High Frequency Highway UX: Case Study
Highlights 🔥
✅ All enhancements have been successfully deployed to iOS
✅ iOS app has had a 4+ ⭐ rating since launching enhancements (as of December 6, 2024)
✅ Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR) grew 300% as enhancements rolled out
✅ New downloads increased by ~75%
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Overview 🧐
⏱ Time to complete: 2.5 months
People often use soundscape apps to fill their lives with white noise to help them through their day. These services can be expensive, but plenty of high-quality free versions of these apps are available. As such, users tend to find their preferred services and stick to them. Like any competitive industry, having a "thing" that makes your service stand out can be the difference between success and failure. High Frequency Highway has a list of "things" that have the potential to provide users with a unique and engaging experience they won't find elsewhere.
This ambitious app has a forward-thinking objective: utilize frequencies and soundscapes to help people tap into a specific mindset. As their user base expands, so does their need for an approachable and pleasing solution. Most users typically want to engage with the app's various sound options and communicate with others over topics of interest. Some power users wanted to share and monetize their sounds. While some of this functionality existed, what was there needed work. That's where I came in.
This was a very fast-paced project, so I had to make as much impact as possible in the least amount of time. With my expertise, features were created and enhancements to existing functionality were made to help HFH reach its goals.
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How did I do it? 😎
Research
I didn't have access to users to validate with, so leaned on the Founder (and functioning Product Owner) and its Engineers to learn about HFH and ask lots of questions. With so many successful sound apps available, competitive analysis was pretty straightforward. Learning about the competition made it clear where HFH could stand out. Constant meetings with the team helped gauge what was possible with the technology, talent, and timelines available.
Design
I moved quickly during my time on the team, with designs being handed off each week. Its flagship feature, the Frequency Generator, was powerful but cumbersome, and many additions needed to be made to the app to be viable on the market. Due to time constraints, I started with wireframes that easily translated to full-fidelity, componentized mockups. Having componentized mockups will help future designers be more consistent in their designs.
Validation
We relied on analytics, store ratings, and social media to determine the success of design initiatives. Users resonated with the enhancements and were optimistic about the direction of HFH.
Deployment
Waterfall methodology was used to complete work, with QA happening weekly through team sync-ups. Designs deployed very quickly after my onboarding, so technical and interface issues were addressed as the code progressed.
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Showcase 🎬
Comments
Users can record audio comments if they prefer, as HFH provides transcripts for those who would rather read than listen. Power users can now upload sounds to expand their reach.
Reply Threads
Intelligent UX design allows for multi-level conversations that are easy to navigate.
New Sound Player
The new interstitial page can be accessed while browsing other parts of the app. Sound information and player controls are always a tap or two away.
User-Uploaded Sounds
Power users can add their own sounds to HFH, with the option to monetize them if they choose to.
AI Frequency Generator
HFH now allows users to tell it what they are in the mood for. The HFH AI takes care of the rest in real-time.
New Frequency Generator UI
The Frequency Generator was refreshed with a brand-new design to create a more dynamic, pleasing, and transparent experience.
Brainwave Screen
Preset frequencies allow users to tap into specific moods as quickly and easily as possible.
Solfeggio Screen
A collection of impactful frequencies can be individually applied to one or both ears, enabling more sophisticated users to tinker with the right combination of sounds for them.
Infinity Screen
This paid feature enables users to type in any frequency they want to in either ear, with the Frequency Generator providing audio and visual feedback as soon as the frequency is entered.
Brand New Art Assets
Custom art gives HFH a bespoke feel that is important to its identity.