Web3 Dev Platform - MVP Usability: a Case Study
Web3 Dev Platform - MVP Usability
Enhancing the usability of a web3 development platform.
Enhancing the usability of a web3 development platform.
Web3 Dev Platform - MVP Usability: Case Study
➞ Product Lead:
ongoing
I am responsible for overseeing the product strategy, coordinating with engineering and design teams, and ensuring the platform meets the needs of our target users.
As an expert UX practitioner, I also lead User research & Usability tests
➞ Overview:
Leveraging detailed feedback from technical users to refine and improve the platform's functionality and interface.
➞ Process:
Initial Discovery and Usability Testing
Analysis and Implementation of Changes
Second Round of Usability Testing
➞ Results:
A notable increase in user satisfaction, with improved ratings on ease of use and intuitiveness. (SUS score)
Enhanced user efficiency, with reduced task completion times and error rates.
Positive feedback on the platform’s improved navigation and streamlined workflows.
Background
The platform was designed and developed to streamline various workflows, integrating multiple tools into a cohesive environment.
Early feedback highlighted usability issues that affected user satisfaction and efficiency.
Recognising the critical role of UX in the platform's success, we initiated an iterative process of testing, feedback collection, and implementation of changes.
Phase 1: User Interviews and Usability Test Sessions
→ Objective:
Identify usability challenges and areas for improvement.
→ Methodology:
We conducted the first round of usability tests with 12 developers and techies, focusing on core tasks that users would perform on the platform:
Initial onboarding
Navigating through the platform
Creating product environment
Testing APIs
Leveraging Documentation
→ Findings:
Users reported difficulties with navigation, finding specific functionalities cumbersome, and the overall experience less intuitive than expected.
Expected more Streamlined Process
API Documentation is below average
Would like to see code snippets in the docs, as well as in the UI of the platform
Missing context on certain aspects
Found some bugs
Confusion on certain flows
And many more…
Aggregated findings: Time on task, task completion etc..
Phase 2: Synthesis and Implementation of Changes
What areas do we excel?
Comfort and satisfaction with using the platform
Found it easy to navigate through familiar tools
Strengths
Where do we see growth?
Provide more context where necessary
Enhance transparency and communication: e.g. status updates
Opportunities
SWOT
Where are the pain points?
Lack of visual clues: E.g. More detailed loading indicators
Confusion during environment creation
Uncertainty of API usage guidelines
Weaknesses
What are ares of concern?
Potential loss of user confidence: The lack of clarity and transparency during certain tasks
Risk of user errors: Without adequate guidance and clear communication
Threats
The platform was designed and developed to streamline various workflows, integrating multiple tools into a cohesive environment.
Despite its innovative approach, early feedback highlighted usability issues that affected user satisfaction and efficiency.
Recognising the critical role of user experience in the platform's success, we initiated an iterative process of testing, feedback collection, and implementation of changes.
Background
Objective:
Identify usability challenges and areas for improvement.
Methodology:
We conducted the first round of usability tests with 12 developers and techies, focusing on core tasks that users would perform on the platform:
Initial onboarding
Navigating through the platform
Creating product environment
Testing APIs
Leveraging Documentation
Findings:
Users reported difficulties with navigation, finding specific functionalities cumbersome, and the overall experience less intuitive than expected.
Expected more Streamlined Process
API Documentation is below average
Would like to see code snippets in the docs, as well as in the UI of the platform
Missing context on certain aspects
Found some bugs
Confusion on certain flows
And many more…
Phase 1: User Interviews and Usability Test Sessions
What areas do we excel?
Comfort and satisfaction with using the platform
Found it easy to navigate through familiar tools
Strengths
Provide more context where necessary
Enhance transparency and communication: e.g. status updates
Where do we see growth?
Opportunities
Pain points?
Lack of visual clues: E.g. More detailed loading indicators
Confusion during environment creation
Uncertainty of API usage guidelines
Strengths
Areas of concern?
Potential loss of user confidence: The lack of clarity and transparency during certain tasks
Risk of user errors: Without adequate guidance and clear communication
Threats
SWOT
Recommendations
We categorised proposed next steps into:
User Interface (UI),
Product:
Development (Dev),
User Experience (UX)
Individual Product teams (Event, Sign)
Marketing team
User research topics
Here’s a brief overview of how the recommendations were categorised:
→ For Product Teams
Development (Dev) Recommendations:
Technical issues or feature requests that required backend development, coding, or system architecture changes.
User Experience/User Interface (UX/UI) Recommendations:
Feedback that pertained to the usability, design, accessibility, and overall user interaction with the platform was categorised under UX and UI recommendations.
This included changes to improve navigation, simplify complex workflows, or make the interface more intuitive.
→ Marketing Recommendations
These recommendations focused on how to communicate the platform's features and benefits to potential users, based on insights about user perceptions and expectations gathered during usability testing.
We've identify the need to highlight its unique selling points, and address user concerns through targeted marketing messages.
→ User Research Needs
Identified as a separate category to emphasise the importance of ongoing user research in guiding future enhancements.
This category included recommendations for further studies to understand user behaviour and the effectiveness of the implemented changes.
