Designing a paltform to connect
between musicians.
Designing a paltform to connect
between musicians
Industry
Music
Design Process & Role
From Ideation to Active Users
Duration
7 Months
Status
In Development
BandMates
BandMates
Challenge Breakdown
Developing a platform that connects musicians based on multiple musical criteria, enabling users to form or join bands with a clear understanding of potential bandmates. The goal was to enable musicians reach their aspirations to connect with minimum friction and give them data driven value as the main skeleton of the product while sustaining an accessible experience throughout the entire platform.
Developing a platform that connects musicians based on multiple musical criteria, enabling users to form or join bands with a clear understanding of potential bandmates.
The goal was to enable musicians reach their aspirations to connect with minimum friction and give them data driven value as the main skeleton of the product while sustaining an accessible experience throughout the entire platform.
Role
I led BandMates as the sole product designer & branding from ideation to handoff, starting with defining the business goals and shaping the design strategy. Throughout the process, I conducted weekly meetings with the stakeholder to align on priorities, translated insights into user flows and interfaces. My role bridged product vision and execution, guiding the app from concept into a ready to market MVP.
I led BandMates as the sole product designer from ideation to handoff, starting with defining the business goals and shaping the design strategy.
Throughout the process, I conducted weekly meetings with the stakeholder to align on priorities, translated insights into user flows and interfaces. My role bridged product vision and execution, guiding the app from concept into a ready to market MVP.
Competitors analysis
To gain a deeper understanding of my audience and their needs, I analyzed existing competitor apps. The analysis revealed a reliance on feed based platforms thats serves as social networks which caused cognitive overloads and inefficiencies, making it difficult for musicians to find relevant collaborators. By interpreting these pain points, I identified an opportunity for Bandmates to provide value through a streamlined, compatibility focused experience tailored to musicians specific goals.
Competitors analysis
To gain a deeper understanding of my audience and their needs, I analyzed existing competitor apps. The analysis revealed a reliance on feed based platforms thats serves as social networks which caused cognitive overloads and inefficiencies, making it difficult for musicians to find relevant collaborators. By interpreting these pain points, I identified an opportunity for Bandmates to provide value through a streamlined, compatibility focused experience tailored to musicians specific goals.
Research
To understand the needs of musicians, I combined qualitative research through interviews and conversations with band members with quantitative methods like surveys and broader data collection. This gave me both personal perspectives and a wider validation of recurring patterns. A key insight was that users wanted access to reliable, decision making data before reaching out to strangers. To strengthen trust and reduce friction in those first connections, I introduced a feature that allows users to upload reels showcasing their playing skills. This not only increased transparency but also enhanced confidence and credibility within the matching process, creating a stronger foundation for meaningful collaborations.
Maor
“If I’m gonna reach out to a stranger, I need to see more than just a profile picture I want to know their level and what kind of music they play.”
Martin
“What’s missing is a proper place to filter by instruments and style. I don’t want to waste time messaging the wrong people.”
Itzik
"On social platforms you see a name and a picture, but almost no real info about the musician. You can’t tell if they actually fit what you’re looking for."
Research
To understand the needs of musicians, I combined qualitative research through interviews and conversations with band members with quantitative methods like surveys and broader data collection. This gave me both personal perspectives and a wider validation of recurring patterns. A key insight was that users wanted access to reliable, decision making data before reaching out to strangers. To strengthen trust and reduce friction in those first connections, I introduced a feature that allows users to upload reels showcasing their playing skills. This not only increased transparency but also enhanced confidence and credibility within the matching process, creating a stronger foundation for meaningful collaborations.
Maor
“If I’m gonna reach out to a stranger, I need to see more than just a profile picture I want to know their level and what kind of music they play.”
Martin
“What’s missing is a proper place to filter by instruments and style. I don’t want to waste time messaging the wrong people.”
Itzik
"On social platforms you see a name and a picture, but almost no real info about the musician. You can’t tell if they actually fit what you’re looking for."
UX Concept
Based on the research, it was clear that musicians didn’t want another social platform with endless feeds, but a focused way to discover and connect with potential bandmates. This insight led me to design BandMates as an index style app with a central feed: profiles are structured around the essential data musicians need to make informed decisions like instruments, skill level, influences, and location. I introduced reels where users can showcase their playing, helping others evaluate their skills with more confidence and minimum friction before addressing a user or band through the app. I drew inspiration from multiple apps, from social networks, dating apps, music apps and other leading brands to create a coherent experience.Using a dark mode as a default outlook for the app inspired by musical apps, while also adding a compatibility feature to inform users of their match based on data given to each user or band on the app. From social apps I drew inspiration displaying bands and users on a main feed as posts with the main CTA directing user to correspond through the app chat after tapping into a band or a user profile.
UX Concept
Based on the research, it was clear that musicians didn’t want another social platform with endless feeds, but a focused way to discover and connect with potential bandmates. This insight led me to design BandMates as an index style app with a central feed: profiles are structured around the essential data musicians need to make informed decisions like instruments, skill level, influences, and location. I introduced reels where users can showcase their playing, helping others evaluate their skills with more confidence and minimum friction before addressing a user or band through the app. I drew inspiration from multiple apps, from social networks, dating apps, music apps and other leading brands to create a coherent experience.Using a dark mode as a default outlook for the app inspired by musical apps, while also adding a compatibility feature to inform users of their match based on data given to each user or band on the app. From social apps I drew inspiration displaying bands and users on a main feed as posts with the main CTA directing user to correspond through the app chat after tapping into a band or a user profile.
Design system
Design system
Visual Design & Main Flow
Onboarding - Stage 3
Stage 3: Approve artists
Home Page
Band Profile: Reels
Band Profile: Description
Audition Request: Accepted
Chat screen: Activity
Visual Design & Main Flow
Onboarding - Stage 3
Stage 3: Approve artists
Home Page
Band Profile: Reels
Band Profile: Description
Audition Request: Accepted
Chat screen: Activity