We had the distinct pleasure to interview award winning designer Qihang Zhang about their original and creative Music Analytics App design work. Qihang Zhang is an award-winning communication designer, that makes our world a better place with their original music analytics app works.
Qihang Zhang ("QZ") answered Design Interview ("DI") questions about their award-winning work Chartmetric Mobile Music Analytics App. Interview questions prepared by Frank Scott.
QZ : The inspiration for the Chartmetric Mobile App came from a simple observation: in the music industry, time is everything—and most decisions happen on the go. Artists, managers, and marketers often need real-time access to data while on tour buses, backstage, or in meetings. Yet most analytics tools were still built for static desktop use, making it difficult to stay informed in motion. As a designer, I saw an opportunity to improve that experience by making powerful music insights more accessible in everyday situations. The core principle behind the design was mobility without compromise—bringing the richness of Chartmetric’s data into an intuitive, responsive format that felt right at home on mobile. The interface was shaped not only by visual clarity, but also by the rhythm and flow of music itself. I wanted the app to feel fluid and approachable—less like a dashboard, and more like a personalized story of one’s artistic journey told through data. At its heart, this design is about humanizing analytics: making information not only usable, but meaningful in the hands of people shaping culture every day.
QZ : As a designer, my focus was to make complex information feel effortless—something that empowers rather than overwhelms. In the fast-paced world of music, people don’t always have the time or space to open a laptop or analyze spreadsheets. I saw an opportunity to improve the mobile experience so users could access the data they needed, when and where they needed it most. My goal was to make the app feel less like a tool, and more like a companion—something you could trust to surface the most relevant insights without digging through layers of data. That meant focusing on intuitive navigation, clear visual hierarchy, and features like AI-powered summaries that translate raw numbers into understandable narratives. What I aimed to achieve wasn’t just a functional interface, but a sense of ease. Whether users are checking playlist performance before a show or tracking fan engagement between meetings, the app needed to meet them where they are—both physically and mentally. Rather than reinventing everything, I worked within existing product frameworks and focused on refining interactions, simplifying complexity, and ensuring that the experience felt cohesive with the broader Chartmetric ecosystem. It was about designing with empathy—for creators, marketers, and teams who work at the speed of culture.
QZ : While the current version of the app already brings immense value to users on the go, there are still many exciting directions for it to grow. From a design perspective, I see opportunities to continue enhancing accessibility, performance, and personalization—especially as mobile behavior and user needs evolve. In the future, I hope to see deeper integration of predictive insights, improved onboarding experiences for newer users, and continued localization efforts to better serve a global user base. I’m also excited about the potential of designing new features that adapt to different professional roles within the music ecosystem, such as A&R, digital marketing, or tour management. Personally, I’m committed to continuously improving the user experience and contributing to a product that empowers creativity through data. Whether through design refinements, user feedback loops, or cross-functional collaboration, I see this project as a living system—always evolving in response to real-world use. While I cannot speak for broader company strategy, from a design perspective, there is still so much untapped potential—and I’m excited to keep pushing the experience forward.
QZ : The design process for the Chartmetric Mobile App took approximately three to four months, from early September to December 2024. It was an iterative journey that involved user research, wireframing, prototyping, visual design, and constant collaboration with cross-functional teams. Given the complexity of translating a data-rich platform into a mobile-first experience, I spent a significant amount of time refining navigation flows, testing usability across devices, and ensuring consistency with Chartmetric’s design system. Even after the initial release, improvements continued based on real-world feedback—which I see as an essential part of the design lifecycle.
QZ : This design was part of my ongoing responsibilities as a product designer at Chartmetric. The concept itself aligned with a broader product vision to make music data more accessible across platforms, including mobile. Within that context, I identified a growing need to improve the mobile experience for users who were constantly on the move—whether they were artists checking stats backstage or managers tracking trends during meetings. Through internal conversations and team collaboration, we explored how to translate core product functionality into a format that felt intuitive, lightweight, and responsive on mobile. While the project wasn’t something I initiated independently, I was deeply involved in shaping the user experience from the early concept stages through to execution. It was both a professional challenge and a creative opportunity I was excited to take on—bringing design thinking into a space that directly impacts how people interact with their music careers.
