Brass / Clay Golem

Golem is an open-source, decentralised marketplace for computing power. It enables CPUs and GPUs to connect in a peer-to-peer network, enabling users to rent resources from other users' machines. As a UX/UI specialist, I was tasked to work on the user interface client that was meant to connect the requestors (Blender artists) with providers (all the users willing to share their computing power).

I started my journey with the app in the late product development phase and was tasked to improve its existing UX as a one-man army in 3 months before the official release date. Seems impossible, but in this time, I was able to propose the implementation of the most crucial changes based on:

• Heuristic evaluation
• Stakeholder interviews
• Corridor tests and close cooperation with the development team.

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After this intense beginning, I could start the proper product design process. I've started by IDI with defined requestors' target groups. And with a live product already online with a user base growing daily, I could gather constant feedback via the company's dedicated chat and close cooperation with the QA team.

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What worked:

• Improving main navigation and making it consistent throughout all the app screens allowed users to use the app more effectively.
• Redesigning the wallet component from scratch using user stories and detailed user flows allowed the team to deliver the safer and easier-to-use tool.
• Defining user personas and creating a constant feedback loop allowed us to incorporate improvements to the app in every release.
• Making detailed task and subtasks lists, that informed users on the backend side of things, made the app more user-friendly in the complex world of decentralisation.
• Identifying all the errors in the app that were not solvable on the backend allowed us to create helper guides and improved app usability.
• Improving overall transparency in the app allowed the innovative and complex product to be understood by the users.

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UX tools used:

• Heuristic evaluation
• IDI's
• Observation tests via Google Meet
• Coridor tests
• Desk research

Design tools used:

• Sketch
• InVision
• Illustrator
• After Effects

Working for over 2 years on such a complex product was an absolute blast. Being able to meet the development requirements with the users' needs and combine it all in the application used on 3 different systems was challenging but very gratifying. More details about the app can be found in the "Usage" section in the official Golem Network documentation