K-Block Kadena Blockchain Explorer
A nonprofit open-source collaboration to build a Kadena blockchain explorer web app with NFT analytics.
Background
Founded in 2016 by the creators of JPMorgan's first blockchain, Kadena was a pioneer in developing a scalable Layer 1 PoW blockchain. In 2022, Kadena's growth accelerated with the launch of Kadena NFTs and DeFi. As the ecosystem expanded, traders sought more comprehensive blockchain activity analytics.
Kadena’s blockchain explorer provides crucial information on Kadena activity but doesn’t offer enough data in rich user experiences for traders. K-Block is Tech Fleet’s solution to meeting the data needs of the Kadena community, paving the way for Kadena’s mainstream adoption.
My role
I led a team of 6 UX designers to revamp K-Block for the beta launch in a 12-week sprint.
Redefining Scope
I redefined the product with my team by identifying key features to prioritize for the beta launch, considering traders' needs, the business vision and the development timeline.
Project Management
I spearheaded a backend development-focused phase and served as the project manager for a team of developers.
Facilitating Collaboration
I facilitated collaboration and planned my team's timeline around the goals of our cross-functional teams. Internally, I conducted weekly design critique sessions to foster critical thinking in design decisions.
Revamping the Design System
User testing showed that users found the previous version untrustworthy and difficult to use. We improved usability and revamped the entire design system. I also redesigned the brand identity to match the new aesthetics.
Rebuilding trust through design
I began the design process by redesigning the homepage, which helped establish the core styles and components for the design system.
In addition to the aesthetic changes, I restructured the information architecture for clearer data presentation, eliminated distractions, and rewrote microcopy to better align with the project's direction.
To match the aesthetics of the new design system, I redesigned the logo. My goal was to give it a more approachable look while customizing the typography to echo the brand name.
Successes & Learnings
The research team conducted moderated testing with 13 participants ranging from Web3 newbie users to experienced traders.
According to the research team's testing report, participants offered the following praises:
👍
“One participant has experience with multiple explorers such as those for Ethereum, VChain, Kedane, and Solana. They were highly impressed with K-Block.”
😄
“One participant found K-Block's data analytics to be more comprehensive than other options, considering it a one-stop-shop for high priority blockchain information.”
👏
“One participant was impressed by the layout of K-Block's landing page, including features like Latest Blocks, and the unique NFT table not commonly found in other explorers.”
Based on the testing, here are some of the changes we made to improve our design:
Terminology updates
Users were confused by the term "Total Assets," so we split it into "Total Tokens" and "Total NFTs" for clarity.
Rearranged the main data points
We moved "Active Miners" from the far right to the second position, followed by gas price, as both are more relevant to most users.
Additional Pop up tips
We added more tool tips following feedback from beginner Web3 users.
NFT price range
We added a price range to the NFT tables to help traders make better informed decisions.
Final Thoughts
The front-end developers did an amazing job rendering our design documentation and prototype. Backend work—pulling data from Kadena—proved to be extremely challenging, which eventually hindered the timely launch of the beta. Development needs to be prioritized as future teams continue improving our beloved project.
Personally, I truly had a great time working on this project. I enjoyed working in this space and loved the challenge of gaining a deeper understanding not only of blockchain but also of Kadena specifically.
I learned so much from running our weekly design critiques, figuring out how to balance speed with quality, and ensuring consistency among seven designers as we navigated our way through overhauling the entire web app.