Beyond the Hype: Improving Usability of Web3 Applications Through Good UX Design

“The user must not have to question their intellect when using your product. When they do, there’s a problem.”

Our Product Design tutor, Muhammad Amida , made this insightful statement during one of our classes in the Tech4Dev Women Techsters Bootcamp 3.2. It stuck with me because it sums up a major pain point in many Web3 products today - they feel designed for tech insiders rather than the average user. The promise of Web3 to democratise the internet and give users more control over their data and digital assets is an exciting prospect. However, if we evaluated most Web3 products against the above statement, the majority would be deemed problematic. Think about it - how many times have you felt confused navigating a Web3 platform? I certainly have, even as a moderately experienced user.?It is a sad but true reality that most Web3 products are not usable for the majority.

Usability and the Evolution of the Web

Conversations around usability in tech did not just pop up on the radar. With each era of tech innovation, simplifying the use process has always been a very important step to improve adoption. In the 1990s, Web1 introduced the first static websites. While these were revolutionary, they were static and needed more interactivity and dynamic content. Next came Web2 giving us more dynamic, participatory platforms like Facebook and YouTube. However, this brought issues like information overload and centralisation. We still wrestle with usability challenges on Web2 today.

Now Web3, built on blockchain, crypto, artificial intelligence, virtual reality and the metaverse, promises to revolutionise everything from finance and social media to commerce and entertainment. No more middlemen, no more centralisation, no more privacy scares, and no more being blindsided by the big guns for our data – We get a piece of the Internet pie now. But the landscape feels chaotic - filled with cryptic jargon and confusing interfaces. The bars are set way too high for an innovation meant to revolutionise the World Wide Web for the masses.

Where Does User Experience (UX) Design Come In?

User Experience (UX) design combines research, testing, iteration and design thinking to create user-centred digital experiences. The goal is to reduce friction and increase customer engagement and conversion. If the UX of a product is superb, users will always come back for more. Let's consider Web2 products like Airbnb, Uber (one of my favourites), and Duolingo. Airbnb has a great hospitality booking experience, Uber makes it easy to order rides, and Duolingo lowers user cognitive load with simple user flow. Through good UX, these products have become staples in the day-to-day lives of users worldwide. To achieve a similar effect with Web3 products, we must amp up our usability with a more thoughtful UX design.

How? Here are a few tips:

Tip #1: Put Users First

Above all else, think of the user. With so many emerging technologies involved, Web3 introduces fresh usability challenges. Unlike Web2 products, Web3 products rely on protocol choices and immutable smart contracts. Once deployed, it is difficult to modify features or user flows that go to the root of the blockchain. So, when UX designers leave UX as an afterthought, problems will surely occur.

UX experts must advocate for user needs as early as possible. There must be in-depth user research, prototype testing, and interface iterations. User research involves interviewing and surveying potential users to understand their goals, motivations and pain points. Testing concepts and prototypes early through usability testing and A/B testing allows designers to identify and fix issues before making commitments when the product is built on the choice blockchain protocol.

It is not ideal to skip UX preliminaries because time is of the essence to take control of the market. Lean UX methods and Agile methodology exist for the sole purpose of facilitating UX considerations in fast-paced environments like that of Web3. According to Laura Klein , in her book UX for Lean Startups, You do not have time not to do research. Web3 startup design teams can adopt a lean UX method that works best and apply it.

Tip #2: Simplify Complex Topics

Dear Web3 product owner, never assume. If Web2 products still provide guides and cues, what’s your excuse? Education through design is possible and necessary. Many people in the world today, despite the increased adoption, do not understand concepts like cryptocurrencies, non-fungible tokens (NFTs), decentralised autonomous organisations (DAOs), and decentralised finance (DeFi). Within products, UX designers can distil complexity into intuitive interfaces by gamifying experiences, using plain language, offering visual aids, using pop-up banners, and adding clear tutorials.