QZ : This design is part of Chartmetric’s official product suite and is owned, operated, and distributed by the company. The mobile app is actively used by music industry professionals worldwide—including artists, managers, and label teams—as part of their daily workflows. As the designer, my role was to contribute to the user experience and interface design of the product within the company’s larger development framework. I do not own the rights to the product, nor do I intend to sell or license the design independently. My focus was on delivering high-quality design that aligned with the company’s goals and served the needs of its users.
QZ : As a designer with a deep personal connection to both music and data, I’ve always been drawn to projects that bridge the creative and analytical worlds. Designing for the music industry—especially tools that help artists and their teams make informed decisions—felt especially meaningful to me. This particular type of work appealed to me because it lives at the intersection of culture, technology, and storytelling. I was fascinated by the challenge of making raw streaming and social data feel accessible, even beautiful, in the palm of someone’s hand. It wasn’t just about presenting numbers—it was about designing an experience that helps people understand and shape their trajectory in a fast-moving industry. What motivated me most was knowing that the design wouldn’t just sit in a portfolio—it would be something real users depend on daily, whether they're planning a tour or tracking a viral moment. That sense of impact is what drew me to this work.
QZ : Absolutely. I’ve always admired digital products that make complexity feel simple—tools like Notion, Spotify for Artists, and Apple’s native apps have had a strong influence on how I think about clarity, hierarchy, and emotional tone in interface design. From Notion, I drew inspiration in how it balances depth with approachability—layering complexity without overwhelming the user. Spotify for Artists influenced how we think about contextual storytelling through data, especially in terms of making analytics feel connected to an artist’s personal journey. And Apple’s Health app served as a reference for how to design data visualizations that are both readable and elegant on mobile. In terms of design philosophy, I’m influenced by designers who advocate for inclusive, user-centered systems—people like Julie Zhuo, Aarron Walter, and more broadly, the Material Design team at Google for how they define scalable, human-first patterns. While the final product needed to fit within Chartmetric’s own brand and functional needs, these references helped inform my visual language and user experience approach throughout the process.
QZ : The primary target users are professionals in the music industry who need quick, reliable access to data while on the move. This includes artists, managers, independent teams, label executives, and digital marketers who rely on real-time insights to make creative and strategic decisions. Many of these users juggle multiple responsibilities across different platforms—social media, streaming, touring, and fan engagement—so they need a tool that simplifies complexity and fits seamlessly into their day-to-day workflow. The app is especially useful for those working in fast-paced environments where decisions can’t wait for desktop access—checking playlist performance between meetings, reviewing audience stats before a show, or tracking social momentum during a campaign. The goal was to serve the modern, mobile-first music professional who values both clarity and context.
QZ : What sets this design apart is its focus on clarity, mobility, and intelligence. While many analytics tools offer powerful data, few are truly optimized for mobile use—especially in a way that feels intuitive and emotionally resonant for creative professionals. This app doesn’t just compress a desktop experience onto a smaller screen. Instead, it was thoughtfully reimagined for mobile-first interaction: with simplified navigation, adaptive layouts, and lightweight performance that respects the constraints and behaviors of on-the-go users. Another key differentiator is the inclusion of AI-powered features like Smart Summary, which distills complex data into quick, human-readable narratives. Rather than overwhelming users with dashboards, it surfaces what matters most—whether that’s a sudden rise in follower growth or a drop in playlist adds. Visually, the design avoids the sterile look often associated with data tools. Instead, it embraces a modern, friendly aesthetic that aligns with the energy and rhythm of the music world—striking a balance between functionality and emotional tone. Ultimately, it’s not just a tool—it’s a companion for decision-making in real time.
