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

Product Design

Product Design

Product Design

Product Design

Interviews

Interviews

Interviews

Interviews

UX Research

UX Research

UX Research

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.

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

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

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

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

Work alongside AI to fine-tune recommendations, making it an active partner in your music discovery journey

Smart Filters

Smart Filters

The users loved…

The users loved…

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.

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.

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.

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.

Insight to Iteration

Insight to Iteration

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.

Final Design

Concept

Final Design

Concept

Final Design

Final Design

Concept

Final Design

Concept

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.

Final Design

Concept

Final Design

Concept

Final Design

Concept

Final Design

Concept

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.

Final Design

Concept

Final Design

Concept

Final Design

Final Design

Concept

Final Design

Final Design

Concept

High Fidelity

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.

Future Potentials

Tiered Feature Breakdown

Tiered Feature Breakdown

From filters to ROI: potential business benefits at a glance

potential business benefits at a glance

From filters to ROI:

Key Takeaways

Key Takeaways

Key Takeaways

View Curation Studio prototype in Figma HERE

View Curation Studio prototype in Figma HERE

© 2025- Shreesa Shrestha

© 2025- Shreesa Shrestha

© 2025- Shreesa Shrestha

© 2025- Shreesa Shrestha