ABOUT THE PROJECT
When discussing the modern-day jukebox, what comes to mind are things like pulsating lights, a large touchscreen, and access to every song imaginable via the cloud. But below the surface, is a complex system of controls and management features.
Since the advent of the digital jukebox era, these fixtures in the American bar scene have relied on custom software crafted to provide an intuitive user experience for both patrons and those responsible for device installation and administration, commonly referred to as "operators" within the bar and hospitality industries.
Operators, who source everything from ATMs to entertainment equipment, distribute these devices to bars and restaurants through contractual arrangements. Earned revenue is shared between the two parties. Both groups are constantly on the move, with venue owners and staff dedicated to serving patrons throughout their shifts, while operators are always in transit, tending to devices, collecting revenue, and traveling between venues.
Despite the above, the tools available to these groups for managing, personalizing, and overseeing their jukeboxes were decidedly lacking in mobile-friendliness. Many tasks required access to a computer or direct proximity to the jukebox itself, while even more functions demanded reaching out to technical support via phone.
With that in mind, the AMI Co-Pilot app was born from a desire to gather onto a mobile platform the control and management features most commonly used by operators and their venues. It sounded simple. But in actuality, it would be a complex task because these features had never shared the same home. Many lived on the web, others on the jukebox itself, and several had never been anything more than a physical push button on an infrared remote control.
PROJECT GOALS
1. User Segmentation: The primary goal was to create an app capable of accommodating two distinct user experiences: a comprehensive operator interface and a more restricted bar/restaurant employee interface.
2. Optimized Mobile Data Presentation: Given the limitations of mobile screens compared to larger computer monitors, the app aimed to prioritize and display critical data based on insights derived from operator website click-tracking and user interviews.
3. Enhanced Data Visualization: Inspired by the clarity and engagement found in financial apps, the objective was to integrate infographics and charts to render data more understandable and captivating.
4. Unveiling the Wow-Factor: While essential functionalities like power and music controls were fundamental, the desire was to introduce an element that would set the app apart and stimulate higher adoption rates.
5. Built for Growth: Recognizing the potential for future expansion, the app had designed to be highly adaptable, poised to accommodate an ever-expanding array of features over time.
DESIGN PROCESS
User Research
User Personas
Market Research
Insights Summary
Architecture
Wireframes
Color Scheme & Fonts
UI Design
USER RESEARCH, PHASE 1
Web tool analysis
The development of the AMI Co-Pilot app aimed to revolutionize the management of digital jukeboxes by consolidating administrative tools that were previously scattered across different platforms. To accomplish this, our first step was conducting extensive user research to identify the most crucial actions and functionalities that operators and venues required for efficient jukebox management.
Our research journey began by delving into the wealth of data at our disposal. We started by studying click-tracking data to understand the actions taken by users upon logging into the operator website. This analysis revealed the typical behaviors and preferences of operators, offering valuable insights into their priorities.
Operators primarily utilized the website to ascertain the online status and operational health of their jukeboxes, determining whether a physical visit was required. Notably, operators would follow a distinct sequence: they'd log in, access the list of devices, and then reorganize them based on:
Last Connection Time
The time since the last device connection served as a critical indicator of a jukebox's current status, ensuring that it remained in constant operation.
Revenue Today & Yesterday
Operators closely monitored the revenue generated by their jukeboxes on a daily basis, allowing them to make informed decisions about device performance and the venues they served.
Cash Collected
The amount of cash collected was a key metric that directly influenced their daily schedules, guiding them to venues that required attention.
USER RESEARCH, PHASE 2
Service Menu and remote control analysis
A similar method was employed to explore the utilization of the service menu on the jukebox, providing insights into the most common operational requirements of operators when on-site. Actions initiated by location staff using the jukebox's infrared remote control were also studied.
For location staff, the analysis revealed a recurring pattern of actions, which included:
Song Selection Rejection
One of the most frequent actions observed was the rejection of song selections that did not align with the current ambiance or audience preferences at the venue.