QZ : The name of the app, Chartmetric Mobile, directly reflects its purpose and connection to the core Chartmetric platform. Rather than creating a separate identity, the mobile version was intentionally aligned with the parent brand to reinforce continuity, trust, and recognition among users already familiar with the desktop experience. From a design perspective, this naming approach helped streamline visual branding and allowed me to focus on crafting a distinct user experience within a shared ecosystem. The name itself communicates both function and context: “Chartmetric” for data-driven insights, and “Mobile” for accessibility and flexibility—wherever the user may be. It wasn’t about inventing something entirely new—it was about extending the brand’s utility in a way that felt intuitive, focused, and instantly clear to a global music audience.
QZ : For this project, I primarily used Figma for interface design, component structuring, and responsive layouts. It was the central platform for wireframing, visual design, and design system alignment, as well as for real-time collaboration with engineers and product stakeholders. In the early stages, I used FigJam for mapping user journeys and aligning product flows across mobile and desktop experiences. For motion and interaction prototypes, I utilized Principle and Protopie, especially to communicate transitions and gesture-based interactions to the development team. User feedback and iteration were key throughout the process, so I also worked with usertesting.com and Maze for lightweight usability testing, ensuring the design performed well under real-world conditions. These tools allowed me to maintain both speed and precision—moving quickly between exploration and execution while keeping the experience consistent, scalable, and user-centered.
QZ : The most unique aspect of this design lies in how it balances data density with emotional clarity—delivering powerful analytics through a mobile experience that feels intuitive, lightweight, and personal. One standout feature is the Smart Summary, an AI-assisted module that synthesizes key performance metrics into a readable, narrative-style overview. Instead of overwhelming users with raw numbers, it tells a contextual story—highlighting shifts in audience growth, playlist performance, or social engagement at a glance. This feature was designed specifically for mobile users who need to understand momentum without diving deep into charts. Equally important is the visual rhythm of the app: the way typography, color, spacing, and micro-interactions were orchestrated to reflect the pace and tone of the music world. I approached the interface like a score—structured, but expressive—allowing users to feel a sense of flow while navigating through dense information. This synthesis of data intelligence and human-centered design sets the app apart. It transforms a traditionally technical tool into something that feels more like a creative partner.
QZ : Yes, this design was the result of close collaboration with a cross-functional team. I worked alongside front-end and back-end engineers, product managers, and data scientists to ensure that the mobile experience was not only visually compelling but also technically feasible and performant. One of the most rewarding aspects was collaborating with engineers on translating AI-driven insights into actionable, user-friendly interfaces—particularly in developing features like Smart Summary. Their technical expertise helped inform design constraints and unlock new possibilities, especially around data visualization and real-time performance tracking. Throughout the process, I also worked closely with stakeholders from marketing and customer success to better understand user behavior, edge cases, and regional usage patterns. This input directly influenced how we prioritized features and shaped content hierarchy. While my primary responsibility was leading the design and user experience, the success of the project was deeply rooted in collaborative problem-solving across disciplines.
QZ : Technology played a foundational role in shaping both the functionality and the user experience of this design. From a design perspective, my role was to translate complex technical capabilities into clear, intuitive interactions that users could trust and navigate with ease. One key area was the use of AI and machine learning, particularly in powering Smart Summary—an insight module that automatically surfaces meaningful trends, such as sudden shifts in follower growth or playlist additions. My challenge was to design a user interface that could make this intelligence feel seamless and understandable, even for users without a technical background. Real-time data delivery was another critical aspect. The app consumes vast volumes of streaming and social data through APIs, and I needed to design with that technical reality in mind—ensuring that load states, performance feedback, and visual transitions supported a responsive, stable experience on mobile devices. While I didn’t build the underlying systems, I worked closely with engineers to bridge the gap between backend complexity and front-end usability—making sure that the technology served the user, not the other way around.
