Music making Desktop App

Redesigned Digital Audio Workstation for 100K+ Users

COMPANY

BeatConnect

ROLE

Product Designer

EXPERTISE

UX/UI Design

YEAR

2024

Project description

This project was a testament to the power of thoughtful UX design in transforming the users experience, increasing retention, and driving business growth.

In my role, I led the complete redesign of our DAW and introduced a new workflow to address key friction points that were hindering the user experience. Before the redesign, many first-time users would try the platform but quickly abandon it due to usability challenges.

Timeline

From explorations to "final" designs in roughly 8 to 16 weeks while continuing working on the project because this was a massive project and was never really finished because there was always new features.

Background

BeatConnect is a Canadian music tech startup dedicated to making music creation more collaborative, engaging, and gamified. BeatConnect achieves this through its Digital Audio Workstation (DAW), a marketplace for tools and sounds, and an in-platform currency called BeatBux.

The Problems

First Problem

Before the redesign, BeatConnect’s Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) struggled with usability issues that significantly impacted user retention. While the platform’s multiplayer features successfully attracted new users, the DAW itself presented major challenges: it lacked an intuitive workflow, was difficult to navigate, and wasn’t optimized for modern music production. Additionally, essential features needed by contemporary musicians were missing, limiting its effectiveness as a creative tool.

Another critical issue was the lack of a structured user journey for making music. Without a clear workflow, users found it difficult to create music on their own before even considering inviting friends to collaborate—meaning they often abandoned the platform before even experiencing its multiplayer capabilities.

Second Problem

One of BeatConnect’s most exciting features was real-time multiplayer music creation. During live streams, where multiple musicians collaborated within a single project alongside a host, we noticed a major issue—without a structured system for coordination, sessions quickly became chaotic. There was no clear framework to manage multiple users working simultaneously, leading to confusion and inefficiency in the music-making process.

Process

This category details the step-by-step approach taken during the project, including research, design, development, testing, and optimization phases.

Interview Research

To gain insights into user expectations, I conducted interviews with musicians who used various DAWs. I asked them what they liked about their primary DAW, what they wished was different, and—if they had experience with multiple DAWs—how they compared the strengths and weaknesses of each. This helped identify standout features that we should consider implementing.

Additionally, I asked musicians about the tools they used most frequently in their DAWs. This allowed us to prioritize essential features while de-emphasizing less commonly used ones, ultimately streamlining the UI to create a more intuitive and focused user experience.

Comp Analysis Research

In addition to user interviews, I conducted a comparative analysis of various DAWs to better understand their workflows and identify areas for improvement. This involved a combination of watching YouTube videos of musicians using DAWs I didn’t have direct access to and personally testing those that were available for download. By experiencing different DAWs firsthand, I gained valuable insights into their strengths, weaknesses, and potential opportunities to enhance our own platform’s usability and functionality.

Design & Prototyping

I was the sole designer on this project, working closely with our CPO, who provided guidance, critiques, and feedback throughout the process. I began with sketches, mapping out the layout of each section within the DAW to determine the most effective arrangement.

Through an iterative process, I refined the designs based on potential implementation challenges and user feedback. Once I established the general layout, I focused on each section individually, first creating low-fidelity versions and continuing to refine them iteratively. After achieving a solid low-fidelity foundation, I progressed to high-fidelity designs, again refining them based on implementation feasibility and user feedback.

Once the designs were finalized, I handed them off to the development team for implementation.

Implementation

Leveraged agile development methodologies while building the DAW. Prioritized feature development based on user feedback and technical feasibility within the deadline set with the stakeholders.

Testing & Optimization

Conducted thorough in-house testing with our QA team, including myself, and gathered user feedback through beta testing with both community producers and musicians unfamiliar with our product. Iteratively optimized the app based on key metrics and user satisfaction, such as time spent on the platform, return frequency, and churn rate.

Solution

The enhanced Multiplayer Digital Audio Workstation delivers a streamlined user experience, making it easier than ever for musicians to collaborate and create music together.

Simplified UI & Improved Workflow

Designing a DAW for experienced musicians presented a unique challenge—every DAW has its own workflow, and seasoned users come with strong expectations based on their past experiences. Additionally, DAWs tend to become increasingly complex over time as new features are added, making them harder to learn.

