Developed in 2011, Pocket Casts is an app available for use on mobile devices and desktops whose primary purpose is to allow users to stream or played downloaded audio podcasts. The free version of the app allows users to search and subscribe to podcasts, download individual episodes, create playlists, and automate actions.
Play Button
The play button reflects the core function of the app which is to play content for listeners. Mapped to the center of the page, the button is relatively large in comparison to all other elements as well as in a highly visible, intuitive position which improves discoverability. Drawing upon knowledge in the world, users recognize the “play” action afforded by the button based upon its standardized visualization across platforms, devices, and media players.
One design element that slightly undermines the prominence of the button is its change in color when viewing individual episodes across podcasts. This change to match the podcast art is a strong branding element, but color consistency across the entire app might maintain its visual prominence and further reinforce the mental model of element across the app.
“Download” Button
The “download” button signals to users the affordances of initiating a download of the episode, stopping the download in progress, or removing the downloaded file. Utilizing knowledge in the world, these actions are communicated by feedforward signifiers such as a recognizable download icon as well as a total file size count providing foreshadowing of the transfer of content. Once activated, the user is guided through the Gulf of Evaluation by immediate feedback including a progress wheel marking the advance of the file download, an increasing percentage counter, and an “X” element affording cancellation mid-download. At the end of the download, the icon changes to a green checkmark as a signifier of the successfully completed action and the new status.
“Add to Up Next” Button
The “Add to Up Next” icon utilizes knowledge in the world, a plus sign (+) indicating an addition, which is supported by the text “Add” beneath it. Offering immediate feedback to the user, pressing the “Add” button activates a pop-up checklist with the possible affordances: “Play next in Up Next”, “Play last in Up Next”, and “Add to playlist.” The three options include simple graphical representations of the action’s outcomes, and the options themselves are mapped in a vertical order that reflects their intended action (i.e. the “Play next in Up Next” option which adds episodes to the “top” of the list is above the option that places them at the end). To undo or change the selection, users will tap the “+” again where their choices are physically constrained to “Remove” from the “Up Next” playlist or add to user-created playlist.
The lack of immediate feedback or a clear signifier that the action has either been completed successfully or failed silently off screen, however, creates a gulf of evaluation for users. Immediate feedback could be added through using sound as a signifier of the completed or failed action, which could draw from knowledge in the world of similar audio feedback. This approach, however, potentially clashes with users’ mental model of the app as similar audio cues do not exist elsewhere within the environment, and so a cleaner solution would be to change the icon of the button to a minus sign, (-) and the text to “Added.” This icon change employs users’ knowledge in head as this mirrors similar functions in other smartphone applications.
“Mark As Played” and “Archive” Buttons
Reviewed together, the buttons “Mark As Played” and “Archive” work in concert and accomplish multiple actions for the users at once. Tapping on the “Mark As Played” button removes the download, erases any listening progress, and applies an “Archived” status to the episode which removes it from playlists and changes its status across the app. These actions are signified through the icons and a change in the visual representation of the listening progress bar. In addition to explicit explanatory text, the “Marked as Played” icon is an empty check box which signals that initiating the action “completes” or ends the episode, whereas the “Archive” action is represented as an archival box. Feedback to users of the activation of the “Mark as Played” action is provided by a change in the “Download” icon, a change in the listening progress bar, and the change of the “Mark as Played” icon to a fairly universal reset button and updated text. Similarly, the “Archive” icon changes to a new form which suggests opening the lid of the box to signify “un-archiving” or removal from storage, utilizing knowledge in the world of that experience.
One recommendation would be to use a more distinct icon to model the action “Mark as Played” for users. The current empty checkbox invokes an action to be completed (which is somewhat modeled by the filled checkbox for a successful download), but a unique icon such as a “forward” button activates knowledge in the head of “forwarding to the next episode.” This advance of the episode is conceptually modeled in other locations in the app and mirrors the visual feedback provided of the progress bar advancing to the end.
Concluding Overview
Versatile and effective, the design of the Individual Episode Detail Viewer successfully communicates affordances to the user as well as provides information and feedback to help them navigate through the Gulf of Evaluation and Gulf of Execution. This is accomplished by multiple signifiers providing visual and textual feedback, mapping of elements drawing from knowledge in the head and in the world, and use of logical and physical constraints that do not excessively limit behavior. With a few simple design updates recommended in this critique, an already strong design could be even better.