Visual aids, such as illustrations or animations, can be used to explain complex concepts like blockchain technology in a more accessible way. Pop-up banners or tooltips can provide additional context or definitions for technical terms. Interactive tutorials can also help users learn by doing, gradually introducing them to more advanced features as they gain confidence. In all, the experience should give a clear and engaging walk-through of the process while focusing on the user goal.

For example, rather than confronting users with technical jargon about "over-collateralised loans'' and "automated smart contracts'', the complexities of decentralised finance (DeFi) could be better conveyed by breaking it down into steps from the user's perspective:

Step 1: Connect your crypto wallet

Step 2: Select the assets you want to lend/borrow

Step 3: Review loan details and confirm

This way, the user understands clearly what they need to do with the product and can proceed through it with ease.

Tip #3: Build Digital Trust

Yes, Web3 promises us decentralisation. However, while we strive towards this utopian dream, we must not forget that with such freedom comes great responsibility. And with this responsibility comes a lot of risks. Let's say you send some money to the wrong bank account number in the traditional banking sector. It is very easy to retrieve this money because users are fully identified and the system is centralised. However, in a decentralised system where the majority of the users operate from user-unfriendly wallet addresses and interactions are blockchain-sensitive, it is almost impossible to retrieve assets sent to the wrong wallet address or blockchain protocol. When you couple these risks with the bad PR the Web3 ecosystem has received in the past due to bad actors, most users feel Web3 products are too risky to be involved with and prefer to stay centralised.

Trust is built on transparency. UX designers can build user trust by crafting experiences that feel transparent, secure, and human-centred. Web3 applications should communicate their functionalities, data usage practices, and security measures. Explainable interfaces that provide real-time updates and notifications can help users understand what's happening behind the scenes, fostering a sense of control and trust.

Tactics like providing transparency around gas fees, offering information on irreversible actions, and implementing secure authentication methods like multi-factor authentication or biometric verification can help provide the human reassurance new users seek when managing finances online. Visual cues, such as colour coding or icons, can be used to highlight important information or warn users about potential risks. Clear and prominent disclaimers or confirmations should be displayed for actions that cannot be undone, such as sending funds to a wallet address.

We also nurture trust when we employ design choices that reduce confusion and misunderstanding. This includes using consistent terminology, providing contextual help and tooltips, and ensuring clear information hierarchy and navigation. Adopting design patterns and principles that prioritise accessibility, such as adhering to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) guidelines, can also help create a more inclusive and trustworthy experience for users with varying abilities.

A good example of a Web3 application that places the user at the core of its operations is Metamask. MetaMask currently serves as a secure gateway to the world of Web3 and decentralised applications (dApps). Users can create and manage their digital asset wallets, send and receive digital assets, and interact with dApps. Here are some Metamask onboarding and setting screens from the mobile and web applications that showcase its commitment to maintaining a user-friendly environment:

At the successful creation of the wallet, Metamask also provides a short 5-step walkthrough for users to help them navigate the app better:

Here's a sneak peek at the advanced configurations. In the past, Metamask would present code-based signature requests to users. For better understanding, signatures are how users authorise transactions in the world of Web3. You either give approval or decline. A transaction could be one as simple as connecting your wallet to a dApp or one as complex as letting go of some of your assets contained in the wallet. For the average user who had no idea of how to interpret such code-based signature requests, there was always the risk of signing fraudulent transactions. It is now interesting to see that such unreadable pieces of code have been pushed to the back and users are now presented with more readable signature requests.

Although its product deals with complex and sensitive matters like managing assets on a blockchain, Metamask understands the importance of empathy towards users who may be novices in the world of cryptocurrencies and other digital assets. With time and several walkthroughs, the novice eventually becomes an expert ready to tackle any complexity that comes their way.

The Web3 landscape will continue to rapidly evolve and UX design will remain essential for shaping accessible products and spaces. We must champion inclusive, ethical design in both content and form to avoid leaving users behind. The open Web3 frontier may never be fully tamed, but thoughtful UX can make it feel welcoming to all. Our users are still king, let's never forget to treat them as such.