Blockchain has become a popular and widely accepted technology, known for its security, transparency, and immutability. Businesses and governments worldwide are investing more in blockchain projects.
With an increasing number of decentralized applications in the market, it’s important to understand the key aspects of designing UX for blockchain to ensure their effectiveness.
Early adopters of blockchain recognize its benefits and applications. However, for many, blockchain is still a collection of complex terms with superficial practical understanding, leading to mistrust. Thus, it’s crucial for blockchain apps to carefully introduce blockchain technologies to users’ daily operations.
Why Good UX Design is Essential for Blockchain Apps
It’s vital to prioritize UX to encourage user adoption and engagement in blockchain platforms. Here are some reasons why good UX design is crucial:
Simplifying Complex Concepts: UX design helps demystify complex blockchain terms, making them accessible to the average user.
Minimizing Errors: Effective UX design reduces the likelihood of errors in blockchain transactions, which can be costly.
Building Trust and Confidence: A well-crafted UX fosters transparency and predictability, enhancing trust.
Gaining Competitive Edge: An excellent UX sets a platform apart from its competitors, attracting and retaining more users.
Facilitating Transition: A familiar UX helps users adapt to new tools more easily, enhancing user acquisition.
Reducing Support Dependency: Well-designed UX minimizes the need for user support, leading to increased user engagement.
Keeping Pace with Evolution: A seamless UX integration of new features is crucial for adopting the latest advancements in blockchain technology.
Challenges of UX Design in Blockchain
Designing a user experience for blockchain applications presents unique challenges due to various factors:
Balancing Security and Usability: Designing robust security without compromising ease of use.
Interoperability and Standardization: Creating a cohesive UX across different blockchain platforms.
Legal and Regulatory Considerations: Being aware of legal factors that might influence user interactions.
Technical Complexity: Simplifying complexities without sacrificing key information.
Onboarding New Users: Facilitating a smooth onboarding process for new users.
Addressing Trust Issues: Building trust among users given the decentralized nature of blockchain.
Data Visualization: Effectively visualizing complex data in a user-friendly manner.
Responsiveness and Performance: Ensuring a responsive and efficient UX, especially during high transaction volumes.
5 Common UX Issues that Impact Blockchain Apps
Blockchain technology faces several UX challenges. Here are five prevalent issues and their solutions:
Arcane Terminology
Problem: Complex terms can be perplexing for newcomers.
Solution: Simplify the user interface and use relatable language with detailed explanations.
Difficult Onboarding
Problem: Onboarding process is lengthy and confusing.
Solution: Address regulatory challenges within the application and ensure a smooth registration process.
No Explanations of Processes
Problem: Users encounter issues without understanding why.
Solution: Use microcopy to inform users about ongoing processes and recommended actions.
Vague Security Warnings
Problem: Blockchain applications fail to communicate essential safety rules clearly.
Solution: Provide clear and understandable microcopy that explains risks in layman’s terms.
Unclear Financial Statements and Fees Information
Problem: Unclear financial statements and fees information affect user experience.
Solution: Provide clear and detailed financial statements and fees information to improve user understanding.The details about the differences between cryptocurrencies such as tokens, mediums of exchange, and stores of value are often not readily available. Moreover, discrepancies in exchange rates and transaction fees across various platforms can cause confusion and unforeseen costs.
Solution: It is important to clearly explain the various types of cryptocurrencies and their purposes. Transparent and consistent information on exchange rates and fees should be provided to ensure that users understand the financial aspects of transactions on the platform.
By addressing these specific challenges with tailored solutions, blockchain businesses can significantly enhance their user experience, making their platforms more accessible and user-friendly.
# Best practices for a great blockchain UX design
In the process of creating an interface that caters to a diverse audience, adhering to the best practices in blockchain design is crucial. This approach assisted us in popularizing the technology among ELEKS’ employees and fostering a culture of social awareness within the organization. Here are some key best practices:
## Ensure Consistency
When introducing new experiences, maintaining consistency is vital. Consistent design elements, workflows, and terminologies can greatly improve the user experience, making the technology more approachable and user-friendly.
## Incorporate Gamification
While gamification might not be suitable for serious, enterprise-level blockchain applications involving cryptocurrencies or smart contracts, it can be highly effective in other contexts. For internal purposes, gamification proved to be an excellent tool for engagement and learning.
## Highlight the Irreversibility of Transactions
One of the fundamental aspects of blockchain is the irreversibility of transactions. It’s crucial to ensure that users are fully aware of this characteristic. Clear warnings and confirmations before finalizing any transaction can prevent mistakes and enhance user trust in the platform.
## Guide Your Users
Striking the right balance between assisting users and not overwhelming them is delicate. Providing gentle guidance can help users achieve their objectives efficiently and avoid potential errors. It’s important to guide users in a way that empowers them rather than making them feel inexperienced.
## Encourage Feedback
Feedback is particularly valuable when offering a new experience, as there may not be established patterns of user behavior. Creating avenues for users to share their suggestions or grievances is essential. This feedback loop can lead to continuous improvement and refinement of the user experience.
By following these best practices, a blockchain-based UX can be designed in a way that is user-friendly, educative, and engaging, ultimately leading to wider adoption and better user satisfaction.
# Designing Blockchain UX for trust
When designing the user experience (UX) for blockchain applications, it’s crucial to focus on areas where this technology can add significant value. This includes utilizing blockchain in heavily regulated industries to streamline purchase processes, providing secure blockchain-based data storage, or enhancing the transparency and security of legal contracts.
We emphasize to our clients that merely adopting new technology isn’t enough to attract more customers; it’s the delivery of a novel level of efficiency or a unique experience that sets a product apart.
Core Principles of Blockchain UX Design:
Designing for Trust: This principle is pivotal as blockchain technology is still relatively new in many sectors, and there’s a scarcity of practical business applications widely recognized. The concept of designing for trust is fundamental because it addresses the inherent skepticism and unfamiliarity that many users have towards blockchain technology.
Emphasis on Practical Application: While there’s ample theoretical knowledge and general design principles available for blockchain, we chose to concentrate on practical application. We believe sharing real-world experiences and use cases, like our internal blockchain-based employee loyalty rewards app, provides more tangible insights and learnable moments for our audience.
# Conclusion
Designing a user experience for blockchain applications is a journey that requires balancing technical complexity with user-friendliness. By understanding the common UX challenges, embracing best practices, and focusing on building trust, developers and designers can create blockchain applications that not only meet technical standards but also resonate with users. This approach is essential for the wider adoption and success of blockchain technology, ensuring it delivers real value and an exceptional experience to its users.
Image Source: NicoElNino / Shutterstock
