Bandcamp Redesign
SUS Score Increased By 18.5%
Toolkit
Figma, Jira
Timeline
2 Weeks
Team
3 UX Designers
01
INTRO
This document outlines a conceptual redesign of the Bandcamp mobile app. It follows a classic, robust UX design process, starting with research to identify a problem and concluding with a validated, high-fidelity prototype that demonstrates significant improvement.
The project's core objective was to enhance the user experience to increase engagement and satisfaction, while preserving Bandcamp's unique identity as a platform focused on directly supporting independent artists. The project successfully delivered a redesigned prototype that demonstrably improved usability.
- Company: Bandcamp (Conceptual Redesign)
- Primary Metric: System Usability Scale (SUS)
- Key Result: Final SUS score of 88/100
02
RESEARCH
The project began with a solid research phase combining quantitative and qualitative methods to establish a baseline and uncover user pain points.
Baseline Usability Testing
A baseline System Usability Scale (SUS) score of 69.5 was established. This score is considered "OK" or "Marginal," sitting just below the industry average of 68 and indicating clear room for improvement.
Key findings from testing showed that core features like Bandcamp Radio and Daily were ignored, the UI felt bland, and the feed was perceived as irrelevant by a majority of users tested.
User Interviews
Interviews with fans and artists revealed a critical insight: users desire a closer connection to artists and their creative process, which they currently seek on other platforms like Instagram and YouTube.
A core tension was identified: Bandcamp’s "algorithm-free" stance, while central to its brand, hinders music discovery for many users who are accustomed to algorithm-driven recommendations.
03
PROBLEM
The research was effectively synthesized into user personas and a clear problem statement, ensuring the design process remained focused on user needs. The design centered on two key personas to represent both sides of the platform's community.
Leon, 28
The Fan
Bio: Leon loves discovering new music, especially from smaller artists. He finds big streaming platforms too repetitive and algorithm-heavy, and wants to feel closer to the people making the music he loves.
"I want to feel connected to the artists and their creative process."
Emma, 25
The Artist
Bio: Emma loves that Bandcamp gives her financial and creative control, but she wants better tools to actually engage her fans on the platform—beyond just selling them music and merch.
"I need better ways to share my journey and connect with fans directly on Bandcamp."
Problem Statement
"How might we help Leon connect more with artists and discover new music — while giving Emma better tools to grow her fanbase on Bandcamp?"
04
SOLUTION
New Features & Redesigns
The proposed solution addresses the identified problems by revamping existing features and introducing new ones:
- Discovery Homepage: Makes finding new content the primary focus of the app.
- Revamped Artist Profiles: Gives artists more control to showcase their work.
- Refreshed Feed: Shifts the focus to meaningful updates from followed artists.
- New Feature: Trackfinder: An innovative, Tinder-style swiping feature for discovering track previews.
Information Architecture & Validation
The navigation was streamlined and a brand refresh addressed the "bland UI" complaint. The project's strength lies in its iterative testing process:
- Greyscale Prototype Testing: Raised the SUS score significantly to 80.5.
- High-Fidelity Prototype Testing: Validated the design choices, resulting in a final SUS score of 88.
05
The Final Prototype
The final prototype incorporates all iterations, resulting in a clean, modern design that doesn't lose Bandcamp’s core identity. Key highlights include a visual refresh, clearer UI, and custom artist profiles.
