Jack was awarded his PhD in 2019 and is currently based in Sweden working at as a User Researcher at Spotify. He says 'the DTC experience has helped me in my career in a number of ways; firstly, I have a better understanding of the principles of rigorous research, which can be applied in various contexts, secondly, by improving my ability to communicate with people with different forms of expertise (e.g. Data Scientists) and thirdly, my research project improved my knowledge of the music marketplace, which has helped me to sell myself as an expert in the field.
What was your academic and professional background before you joined the CDT?
Before joining the DTC, I studied Music at the University of Southampton, specialising in a combination of musical performance and popular music studies.
Why did you choose to study Web Science?
I chose Web Science because it presented itself as an opportunity to extend my interest in how the Web and digital technologies are shaping the production and consumption of music, an interest cultivated during my Bachelor’s degree. I was also attracted to the academic challenge of learning new subject matter and identifying productive ways to combine disciplines.
What was you PhD research topic?
My PhD examined how music streaming services, such as Spotify, are disrupting the social dynamics of music consumption. My research involved conducting interviews with music industry expert informants to better understand music streaming services’ disruptive potential, and interviews with music consumers to explore if and how these platforms are shaping music consumption practices. My research was novel because it is one of the few studies that engaged with the practices and perspectives of consumers. Existing literature has speculated about the disruptive potential of music streaming services, but little is known about how the affordances of streaming (e.g. abundant access to music, personalisation) are shaping music consumption practices.
What training did you receive?
Quantitative and qualitative research methods
Introduction to Python programming
CV writing, applying for academic jobs, teaching training, and other career development training via the University’s careers service.
I presented my research at academic conferences around the world, including the Theorising the Web, the British Sociological Association Annual Conference, and the ACM Conference on Web Science.
I participated in and attended a variety of DTC activities across the four years I was a student. Some of the highlights include attending the Web Science Winter School in Shenzhen, China; visiting the Australian National University, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, and the University of Wollongong to share my research; and participating in a highly-productive ‘writing retreat’ at Cumberland Lodge, Windsor.
I spent two weeks working as a User Research at the Parliament Digital Service (PDS). I was coached on the principles of applied product research and I gained hands-on experience conducting qualitative research with Parliament staff.
I spent six months working part time as an Insight Analyst at Universal Music UK in London. Working in the Digital Partnerships Team, I helped to enhance how the team report about the performance of new and existing releases on music streaming services and conducted various ad-hoc research projects.
What were the benefits of being part of the CDT?
In addition to the financial support and training opportunities, the most beneficial part of being part of a DTC is exposure to different disciplines and ways of working. Web Science does not teach you to be an expert in every discipline; rather, it introduces you to different disciplinary conventions and world-views. This is valuable in the real world, as cross-functional working is an everyday reality of working life. Web Science equips you with the vocabulary to have productive conversations with people with different forms of expertise.
Any advice to prospective Web Scientists?
The best piece of advice I can offer is to carefully consider whom you request as your PhD supervisors. Having invested and responsive supervisors will have a significant impact on the experience of doing a PhD. Your PhD supervisors are your barometer for determining whether your work is good enough and whether you are doing enough of it. With a dedicated supervision team, you will be able to progress more confidently with your research. I am incredibly grateful to Prof. Susan Halford, Dr. Brian Hracs and Dr. Nicholas Gibbins for the support they have given me during the PhD and beyond.