dublab
An interactive mobile app for an independent radio station.
Overview
iOS App Design
dublab is a radio platform built for the discovery and cultivation of next-wave music, arts, and culture. Though based in Los Angeles, the internet radio trailblazers also boast an impressive team of global affiliate stations.
They came to us in need of a mobile app that could easily allow listeners to toggle between the five worldwide live streams. While the flagship station was to be the app's focus, they wanted to provide upfront access to the affiliates. dublab also wanted unique avenues through which users could explore the station's 20+ year archive of episodes.
Starting from Scratch
Several concepts were drafted before we landed on the final design. Early designs included a version with a list of vertically stacked channel buttons, a fixed tab bar positioned at the bottom of the screen, and a circular, floating radio player. A rotary radio dial option was also explored.
We conducted interviews and a round of user testing with devout dublab listeners to help shape usability and determine which features would be of primary importance.
We decided on a horizontally scrolling list of station buttons set just below the radio player on the home screen, allowing users to jump from the United States to Germany and then to Spain with a simple swipe and a click.
Approach & Results
We designed the app to include a scrolling five-channel selector as well as a random episode selector that searches through dublab’s robust database. To keep listeners engaged, we added a collection feature to save the user's history and favorite episodes. Utilizing existing brand style guidelines, we designed a mobile UI system to integrate seamlessly with the radio station's established aesthetic.
"Bean's experienced and dedicated team were crucial" -Ale Cohen •"Bean's experienced and dedicated team were crucial" -Ale Cohen •"Bean's experienced and dedicated team were crucial" -Ale Cohen •"Bean's experienced and dedicated team were crucial" -Ale Cohen •
"The app that Bean developed for dublab has allowed the organization to expand its listenership and provide a unique experience for those already familiar with dublab radio. Bean's experienced and dedicated team were crucial in understanding the unique needs of our organization and was successful in communicating that with our community through the creation of the iOS app." -Ale Cohen, Executive Director