Invisible Interactions
Invisible Interactions
Recommended for you
Recommended for you
Evaluating Recommendation Systems Across YouTube, Instagram, and Spotify
Evaluating Recommendation Systems Across YouTube, Instagram, and Spotify
Duration: 1 week • Solo Project
Duration: 1 week • Solo Project
4:38
4:38
This study focuses on how UI design affects users’ trust in AI-curated playlists and content.
How do different platforms visualize or hide algorithmic logic?
Recommendation systems are shaping what people watch, listen to, and engage with every day, subtly influencing taste, opinions, and even moods. Yet, users often don’t understand why they’re seeing certain content or how to control it.
Complex recommendation logic tied to watch time, engagement, and satisfaction. Great for studying “explainability” and control granularity.
Video/Visual media
Youtube
Audio Streaming
Spotify
Visual Social Media
Complex recommendation logic tied to watch time, engagement, and satisfaction. Great for studying “explainability” and control granularity.
Video/Visual media
Youtube
Audio Streaming
Spotify
Visual Social Media
How clearly does the interface communicates why something is recommended?
Are personalization settings easy to find and understand?
How easy is it for users to adjust, reset, or refuse recommendations?
Do users feel their actions (like/dislike) are reflected in future recommendations?
Transparency
Control
Trust & feedback loops
Consistency & visibility
Dimensions for Evaluating Algorithmic Trust
Types of
Recommendations
Type
Home screen
Video sidebar/next play
Shorts tab, home
Home, watch page
Personalized mix of interests
While watching a video
Scroll behaviour
Tap on recommend topic
Watch history, Subscriptions, Trends
Current video, topic similarity, engagement
Shorts engagement, past likes
Watched content themes
Placement
Data used
Trigger
YouTube
Home feed
Up next / Autoplay
Shorts Recommendations
Topic-based suggestions
Type
Home screen
Video sidebar/next play
Shorts tab, home
Home, watch page
Personalized mix of interests
While watching a video
Scroll behaviour
Tap on recommend topic
Watch history, Subscriptions, Trends
Current video, topic similarity, engagement
Shorts engagement, past likes
Watched content themes
Placement
Data used
Trigger
YouTube
Home feed
Up next / Autoplay
Shorts Recommendations
Topic-based suggestions
Type
Placement
Data used
Trigger
Mix of playlists, artists, and albums
Personalized algorithmic playlists
Query and genre trends
Current track
Social graph
Personalized mix of interests
While watching a video
Scroll behaviour
Tap on recommend topic
Tap on recommend topic
Listening patterns
Listening patterns
Dynamic, scrollable carousels
Auto-play of related tracks after ending
Displays what friends are playing
Home feed
Made For You (Daily Mixes, Discover Weekly)
Search Tab Suggestions
Now Playing Queue
Friend Activity Feed (Desktop)
Spotify
Type
Placement
Data used
Trigger
Mix of playlists, artists, and albums
Personalized algorithmic playlists
Query and genre trends
Current track
Social graph
Personalized mix of interests
While watching a video
Scroll behaviour
Tap on recommend topic
Tap on recommend topic
Listening patterns
Listening patterns
Dynamic, scrollable carousels
Auto-play of related tracks after ending
Displays what friends are playing
Home feed
Made For You (Daily Mixes, Discover Weekly)
Search Tab Suggestions
Now Playing Queue
Friend Activity Feed (Desktop)
Spotify
Type
Home feed between followed posts
Reels tab
Explore tab
Shopping tab / in-feed ads
Feed scroll area
Reels tab / Explore page
Explore page
Shopping tab / ads section
Engagement patterns, comments, view duration
Watch time, audio reused, content similarity
Topic & content attributes, accounts you don’t follow
Behavioural data, search history, purchase intent
Placement
Data used
Trigger
Suggested Posts (in-feed)
Suggested Reels
Explore page / “For You” content
Shopping / Ads recommendations
Type
Home feed between followed posts
Reels tab
Explore tab
Shopping tab / in-feed ads
Feed scroll area
Reels tab / Explore page
Explore page
Shopping tab / ads section
Engagement patterns, comments, view duration
Watch time, audio reused, content similarity
Topic & content attributes, accounts you don’t follow
Behavioural data, search history, purchase intent
Placement
Data used
Trigger
Suggested Posts (in-feed)
Suggested Reels
Explore page / “For You” content
Shopping / Ads recommendations
Heuristic Evaluation
Heuristic Evaluation
Through this evaluation we are trying to see if the algorithmic cues explained in user-friendly language.
