🏆 Best UI/UX - UXL Designathon
Designing a sustainable and accessible travel app.
Globe.fm is a daily music discovery app that introduces users to an international artist every day through a shared social ritual.
I worked across ideation, research, and as video editor on the team.
TLDR
TOOLS
Figma, Photoshop, Procreate, Adobe After Effects
MY ROLE
Product Designer, UX Researcher
TIMELINE
Mar 2025 (48hr design challenge)
TEAM
Laura Lam
Michael Quach
Derek Song
Kristine Luong
DESIGN CHALLENGE
How might we leverage technology to enhance the connection between global artists and audiences, while fostering meaningful and engaging experiences?
BACKGROUND
Our team started from a simple observation: music today rewards what is already popular, leaving international and new artists with little to no way to reach new listeners. We set out to bridge this gap and design for both sides to find each other.
48 Hours to Expand Music Discovery
PROBLEM
International Artists are Invisible by Design
Over 120,000 new songs are uploaded to Spotify every day, and 82% of Gen Z discover new music through social media instead of music platforms. That flood of music doesn’t get discovered evenly; the top 16,000 artists out of more than 1.6 million who release music contribute to 90% of all streams. International and emerging artists compete for the remaining 10%, with no actual path to a new audience.
PROBLEM STATEMENT
“Music listeners rarely encounter music beyond their constrained algorithm, and international artists have almost no way to reach new listeners who connect with their music.”
PROCESS
Designing the system
01
Choosing a discovery model
We wanted to build a swipe-based discovery feed, but quickly realized a feed just adds more songs to scroll past and doesn’t solve the problem. We needed something that gave a single artist visibility instead of competing in a long scroll of other artists.
Structuring what the reveal shows
02
We figured that a 30-second clip of the music wasn’t enough to close the gap. A clip does not help listeners find or follow an artist that they would never otherwise encounter. We added artist background and cultural context directly into the reveal, turning a 30-second clip into an entry point into that artist’s world.
Designing a reward loop
03
Instead of a normal “like” button, we replaced them with stars that reflect a daily and renewing currency tied to streaks. These stars are added up and placed on a weekly leaderboard that give artists visibility they would never get from the mainstream algorithm.
Making the home page personalized around the user
04
We designed a set of personalized cards, each touching on something specific about the user’s music choices:
What are my friends into?
Friends’ Most Played
Your friend’s most-repeated song this week
What am I into that others aren’t?
Your Most Niche Genre
A weekly stat on what you’re listening to that your friends aren’t
What did my friend want me to hear?
Friends’ Most Played
A song a friend sent you, e.g. “open to see what Melanie thinks you’ll love.”
Who am I, musically?
Your Music Personality
A profile built from your listening habits.
FINAL DESIGN
Globe.fm: the discovery of international emerging artists
Globe.fm
PROBLEM STATEMENT
“Commuters face unreliable, inaccessible, and uninspiring transit experiences that make sustainable travel feel inconvenient and uncertain.”
DESIGN FOCUS
Reduce uncertainty with real-time updating routes
Support diverse mobility needs
Motivate greener choices through rewards
RESULTS
What I learned
01. Sustainability needs motivation
Clear incentives and real-time reassurance is what drives intention from action.
02. Accessibility must be integrated from the start
Designing for seniors and users with mobility needs helped reinforce the idea that accessibility cannot be ignored. The experience should improve for everyone and not just those with specific needs.
03. Small UX decisions help shape our everyday habits
Thoughtful UX decisions, such as colour choices and reward feedback can influence trust in users.