Responsibilities

UX research and design recommendations for Slacker Radio Player, leading to a redesign for broader audience appeal

Situation

As a UX/UI Product Designer at a Los Angeles agency, I was tasked with exploring alternatives for Slacker's web player.

Task

Slacker Radio's web app catered to their most devoted 5% of users. However, for casual listeners who simply wanted to enjoy music, the interface proved too complex. Our mission was to create a more user-friendly and accessible experience.

Action

Through site analysis, analytics review, and user testing, we discovered that many features went unused due to excessive complexity. Our in-house testing revealed that users found the transition between the "Shelf-player" and "Sticky-header-player" confusing—it rearranged elements and obscured important feedback. To improve consistency, I maintained all functionality in the top player and refined the responsive design for a smoother experience.

After studying competitors, I tested various Play-Pause button layouts with new users. Internal testing showed a strong preference for a centralized, prominent Play-Pause button. I strategically separated the Like and Ban functions, placing Like alongside Volume controls on the right of play—this proved to be the most intuitive arrangement. Given the negative connotations of "Ban," I moved it to the left and suggested replacing it with a "Skip" feature that would gradually filter out unwanted songs.

Result

My insights into user challenges and methodical approach helped Slacker implement an even bolder vision for their service, which continued to evolve in subsequent years.

©2025 Thomas Hallgren