I was really excited when I found out we got assigned SoundSpot. I had been joking with my CS147 team that I wanted to build an AI that replaced DJs, and this isn’t too dissimilar from that. I think the music industry is really fascinating to consider, and the problem that SoundSpot has reflects a larger monopoly issue in streaming. I’ve submitted myself to just using Spotify, particularly because of how strong its algorithms are, which made me reflect on whether I’m not doing enough to connect with artists I appreciate, especially smaller ones. I realized that smaller streaming services like SoundSpot can’t compete on catalog size or breadth, but they can win on connection and identity instead.
I primarily worked on the Problem, Opportunity, and Benefits of the Solution slides, framing how SoundSpot’s social features enhance its core value but remain underutilized. It was a challenging but rewarding problem because developing a connection and intimacy with users is very abstract and not well-defined. Providing tangible recommendations based on research and user interviews was difficult as well. I started to think more and more about the stickiness of users: building a product that cultivates communities that are hard to let go of.
I also really enjoyed my team. I think we all came into this class with very different backgrounds, and I only knew Cecilia before this class. They were great to work with, and I am very excited to continue working with them!
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