected empirical data and the supportive theories showed the need to make the experience improved and more long-lasting. These needs are more control, transparency, and insight for the user on the application. The participants of the user survey also emphasize through the day-in-the-life method that they usually use the application when on the go, and therefore a need for the application to adapt. This opened up the next step in the process, the ideation phase, consisting of methods to ideate the requirements and then sketch, which generated a selection of potential ideas and solutions. The outcome of these ideas is an algorithm to create personalized recommendations, audiovisual previews, easier-to-save and download podcasts, and self-modifiable interest features. As a result, these needs and ideas will be incorporated into the contemporary final concept. The concept is discussed with a contributive reflective purpose by reflecting on other research perspectives of the podcast growth and the potential of the established conceptual designs. This whole iterative process has been a contributing factor in the creation of the design process of developing the contemporary final concept. However, the contemporary final concept has yet to be prototyped digitally nor tested by the users. Therefore, the thesis and the concept are still an ongoing iterative process, leaving the concept open for change and testing out by the user.
Language | English |
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Publication date | 30 Dec 2022 |
Number of pages | 753 |