The Solution was to create a DAW that maintained the power and flexibility of industry-standard tools while offering a more intuitive and accessible user experience, allowing musicians to start creating music with minimal learning curves.

Multiplayer Parts

To solve the multiplayer chaos issue, we introduced a new system called “Parts.” This feature gave each user their own designated section within the project, allowing them to contribute independently while keeping the overall composition structured and organized. This approach streamlined collaboration, reduced confusion, and made real-time music-making a smoother experience for everyone involved.

the daw
the collection
the piano roll
the drum panel
the daw
the collection
the piano roll
the drum panel
the daw
the collection
the piano roll
the drum panel
the daw
the collection
the piano roll
the drum panel

The daw
This is the redesigned Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) with a clean and intuitive user interface. The goal was to make essential tools and features immediately visible while keeping advanced or less frequently used options hidden by default.
The Collection
The Collection Improvements were one of the most crucial upgrades, as this was where the previous DAW fell short. In the redesigned version, I ensured that the collection included all the essential tools and features musicians rely on when making music.
The piano roll
The Piano Roll was another critical feature in the redesign, as it’s one of the primary tools modern musicians use for producing music. It’s essential for creating melodies, chopping samples, and even programming drums, making it a key part of the workflow.
The daw
This is the redesigned Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) with a clean and intuitive user interface. The goal was to make essential tools and features immediately visible while keeping advanced or less frequently used options hidden by default.
The Collection
The Collection Improvements were one of the most crucial upgrades, as this was where the previous DAW fell short. In the redesigned version, I ensured that the collection included all the essential tools and features musicians rely on when making music.
The piano roll
The Piano Roll was another critical feature in the redesign, as it’s one of the primary tools modern musicians use for producing music. It’s essential for creating melodies, chopping samples, and even programming drums, making it a key part of the workflow.
The daw
This is the redesigned Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) with a clean and intuitive user interface. The goal was to make essential tools and features immediately visible while keeping advanced or less frequently used options hidden by default.
The Collection
The Collection Improvements were one of the most crucial upgrades, as this was where the previous DAW fell short. In the redesigned version, I ensured that the collection included all the essential tools and features musicians rely on when making music.
The piano roll
The Piano Roll was another critical feature in the redesign, as it’s one of the primary tools modern musicians use for producing music. It’s essential for creating melodies, chopping samples, and even programming drums, making it a key part of the workflow.
The daw
This is the redesigned Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) with a clean and intuitive user interface. The goal was to make essential tools and features immediately visible while keeping advanced or less frequently used options hidden by default.
The Collection
The Collection Improvements were one of the most crucial upgrades, as this was where the previous DAW fell short. In the redesigned version, I ensured that the collection included all the essential tools and features musicians rely on when making music.
The piano roll
The Piano Roll was another critical feature in the redesign, as it’s one of the primary tools modern musicians use for producing music. It’s essential for creating melodies, chopping samples, and even programming drums, making it a key part of the workflow.

Impact

Here, the outcomes and achievements of the project are highlighted, including user retention, engagement, and behavioral shifts.

Improved User Retention

The previous DAW struggled with retention, with many users leaving after less than 10 minutes. The redesigned DAW led to a noticeable increase in returning users, indicating improved long-term engagement.

Higher Engagement Levels

Users not only came back to make music but also explored additional features, showing deeper interaction with the platform.

Growth of Power Users

A new segment of highly engaged “power users” emerged—consistent users who regularly returned, marking a significant milestone in retention and product adoption.

Key Takeways

Here, the lessons and insights gained from the project are highlighted, including problem-solving, persistence, and personal connection.

Embracing Uncertainty

This project taught me that I don’t need all the answers at the start. The scale was overwhelming, but iteration and refinement led to meaningful progress.

Designing with Passion

As a musician and DAW user, this project was deeply personal. I had the unique opportunity to design a tool I would genuinely use.

Overcoming Biases

Being familiar with existing DAWs made it challenging to spot their flaws. Stepping back and rethinking workflows was both difficult and rewarding.

Thank you for reading! ✌