OpenSea
Role
Timeline
Project type
Tools
Lead UX / UI Designer
4 - 6 weeks
Independent project
Figma, Procreate, Maze, Optimal Workshop
Mobile App | UX/UI Design Lead | 2023
Adding a feature to OpenSea, designed to foster community engagement and simplify NFT discovery.
Challenge
Solution
OpenSea is the world's first and largest digital marketplace for crypto collectibles and non-fungible tokens (NFTs). Users can buy, sell, and discover exclusive digital items all on one platform.
The NFT community is incredibly active and social, however, as an online marketplace, OpenSea is missing critical social sharing features that inform and influence user buying decisions.
OpenSea would like to introduce social media elements and features on their website to channel NFT discourse from sites like Twitter, Reddit and Discord directly to buyers on the OpenSea platform to help inform their purchase decisions.
View prototype
I conducted interviews with five people between the ages of 21-28 who actively own or have owned an NFT to pinpoints their process for finding NFTs, and to get an idea of what motivators/barriers exist when considering one over the other. 5 out of 5 interview participants referenced social media platforms like Twitter and Discord as a significant part of their NFT discovery process
Insight generation
Interviews brought a mix of insights, but figuring out what people had in common wasn't straightforward. The affinity map became my go-to tool, helping me see the bigger picture by simplifying complex information.
It took a few tries, but eventually, patterns emerged, showing shared goals, like profit, utility, community and challenges, like discovery and price-point, among users. This visual aid clarified the diverse perspectives I'd gathered in a way that made sense to everyone.
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Goals
Collectibility & Art
Most participants were interested in discovering and collecting rare NFTs that aligned with their personal artistic taste and preferences to grow their collections
Community
Most participants bought NFTs because they enjoyed being part of a particular community that they personally resonated with and valued the mutual support.
Most discovered NFTs through communities on social media platforms such as Discord or Twitter rather than the marketplace itself.
Investment & Utility
All participants were motivated to buy NFTs to gain a return on their investment, and were additionally incentivized by true utility in an NFT
Saturation
The volume of NFTs on OpenSea has made it difficult for collectors to discover and buy the NFTs that they like.
Users in NFT communities on Twitter and Discord are bombarded with information, and it can be a task to sort through the relevant information
Time Commitment
Especially for people who are just getting into NFTs, learning the game takes a lot of time and effort.
Misleading Information
Everyone seems to have their own opinions on which NFTs to buy, and it can be hard to determine which information is legitimate.
An NFT can be listed for a certain amount, but hidden fees can surprise buyers
User personas
The NFT space attracts a wide array of individuals, including artists, buyers, newcomers exploring the trend, and seasoned veterans. Recognizing the distinct goals associated with buying and selling art, I crafted 3 personas tailored to each of these unique roles within the vibrant NFT ecosystem.
Users frequently find themselves leaving the OpenSea app to gather essential information for informed buying decisions.
The current security limitations on most iPhones prevent users from trading NFTs within the app, which further decreases the overall utility of the OpenSea mobile app.
How would enhancing the accessibility of NFT communities within the app increase its utility?
Help users expand their collection
Keeps users actively engaged within the app, fostering a space where they feel empowered to make informed decisions while minimizing the likelihood of exiting the platform.
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29 Likes
9 Comments
Reply to Blake
9 hours ago
Blake
ChillTuna
By fostering discussions, creating a sense of community, and providing a dedicated space for users to share their experiences, OpenSea can boost user engagement within the platform.
Enhance User Retention
OpenSea can introduce a feature that enables users to curate and personalize their NFT experience, which can foster loyalty and prolong their time on the platform.
Journey map
We’ve all experienced hitting a learning curve at some point. We start something with high enthusiasm, hit a daunting complexity trough, but persevere. The NFT discovery journey closely resembles just that - challenges turned into confidence and proficiency.
I developed three user flows and task flows by leveraging OpenSea's existing sitemap, and tested them to align with the common tasks performed by the target user. The aim was to ensure that the feature would seamlessly blend into OpenSea's design with minimal intrusion.
Given the scope and time-line of this project, I wanted to explore, design and test features that:
Fit within the existing patterns and architecture of OpenSea.
Are easily-learnable and user-friendly.
Enhance the utility of OpenSea's mobile app.
For the initial sketches, I basically doodled ideas right onto screenshots from the OpenSea app. It helped me envision new features that would naturally fit into the app without feeling out of place.
I created a style-tile based on their brand guidelines to reinforce OpenSea’s existing design systems and branding within the feature. This approach fits well with projects where you want to build upon an existing design rather than starting from scratch with lower-fidelity wireframes.
I conducted moderated A/B testing with a total of five users to determine which of two OpenSea home screens they preferred in terms of accessing information related to NFT communities consistently, and to test the discoverability of the communities feature.
User testing
Based on these findings, I believe that integrating the community feature into the navigation bar and using a clearer and more identifiable icon to designate community can significantly increase user engagement and make the feature more discoverable and accessible.
With the communities feature’s new home in the bottom navigation bar, it was time to conduct further usability testing to target key areas of improvement across 3 specific tasks.
Follow a community
Users generally thought this task to be straightforward, and were able to complete it through different entry-points and paths that felt intuitive to them.
Create a post and share it to social media
Some users were unsure they were in the right place at first, but once they were confident they were, they were able to create and share the post easily.
Replying to a Post
Users generally found replying to a post intuitive and straightforward, although testing did reveal some issues relating to the size of touch-points and and accessibility.
Discover NFT communities.
OpenSea’s Community Hub is where the NFT community comes alive and connects. Here, users get a personalized feed of updates in the NFT sphere.
Post and share.
Users can create posts, comment, and be part of the conversation around a specific NFT collection. The NFT community is all about sharing thoughts and opinions.
Follow collections.
Users can follow their favorite collections to get real-time updates. They can share and post their favorite items with a simple click.
Overall, I think introducing social engagement features to OpenSea marks a crucial step in platform evolution. Research revealed that the NFT community heavily relies on these communities for NFT discovery and decision-making. Saturation, time commitment, and misleading information were key challenges. The proposed dedicated NFT community section aims to address these issues, enhancing user confidence and overall experience. Continuous research and iteration are recommended to stay competitive and cater to evolving user needs.
In conclusion
With more time, my plan includes in-depth user testing for fine-tuning design, staying updated on NFT and UX trends, and exploring ways to enhance community engagement. I aim to blend aesthetics and functionality seamlessly, incorporating user feedback to keep the platform evolving and satisfying user needs. Ongoing research and collaboration will be at the forefront, ensuring the platform not only adapts but thrives in the dynamic landscape of NFTs and user expectations.
In retrospect
In the future