We categorised proposed next steps into:
User Interface (UI),
Product:
Development (Dev),
User Experience (UX)
Individual Product teams (Trace, Seal)
Marketing team
User research topics
Here’s a brief overview of how the recommendations were categorised:
→ For Product Teams
Development (Dev) Recommendations:
Technical issues or feature requests that required backend development, coding, or system architecture changes.
User Experience/User Interface (UX/UI) Recommendations:
Feedback that pertained to the usability, design, accessibility, and overall user interaction with the platform was categorised under UX and UI recommendations.
This included changes to improve navigation, simplify complex workflows, or make the interface more intuitive.
→ Marketing Recommendations
These recommendations focused on how to communicate the platform's features and benefits to potential users, based on insights about user perceptions and expectations gathered during usability testing.
We've identify the need to highlight its unique selling points, and address user concerns through targeted marketing messages.
→ User Research Needs
Identified as a separate category to emphasise the importance of ongoing user research in guiding future enhancements.
This category included recommendations for further studies to understand user behaviour and the effectiveness of the implemented changes.
Phase 3: Second Round of Usability Testing
→ Objective
Evaluate the effectiveness of changes and gather further insights.
→ Methodology
Employing a similar testing setup as the initial phase, we observed how the implemented changes impacted user interaction.
→ Outcomes
The modifications led to significant improvements in task completion times and user satisfaction.
However, new insights emerged, suggesting areas for further refinement, such as enhancing the visibility of certain secondary features.
→ Objective
Evaluate the effectiveness of changes and gather further insights.
→ Methodology
Employing a similar testing setup as the initial phase, we observed how the implemented changes impacted user interaction.
→ Outcomes
The modifications led to significant improvements in task completion times and user satisfaction.
However, new insights emerged, suggesting areas for further refinement, such as enhancing the visibility of certain secondary features.
Results
The iterative usability testing and enhancement process led to significant improvements in user satisfaction and efficiency. By the end of the testing cycles, we observed:
A notable increase in user satisfaction, with improved ratings on ease of use and intuitiveness.
Enhanced user efficiency, with reduced task completion times and error rates.
Positive feedback on the platform’s improved navigation and streamlined workflows.
The iterative usability testing and enhancement process led to significant improvements in user satisfaction and efficiency. By the end of the testing cycles, we observed:
A notable increase in user satisfaction, with improved ratings on ease of use and intuitiveness.
Enhanced user efficiency, with reduced task completion times and error rates.
Positive feedback on the platform’s improved navigation and streamlined workflows.
Recommendation
We categorised proposed next steps into:
User Interface (UI),
Product:
Development (Dev),
User Experience (UX)
Individual Product teams (Event, Sign)
Marketing team
User research topics
Here’s a brief overview of how the recommendations were categorised:
→ For Product Teams
Development (Dev) Recommendations:
Technical issues or feature requests that required backend development, coding, or system architecture changes.
User Experience/User Interface (UX/UI) Recommendations:
Feedback that pertained to the usability, design, accessibility, and overall user interaction with the platform was categorised under UX and UI recommendations.
This included changes to improve navigation, simplify complex workflows, or make the interface more intuitive.
→ Marketing Recommendations
These recommendations focused on how to communicate the platform's features and benefits to potential users, based on insights about user perceptions and expectations gathered during usability testing.
We've identify the need to highlight its unique selling points, and address user concerns through targeted marketing messages.
→ User Research Needs
Identified as a separate category to emphasise the importance of ongoing user research in guiding future enhancements.
This category included recommendations for further studies to understand user behaviour and the effectiveness of the implemented changes.
Key Insights
The Importance of Iterative Testing: Stakeholders realised the importance of continuous testing
User Feedback as a Guiding Tool: Direct user feedback informed the prioritisation of development efforts
Adapting to User Expectations: The testing highlighted the need to balance innovative features with user expectations
The Importance of Iterative Testing: Stakeholders realised the importance of continuous testing
User Feedback as a Guiding Tool: Direct user feedback informed the prioritisation of development efforts
Adapting to User Expectations: The testing highlighted the need to balance innovative features with user expectations
Initial Discovery and Usability Testing
Phase 1
Synthesis and Implementation of Changes
Phase 2
Recommendations were categorised into:
UI
Product
Marketing
User research
Recommendations
Development:
tech issues
bugs
backend
system architecture
UX:
flows
context
new & improved features
Product
messaging
positioning
Marketing
Specific feature research
functionality
workflows
User Research
12 developers
4 main tasks
subtask
Method
UX not seamless enough
not as intuitive as expected
confusion at certain points
Initial Findings
Second Round of Usability Testing
Phase 3
Synthesis and Implementation of Changes
Phase 2
Second Round of Usability Testing
Phase 3
Synthesis and Implementation of Changes
Phase 2
Recommend-
ations
Recommendations were categorised into:
UI
Product
Marketing
User research
Development:
tech issues
bugs
backend
system architecture
UX:
flows
context
new & improved features
Product
messaging
positioning
Marketing
Specific feature research
functionality
workflows
User
Research
Discovery
Usability
Phase 1