Can users influence or reset their recommendations and if the interface teach users how recommendations work over time.
Through this evaluation we are trying to see if the algorithmic cues explained in user-friendly language.
Can users influence or reset their recommendations and if the interface teach users how recommendations work over time.
See detailed evaluation (updating soon..)
See detailed evaluation (updating soon..)
Spotify
Spotify
YouTube
YouTube
1. Visibility of System Status
2. Match Between System & Real World
3. User Control & Freedom
4. Consistency & Standards
5. Error Prevention
6. Recognition Rather Than Recall
7. Flexibility & Efficiency of Use
8. Aesthetic & Minimalist Design
9. Help Users Recognize, Diagnose & Recover
10. Help & Documentation
Poor
Heuristic
Medium
Good
1. Visibility of System Status
2. Match Between System & Real World
3. User Control & Freedom
4. Consistency & Standards
5. Error Prevention
6. Recognition Rather Than Recall
7. Flexibility & Efficiency of Use
8. Aesthetic & Minimalist Design
9. Help Users Recognize, Diagnose & Recover
10. Help & Documentation
Poor
Heuristic
Medium
Good
Pattern in recommendations
Why was this video recommended?
Pattern Type
Indirect / Deeply Nested Information Disclosure
No direct information for a particular video. Longer flows of clicks, long scrolls to reach desired info, finding it needs effort.
View
YouTube
Spotify
Pattern Type
Transparency exists but is hidden under secondary menus or vague headers. It follow a consistent naming pattern for personalized content.
View
Implicit feedback system. Interaction is passive, indirectly training the algorithm.
Pattern Type
Just-in-time transparency approach, easily visible
Present in the post itself for each and every post. one click required to reach the option.
View
Pattern in recommendations
Why was this video recommended?
Pattern Type
Indirect / Deeply Nested Information Disclosure
No direct information for a particular video. Longer flows of clicks, long scrolls to reach desired info, finding it needs effort.
View
YouTube
Spotify
Pattern Type
Transparency exists but is hidden under secondary menus or vague headers. It follow a consistent naming pattern for personalized content.
View
Implicit feedback system. Interaction is passive, indirectly training the algorithm.
Pattern Type
Just-in-time transparency approach, easily visible
Present in the post itself for each and every post. one click required to reach the option.
View
Agency & feedback
Agency & feedback
Can users react to what they are shown?
Can users react to what they are shown?
Can users customize/shape what they see?
Can users customize/shape what they see?
Can users understand and control how the system uses their data?
Can users understand and control how the system uses their data?
Reactive Control
Reactive Control
Proactive Control
Proactive Control
Not Interested
Remove from Watch history → Refresh
Topic Tab
Not Interested
Remove from Watch history → Refresh
Topic Tab
Meta Control
Meta Control
Feedback
Feedback
YouTube
YouTube
The “Remove” button
The “Remove” button
The are placed in the kebab menu at the side of every video. The options have icons to represent their meaning.
The are placed in the kebab menu at the side of every video. The options have icons to represent their meaning.
Deleting from watch history and refreshing removes videos related to that topic from appearing again.
Deleting from watch history and refreshing removes videos related to that topic from appearing again.
Deleting from watch history and refreshing removes videos related to that topic from appearing again.
Deleting from watch history and refreshing removes videos related to that topic from appearing again.
Users can select what gets stored as their YouTube history and regulates their feeds and recommendations.
Users can select what gets stored as their YouTube history and regulates their feeds and recommendations.
On clicking Not Interested there is an option to undo as well as to give further feedback.
On clicking Not Interested there is an option to undo as well as to give further feedback.
On deleting a video from watch History:
On deleting a video from watch History:
Settings → History → Manage All History → Controls → YouTube History
Settings → History → Manage All History → Controls → YouTube History
Tab at the top of home feed lets you modify your feed according to the topics
Tab at the top of home feed lets you modify your feed according to the topics
There are occasional customizations of feed available through these kinds of exercises.
Depends totally on the user to do them or not, can be easily missed.
There are occasional customizations of feed available through these kinds of exercises.
Depends totally on the user to do them or not, can be easily missed.
Can users react to what they are shown?
Can users react to what they are shown?
Can users customize/shape what they see?
Can users customize/shape what they see?
Can users understand and control how the system uses their data?
Can users understand and control how the system uses their data?