Volume Adjustments
Operators frequently adjusted the volume settings to ensure the music remained appropriate and balanced for the venue's atmosphere.
Temporary Power Downs
In scenarios where alternative forms of entertainment, such as sports events or live performances by bands or DJs, were taking place, operators temporarily powered down the jukebox to avoid interference.
USER RESEARCH, PHASE 3
Phone interviews
To gain deeper insights, we conducted in-depth phone interviews with the most experienced tech support agents within the company. These conversations were instrumental in uncovering the common questions and requests from customers seeking technical assistance.
With a wealth of internal data and feedback at our disposal, we extended our research to engage with over a dozen operators of varying sizes, each overseeing a different number of venues. These phone interviews were instrumental in validating the insights derived from click tracking, offering operators an opportunity to share their perspectives on the most valuable administrative tools.
Operating under a strict non-disclosure agreement (NDA), we also explored their thoughts on our app development plans and how the Co-Pilot app could be optimized to serve their needs and those of the venues they supported. The combination of internal data analysis and operator interviews ensured that the AMI Co-Pilot app was not just feature-rich but designed to address the real-world demands of its users, ultimately enhancing their jukebox management experience.
USER PERSONAS
EXAMPLE 1:
Bob, 50, is the owner of a company providing digital jukeboxes and entertainment equipment to bars and restaurants. Bob is a highly motivated entrepreneur with a passion for music and entertainment. His primary goal is to ensure the seamless operation of digital jukeboxes and other entertainment equipment in the establishments he serves. With customers across multiple towns, Bob is a busy individual who juggles multiple responsibilities. He needs efficient tools that provide him with real-time information about all the devices on his route. Bob’s key responsibilities include servicing jukeboxes, collecting cash, and providing training to staff at the venues. He understands that timely intervention can significantly impact the profitability of the establishments he serves.
Bob values convenience and efficiency. He needs tools that simplify his daily tasks. Reliability and ease of use are critical. He needs an intuitive and user-friendly platform that provides essential information at a glance. "In this business, time is money. I need tools that give me real-time insights. The easier it is to manage, the better I can serve my locations and grow my route.”
EXAMPLE 2:
Alex, 48, is the owner of a small chain of restaurants. Bob is his jukebox operator. Alex has AMI digital jukeboxes installed in all three locations. He values the jukebox as a source of entertainment and extra revenue, as his customers love it and frequently play music from it. The digital signage feature that accompanies the jukebox has quickly become a vital tool for Alex too, allowing him to promote his business on the jukebox and connected TVs. He uses it to advertise events, showcase food and drink specials, and even engage with regulars by sending birthday wishes.
Maintaining the ambiance of his restaurants is a top priority. Alex collaborates with Bob to filter out inappropriate music, but the ability for his bartenders and restaurant staff to manually skip songs remains important to ensure a consistent atmosphere. Alex is a savvy and tech-friendly restaurateur who embraces digital tools to enhance the customer experience and drive profitability, so he values the digital signage capabilities that Bob has trained him to use.
However, managing promotions and events is time-sensitive, and Alex would prefer a more mobile-friendly solution for updating digital signage from anywhere, whether he's at the restaurant or on the go. "My restaurants thrive on great ambiance, and the AMI jukebox plays a big role in that. The Ad Manager tool is fantastic, but it's a hassle that I can't manage it on my smartphone.”
EXAMPLE 3:
Lily, 30, has been a bartender at one of Alex's restaurants for over five years, and she knows the regulars exceptionally well. For her, music plays a significant role in making her shifts more enjoyable. Lily is personable, attentive, values her regular customers, and strives to make their visits enjoyable. She appreciates the power of music to set the right mood in the bar.
