KURE 88.5 DJ Dash
overview
Radio DJ Toolkit: Website & App UX
Working part-time as an on-air personality (DJ) at KURE 88.5, I noticed several challenges DJs faced in planning and executing their shows—managing playlists, reading ads on air, and avoiding dead air time. To address these issues, I designed a prototype for a website and app to assist DJs in these tasks.
media:
Website and mobile app UX prototypes
award:
- Unrelated to design: I received the DJ of the Month award from KURE 88.5 in March of 2015.
the work
Drag and Drop Playlists
I wanted to make it easy for DJs to create playlists that fulfill station requirements, including avoiding FCC violations, playing high-priority songs, reading PSAs and grants on-air, and filling their allotted time slot. The DJ Dash allows DJs to easily drag and drop songs, which are checked against an API of FCC-friendly, station-approved songs. DJs can also drag and drop songs from the high-priority playlist or add new music from their own collection into their show.
Run show
No more chaotic radio. The DJ Dash eliminates the need for paper shuffling and awkward “ums” by automatically integrating PSAs, grant reads, and track names into a convenient on-air script. DJs can still personalize the script with additional text or ad-lib as needed. This streamlined approach helps minimize dead air and keeps the show flowing smoothly.
Seamlessly Switch Between DJs
College radio often suffers from dead air between DJ sets. The DJ Dash eliminates this issue by automating the music playback during these transitions, ensuring a seamless listening experience.
Engage with the DJ Community
The DJ Dash goes beyond functionality by offering a fun twist: a wiki-style background that DJs can customize between shows, reflecting the station’s interactive spirit (think of the notes and photos DJs leave for each other!). Additionally, the social panel keeps DJs connected to the station’s social media, allowing them to integrate listener requests and respond directly from the dashboard.
