Overview

Connecting individuals who struggle to meet new people in real life through shared tastes and creative expression to encourage healthy interactiona from a comfortable distance 🪐

Spacho is a social network built around music for people with a social anxiety. It creates an unique and participatory space world, using shared musical tastes as icebreakers to build a connection with other users and the app. Users will be called “spaceman” and able to create their music planets and FMs. The focus of this project is to build a space from a safe distance and use the power of music to facilitate relaxation and bond people together for people who struggle to build relationships in real life.

Problem

Social anxiety has become a popular feature in people. People with it fears of being judged, negatively evaluated, or rejected in a social situation. When it comes to making new friends, They may find themselves paralyzed and afraid of face-to-face interaction.

Secondary Research

According to desk research, music therapy is an interactive music-related experience where people use music in an exploratory manner since music can relieve anxiety, improve mood, and help with one’s overall well-being. Given that music is an approachable opportunity to define people’s lifestyles, interests, it can be a good start to friendships. It’s also dedicated to the demands of the youth generation where entertainments play an important role when it comes to meeting new people.

Competitive Analysis

I looked for apps or services that combine elements of social networking incorporated music sharing or discovery and broken down what each competitor offers. Comparing and analyzing their social networking functionalities, accessbiity of the user interfaces, community engagement that encourages interactions, and any unique features that address social anxiety or related issues.

User Interview

How do you usually socialize? Preferences for on/offline interactions? Why?
What social apps do you use? What do you like about each?
How does music involve in your social life?
How many different music-related apps did you use? What did you use them for?
Have you ever make friends via music? Can you describe that experience?
How do you feel when you discover someone shares your musical tastes?

Persona

There are two typical personas synthesized from the secondary research and user interviews, telling the prominent challenges/painpoints and needs/wants –

✦ Solution ✦

Based on users' painpoints and expectations, I decided to create a social app built around music for people who struggle to build relationships in real life. It aims to create a novel but user-friendly and accessible community space that feels relaxed and safe, leveraging artistic expressions as icebreakers to encourage healthy interactions with liked-minded people.

In the virtual space, each user will be called “spaceman” and have their own planet to share music and interact with each other. The app features several such services shown in the illustrative image.

Hero’s Journey

Storyboard

Flowchart

Wireframes

Moodboard

Visual Identities

The name “Spacho” comes from the words “space” and “echo.” The “space” suggests it will construct a music space. The“echo” defines a series of sounds caused by the reflection of sound waves back to the listener. So I use “echo” as a metaphor for the reflection of the music sharers’ tastes back to each spaceman.

Posters

AirPods Packaging Design