QZ : Yes, data and research were central to the design process. Given the analytical nature of the product itself, it was important that our design decisions were equally grounded in evidence and user insight. At the beginning of the project, I collaborated with the product team to review behavioral analytics from our web platform—identifying the most frequently used features and pain points users encountered when accessing Chartmetric from mobile devices. This helped shape the prioritization of core functionalities in the mobile version. We also conducted user interviews with artists, managers, and digital marketing professionals across different regions to better understand their mobile usage patterns, contextual needs, and common frustrations with existing tools. These conversations revealed that speed, clarity, and offline accessibility were often more important than depth—insights that strongly influenced the app’s design direction. Later in the process, I supported lightweight usability testing using prototypes built in Figma and Maze, collecting feedback on navigation logic, readability, and feature discoverability. This feedback loop helped refine interaction flows and reduce friction across key touchpoints. In short, the design was continuously shaped by a mix of quantitative data and qualitative input—ensuring it addressed real-world user behavior, not just assumptions.
QZ : One of the key challenges was translating a data-rich, desktop-first platform into a mobile experience without losing depth or clarity. Unlike web dashboards, mobile interfaces demand sharper prioritization, minimal cognitive load, and fluid navigation—all while accommodating real-time data updates. Early on, I had to carefully balance information density with readability. Too much detail would overwhelm users; too little would risk losing context. I addressed this by redesigning data groupings, introducing progressive disclosure patterns, and working closely with engineers to ensure performance wasn’t compromised. Another challenge was maintaining design consistency across systems. Since the mobile app needed to feel like a natural extension of the Chartmetric brand, I worked within an evolving design system—often needing to adapt or expand components specifically for mobile use cases without fragmenting the overall experience. Lastly, designing for a global, multilingual user base added complexity in terms of layout flexibility, text expansion, and accessibility. This required coordination with localization teams and extensive interface testing across screen sizes and languages. Each of these challenges pushed me to think systemically—not just about visual design, but about experience flow, cross-functional alignment, and scalability. Overcoming them sharpened my ability to deliver thoughtful, user-centered solutions within real-world constraints.
QZ : I decided to submit this project to an international design competition because I believed it represented a meaningful step forward in making data more accessible, human-centered, and relevant to creative professionals. As a designer, I’ve always been drawn to work that bridges function and emotion—and this app exemplified that balance. What made this design feel award-worthy was not just its interface, but its impact. The app was already in active use by a global community of artists, managers, and industry teams, and I had received positive feedback about how it helped simplify their day-to-day decisions. That real-world validation gave me the confidence to share it on a broader stage. I chose the A' Design Award specifically because of its focus on both innovation and usability, and its reputation for recognizing thoughtful, practical design across industries. Submitting was not about seeking personal recognition, but about contributing to a global conversation around how good design can make data more inclusive and empowering. For me, it was also a way to reflect on the process, learn from other winning work, and connect with a wider creative community that values the intersection of technology, design, and purpose.
QZ : This project pushed me to grow not just as a designer, but as a systems thinker and cross-functional collaborator. One key area of growth was in designing for constraints—both technical and experiential. Translating a complex, data-intensive platform into a clean, responsive mobile experience required me to refine how I prioritize content, structure hierarchy, and communicate insights with visual economy. I learned how to let go of unnecessary detail in favor of clarity, and how to surface depth through thoughtful layering rather than density. I also sharpened my ability to design with engineering in mind. Through close collaboration with developers, I deepened my understanding of how data is structured, how API performance affects mobile experience, and how to design components that remain stable under varying content loads. Perhaps most importantly, this project reminded me that great design often comes from deep empathy—from listening to users, observing how they work, and adapting the product to their real-world contexts. It reinforced my belief that design isn’t just about aesthetics or structure—it’s about enabling people to do what matters most, with confidence and ease. This experience has had a lasting impact on how I approach mobile design, product thinking, and team collaboration. It taught me to be both more precise and more adaptable.
QZ : What I’d like to emphasize is that this project wasn’t just about building an app—it was about shifting a mindset. In an industry where data can often feel cold or overwhelming, I saw an opportunity to design something that feels human—a tool that empowers creativity through clarity. As a designer, I believe our role extends beyond visuals. It’s about identifying friction, translating complexity, and advocating for the user—even when that means challenging assumptions. This project allowed me to practice that belief at scale, contributing to a product that supports real people doing meaningful work. Ultimately, this design reflects my broader mission: to create tools that don’t just function, but resonate.