The AMI jukebox in the bar area provides background music, but Lily occasionally pays to play her preferred tunes to enhance her own work experience. The regulars at the bar frequently use the jukebox, and the music generally aligns with the bar's ambiance. However, there are instances when Lily needs to skip a song, especially if it's overplayed or generally unpopular.
Lily places great importance on the music played, which not only affects her work experience but also the overall mood in the bar area. While she doesn't mind spending her own money on the jukebox, she wishes there was a rewards program to earn free credits. Also, skipping songs, can be a minor hassle due to the remote control. For example, if the bartender from the evening prior sat it down someplace different.
MARKET RESEARCH
Given the absence of a comparable app in our market, competitive analysis was not an option. Instead, I delved into other industries where mobile apps successfully granted users access to similar data and tools. This exploration took various forms including:
Banking Apps
Research was done to examine how various apps organized information for optimal viewing on smartphones, providing insights into user-friendly mobile data presentation.
Home Audio and Automation Apps
Research into these apps shed light on the types of UI controls employed, informing our UI/UX design decisions.
Greeting Card Creators
Research here provided the inspiration for a "wow-factor" feature for Co-Pilot, specifically a mobile UI for digital signage creation. This innovative feature promised to set Co-Pilot apart by empowering operators and venue staff to design and schedule digital signage directly from their mobile devices, ultimately enhancing the app's appeal.
Contact Management Apps
Customer Rewards Apps
Music Management and Curation Apps
INSIGHTS SUMMARY
The comprehensive user research for the development of the AMI Co-Pilot app yielded a wealth of insights across multiple phases. In Phase 1, the analysis of the web tool revealed the operators' primary priorities. In Phase 2, the investigation into the service menu and remote control actions disclosed the operational demands of location staff. For Phase 3, in-depth phone interviews with tech support agents and operators validated the insights derived from click tracking and web tool analysis. These conversations provided deeper understanding, common user queries, and insights into the most valuable administrative tools for real-world jukebox management.
Market research was equally instrumental, given the absence of a comparable app in the digital jukebox market. Drawing inspiration from various industries, I gathered ideas from banking apps for mobile data presentation, home audio and automation apps for UI controls, and other domains. These insights would guide the creation of a feature-rich and user-centered design.
ARCHITECTURE
FONTS & COLOR PALETTE
Built native for Android and iOS, system fonts Roboto and San Francisco would be used.
UI DESIGN
Initial work began in PhotoShop and Illustrator, and later moved to Sketch.
Route Management
Based on our research, the first thing I decided to show post-login was browsable lists of all music and TV locations. Data would be limited to what operators told us was most relevant during our phone interviews. Key sorting options were also supported. Expecting, in the future, the need to support features that would allow all devices across an entire route to be modified at once, the Network tab was included as a placeholder.
Touching a location name allowed for a deeper dive into details and controls.
Control Menu for Location Selected
Minus the Operator tab, the app’s Control Menu would be the default menu presented to bar and restaurant staff post-login. Items in the Control Menu were organized into 3 segments: Basic, Promotion, Operator.
BASIC
This tab would house basic features such as the ability to view the song currently playing, pause or reject it, adjust volume, change background music stations and more.
The tab would also provide access to customization options, allowing for menu personalization and the creation of suggested "Staff Favorite" playlists. See below:
PROMOTION
This tab would allow users to create, schedule, and publish digital signage to one or multiple devices. To learn more about this feature, click here.
Additionally, notifications could be sent to patrons who had previously downloaded the AMI Music app to play music at that venue.
OPERATOR
This tab would appear only when the account was that of an operator or installer, housing tools specific for back-end management. This included access to live chat support, revenue reports, background music configuration, staff rewards configuration, and more.
RESULTS
Originally released in 2018, AMI Co-Pilot became the first-ever app made for jukebox operators and venue owners – helping to drive new customer acquisitions. In year-one, over 60,000 remote control functions were executed through the app and its signature Ad Mgr feature led to the creation of over 5,000 digital signage ads.