Curation Studio
Curation Studio
Reimagining listener engagement through transparent AI and tiered value differentiation in Amazon Music App.
(2025 Design Challenge)
Reimagining listener engagement through transparent AI and tiered value differentiation in Amazon Music App.
(2025 Design Challenge)
Team: Project Manager, Product Designer
Role: Product Design, UX Research
Team: Project Manager, Product Designer
Role: Product Design, UX Research
Team: Project Manager, Product Designer
Role: Product Design, UX Research
Product Design
Product Design
Product Design
Product Design
Interviews
Interviews
Interviews
UX Research
UX Research
UX Research
Mobile App
Frustrated by Feed
Frustrated by Feed
What if your music app knew what you wanted to hear before you did? AI music recommendations operate like a black box, offering songs without revealing why. Users unknowingly get stuck in loops, with no control over the factors shaping their playlists, whether genre, tempo, or past likes, making discovery feel passive rather than intentional. These were some comments collected from initial interviews.
What if your music app knew what you wanted to hear before you did? AI music recommendations operate like a black box, offering songs without revealing why. Users unknowingly get stuck in loops, with no control over the factors shaping their playlists, whether genre, tempo, or past likes, making discovery feel passive rather than intentional. These were some comments collected from initial interviews.
Frustrated by Feed
What if your music app knew what you wanted to hear before you did? AI music recommendations operate like a black box, offering songs without revealing why. Users unknowingly get stuck in loops, with no control over the factors shaping their playlists, whether genre, tempo, or past likes, making discovery feel passive rather than intentional. These were some comments collected from initial interviews.
Reclaiming music experience
Reclaiming
music experience
Reclaiming music experience
Curation Studio is a multi-layered filtering feature that empowers users to refine music recommendations by applying multiple specific criteria simultaneously. This system works alongside Amazon Music’s AI recommendation engine, giving listeners unprecedented control over their music experience.
Curation Studio is a multi-layered filtering feature that empowers users to refine music recommendations by applying multiple specific criteria simultaneously. This system works alongside Amazon Music’s AI recommendation engine, giving listeners unprecedented control over their music experience.
Curation Studio is a multi-layered filtering feature that empowers users to refine music recommendations by applying multiple specific criteria simultaneously. This system works alongside Amazon Music’s AI recommendation engine, giving listeners unprecedented control over their music experience.
Personalized Control
Personalized Control
Take charge of your listening experience by precisely designing what you want to hear
Enhanced Discovery
Enhanced Discovery
Enhanced Discovery
Discover the perfect music, even when you can't recall a specific artist or song
Discover the perfect music, even when you can't recall a specific artist or song
Learn & Improve
Learn & Improve
System becomes smarter with each interaction, learning your unique preferences
Tranparency
Understand why content is recommended rather than relying on mysterious algorithms
AI Collaboration
Work alongside AI to fine-tune recommendations, making it an active partner in your music discovery journey
Transparency
Transparency
Understand why content is recommended rather than relying on mysterious algorithms
Understand why content is recommended rather than relying on mysterious algorithms
AI Collaboration
AI Collaboration
Work alongside AI to fine-tune recommendations, making it an active partner in your music discovery journey
Smart Filters
Smart Filters
Smart Filters
The users loved…
The users loved…
The users loved…
How we identified user challenges?
How we identified user challenges?
How we identified user challenges?
207
207
users responded to the survey, and 8 participants were interviewed for deeper insights.
users responded to the survey, and 8 participants were interviewed for deeper insights.
users responded to the survey, and 8 participants were interviewed for deeper insights.
Why?
Why?
Why?
Users struggled to discover music that fit their mood, context, or cultural taste using existing filters.
Users struggled to discover music that fit their mood, context, or cultural taste using existing filters.
Users struggled to discover music that fit their mood, context, or cultural taste using existing filters.
How?
How?
How?
We designed a multi-layered filtering system, Curation Studio, that allows users to refine playlists with precision.
We designed a multi-layered filtering system, Curation Studio, that allows users to refine playlists with precision.
We designed a multi-layered filtering system, Curation Studio, that allows users to refine playlists with precision.
Who?
Who?
Who?
8 participants interviewed: Music lovers with varying listening habits who regularly use Spotify, Apple Music, or Amazon Music.
8 participants interviewed: Music lovers with varying listening habits who regularly use Spotify, Apple Music, or Amazon Music.
8 participants interviewed: Music lovers with varying listening habits who regularly use Spotify, Apple Music, or Amazon Music.
Insight to Iteration
Insight to Iteration
Insight to Iteration
Insight 1
Insight 1
Insight 1
5/6 users struggle with discoverability and understanding of key filtering and playlist management features.
5/6 users struggle with discoverability and understanding of key filtering and playlist management features.