Reactive Control
Reactive Control
Proactive Control
Proactive Control
Meta Control
Meta Control
Feedback
Feedback
Spotify
Spotify
Option to un-include a song from your preferences
Option to un-include a song from your preferences
Song → Kebab menu → Exclude
Song → Kebab menu → Exclude
If it is a public playlist or a song not in Liked/Playlist, the option to hide it from the playlist or queue is available
If it is a public playlist or a song not in Liked/Playlist, the option to hide it from the playlist or queue is available
If it is a public playlist or a song not in Liked/Playlist, the option to hide it from the playlist or queue is available
If it is a public playlist or a song not in Liked/Playlist, the option to hide it from the playlist or queue is available
Songs can be added to the queue that is playing
Songs can be added to the queue that is playing
Once muted or hidden the songs by the artist becomes unclickable and faded.
Once muted or hidden the songs by the artist becomes unclickable and faded.
After hiding/muting, a pop-up appears to confirm that the sog won’t be playing anymore.
After hiding/muting, a pop-up appears to confirm that the sog won’t be playing anymore.
Muting the artist will completely remove them from playing
Muting the artist will completely remove them from playing
Undo option is available
Undo option is available
Can users react to what they are shown?
Can users react to what they are shown?
Can users customize/shape what they see?
Can users customize/shape what they see?
Can users understand and control how the system uses their data?
Can users understand and control how the system uses their data?
Reactive Control
Reactive Control
Proactive Control
Proactive Control
Meta Control
Meta Control
Feedback
Feedback
The kebab menu in the reel/post lets user immediately remove or hide content that they don’t like.
If it is a reel/post from a new account that they haven’t interacted with, they can click “interested” to make it more visible.
The kebab menu in the reel/post lets user immediately remove or hide content that they don’t like.
If it is a reel/post from a new account that they haven’t interacted with, they can click “interested” to make it more visible.
Clicking “not interested” open up options like muting the user, muting words and reporting a post as being “uncomfortable”.
Clicking “not interested” open up options like muting the user, muting words and reporting a post as being “uncomfortable”.
Preferences can be set according to levels of comfortability
Preferences can be set according to levels of comfortability
Interested and Not interested posts data is stored and saved for user to access.
Interested and Not interested posts data is stored and saved for user to access.
Interested and Not interested can be undone or deleted.
Interested and Not interested can be undone or deleted.
Feedback informs the user of the action the app will be taking as well as till wha duration.
Feedback informs the user of the action the app will be taking as well as till wha duration.
SUS: System Usability Score
SUS: System Usability Score
Average Usability Score
Average Usability Score
Task
Task
Task Description
Task Description
Evaluation Dimension
Evaluation Dimension
Description
Description
Youtube
Youtube
10
10
10
10
20
20
20
20
30
30
30
30
40
40
40
40
50
50
50
50
60
60
60
60
70
70
70
70
80
80
80
80
90
90
90
90
Spotify
Spotify
Find out why a particular video/song/post was recommended to you.
Find out why a particular video/song/post was recommended to you.
T1
T1
T2
T2
T3
T3
T4
T4
Transparency
Transparency
How clearly the platform explains why something was recommended.
How clearly the platform explains why something was recommended.
Try to remove or dismiss a recommended video/song/post you don’t like.
Try to remove or dismiss a recommended video/song/post you don’t like.
User Control
User Control
How easily users can influence or change recommendations.
How easily users can influence or change recommendations.
Try to adjust or influence future recommendations (e.g., clear watch history, dislike, “not interested,” etc.).
Try to adjust or influence future recommendations (e.g., clear watch history, dislike, “not interested,” etc.).
Feedbck
Feedbck
Whether the interface provides acknowledgment or visible response to user input.
Whether the interface provides acknowledgment or visible response to user input.
Observe how the interface responds after feedback (e.g., confirmation, visual change).
Observe how the interface responds after feedback (e.g., confirmation, visual change).
Trust
Trust
The degree to which users find the recommendations credible or appropriate.
The degree to which users find the recommendations credible or appropriate.
70
70
54.3
54.3
59.3
59.3
Perceived Usability
Perceived Usability
Find out why a particular video/song/post was recommended to you.
Find out why a particular video/song/post was recommended to you.
UX Honeycomb
UX Honeycomb
Evaluation of YouTube, Spotify, and Instagram’s recommendation systems across five UX parameters, highlighting differences in usability and overall user satisfaction.
Evaluation of YouTube, Spotify, and Instagram’s recommendation systems across five UX parameters, highlighting differences in usability and overall user satisfaction.
YouTube
YouTube
Spotify
Spotify
0
0
0
0
Usable
Usable
Findable
Findable
Desirable
Desirable
Credible
Credible
Useful
Useful
1
1
2
2
3
3
4
4
Documentation in progress….
Documentation in progress….
