Disclaimer

Due to an active NDA, specific project details cannot be disclosed. This description provides an overview of the process and outcomes without revealing confidential information.

Main Objective

The primary goal was to design and develop a functional NFT Marketplace and have it in production within a very tight timeframe, approximately two months.

Main Challenge

The challenge was to create an easy-to-use NFT trading platform during the Crypto, NFT, and Web 3.0 boom in 2021. The platform needed to allow users to buy and deposit money as quickly as they would on an e-commerce site like Amazon, and it had to be accessible on both desktop and mobile web, especially for users with little knowledge of the Crypto world.

Target Audience

Primarily online RPG players, such as those who play League of Legends, who have the financial capability to buy and trade NFTs.

Marketplace Functionality

The Marketplace was designed to exchange game items such as weapons, skins, and other upgrades for the champions. The game aimed to be the first Triple-A MMORPG/RPG to run on a blockchain.

Technical Team

The technical team consisted of professionals with many years of experience and renown in the industry, having worked for major companies like Zynga and Riot Games.

Specific Responsibilities

As the Senior Product Designer and the second designer on the project, my responsibility was to design the Marketplace. Initially, it was discussed that my role would be to create the game's interface, but I ended up assigned to the Marketplace, reporting directly to one of the co-founders.

Team Collaboration

I worked closely with one of the co-founders, who was responsible for the vision and business, and I was fully committed to the project. I also occasionally received support from the other designer, who had sketched some UI ideas.

I covered significant flows like money deposit, checkout, transaction flows, and the search and asset portfolio.

Research Conducted

I conducted desktop research, analyzing marketplaces they liked and disliked. I also reviewed Circle payment documentation to understand and simplify the payment flows, cash out, money deposits to the wallet, and KYC when necessary.

Significant Insights

I discovered that Circle's flows could not be simplified as much as we desired, resulting in longer processes than ideal.

Key Stages

• Researching technologies to enhance the trading experience within the Marketplace.

• Creating user flows, user stories, wireframes, and mockups.

Methods and Tools

I used desktop research and Figma for design and prototyping.

Iterations and Changes

There were few iterations since many aspects were clear from the start, facilitating the process without much back-and-forth.

Major Challenges

The biggest challenge was understanding the Crypto world, including blockchain, smart contracts, NFTs, and cryptocurrencies, and familiarizing myself with existing marketplaces.

Overcoming Challenges

I overcame these challenges through extensive personal research and consulting with colleagues.

Final Deliverables

The key deliverables were user stories, user flows, wireframes, and mockups with the pre-existing UI applied. All were created and conceived by me.

Final Design Solution

The final solution met the defined scope and allowed for the launch of the first version on time, enabling the development team to implement and put an MVP into production. This allowed users awaiting the game's launch to familiarize themselves with the items they could trade.

Impact on Users and Business

The project allowed users to get to know and interact with the game's items, generating interest and engagement before the official launch.

Project Learnings

I learned a lot about the crypto world and Web3, knowledge I did not have before the project.

Best Practices for Future Projects

I started using the Lean Canvas framework from this project, which helped me interact better with the co-founder and structure future projects more efficiently.

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Thank you for reading!

Feel free to reach me at gastonlasarte@gmail.com