5/6 users struggle with discoverability and understanding of key filtering and playlist management features.
Final Design
Concept
Final Design
Concept
Final Design
Final Design
Concept
Final Design
Concept
Insight 2
Insight 2
Insight 2
6/6 users found the "No Result" pop-up frustrating and easy to miss.
6/6 users found the "No Result" pop-up
frustrating and easy to miss.
6/6 users found the "No Result" pop-up frustrating and easy to miss.
Final Design
Concept
Final Design
Concept
Final Design
Concept
Final Design
Concept
Insight 3
Insight 3
Insight 3
4/6 users struggle to understand changes in the final generated playlist and feel disconnected from the selection process.
4/6 users struggle to understand changes in the final generated playlist and feel disconnected from the selection process.
4/6 users struggle to understand changes in the final generated playlist and feel disconnected from the selection process.
Final Design
Concept
Final Design
Concept
Final Design
Final Design
Concept
Final Design
Final Design
Concept
Filter any playlist.
Fine-tune your vibe.
Start listening instantly.
Filter any playlist.
Fine-tune your vibe.
Start listening instantly.
Filter any playlist.
Fine-tune your vibe.
Start listening instantly.
Curation Studio puts you in control, take existing playlists and personalize them using filters like mood, language, audio quality, or artist preference. Whether you want to explore new sounds or stay in your comfort zone, it’s your mix, your way, no algorithmic guesswork, just instant customization.
Curation Studio puts you in control, take existing playlists and personalize them using filters like mood, language, audio quality, or artist preference. Whether you want to explore new sounds or stay in your comfort zone, it’s your mix, your way, no algorithmic guesswork, just instant customization.
Curation Studio puts you in control, take existing playlists and personalize them using filters like mood, language, audio quality, or artist preference. Whether you want to explore new sounds or stay in your comfort zone, it’s your mix, your way—no algorithmic guesswork, just instant customization.
Tiered Feature Breakdown
Tiered Feature Breakdown
Tiered Feature Breakdown
From filters to ROI: potential business benefits at a glance
From filters to ROI: potential business benefits at a glance
Key Takeaways
Key Takeaways
Key Takeaways
User Flow
User Flow
User Flow
No matter how powerful a feature is, if the user flow isn't intuitive, it's ineffective.
No matter how powerful a feature is, if the user flow isn't intuitive, it's ineffective.
No matter how powerful a feature is, if the user flow isn't intuitive, it's ineffective.
Aligning Business & User Experience
Aligning Business & User Experience
Aligning Business & User Experience
Personalization enhances engagement, but it must also deliver measurable business impact to ensure long-term solution.
Personalization enhances engagement, but it must also deliver measurable business impact to ensure long-term solution.
Personalization enhances engagement, but it must also deliver measurable business impact to ensure long-term solution.
Automation vs Manul Control
Automation vs Manul Control
Automation vs Manul Control
Users seek a balance between personal control over content and the convenience of automation for a seamless listening experience.
Users seek a balance between personal control over content and the convenience of automation for a seamless listening experience.
Users seek a balance between personal control over content and the convenience of automation for a seamless listening experience.
Reflections
Reflections
Reflections
Balancing Control with Simplicity
Balancing Control with Simplicity
Balancing Control with Simplicity
I learned that giving users too many manual controls can unintentionally increase friction and reduce usage, even when those controls are meant to empower them. In future iterations I would move more logic into intelligent defaults so users benefit from relevant results easily.
I learned that giving users too many manual controls can unintentionally increase friction and reduce usage, even when those controls are meant to empower them. In future iterations I would move more logic into intelligent defaults so users benefit from relevant results easily.
I learned that giving users too many manual controls can unintentionally increase friction and reduce usage, even when those controls are meant to empower them. In future iterations I would move more logic into intelligent defaults so users benefit from relevant results easily.
Reevaluating How Filters Are Presented
Reevaluating How Filters
Are Presented
Reevaluating How Filters Are Presented
Because the core solution was a filter system, this tension between control and effort became especially apparent. I would spend more time researching which choices truly matter to users and which can be predicted or automated, so the interface feels light and helpful rather than overwhelming and optional.
Because the core solution was a filter system, this tension between control and effort became especially apparent. I would spend more time researching which choices truly matter to users and which can be predicted or automated, so the interface feels light and helpful rather than overwhelming and optional.
Because the core solution was a filter system, this tension between control and effort became especially apparent. I would spend more time researching which choices truly matter to users and which can be predicted or automated, so the interface feels light and helpful rather than overwhelming and optional.
© 2026- Shreesa Shrestha
© 2026- Shreesa Shrestha
© 2026- Shreesa Shrestha
© 2026- Shreesa Shrestha