UX Case Study

K-Block

DeFi Web & Mobile Tool -Kadena Blockchain Explorer & NFT Analytics
What is K-Block?
K-Block is a beginner-friendly block explorer for the Kadena blockchain
Block Explorers are like powerful magnifying glasses that help you see what's happening on a blockchain. K-Block is our attempt to create a user-friendly explorer that provides lots of data in an easy-to-understand way.
Background
It is Tech Fleet's second Web3 product, a sibling to the Kadet Wallet
After creating several successful products in different fields, Tech Fleet DAO started working on the K-Block Explorer to make Web3 more accessible to everyone. Tech Fleet is a community led non-profit organization that connects designers, developers with projects from all industries.

K-Block, an upcoming blockchain explorer and NFT analytics tool by Tech Fleet DAO contributors, offers a user-friendly experience for Kadena blockchain navigation, transaction history exploration, and NFT insights. This UX case study covers design, challenges, and solutions as we approach the beta phase.
Approach
Subject Matter Studies
Past Phase Analysis
Cross-functional collaboration
Competitor Analysis
Design Critiques
User Testing
Rapid Prototyping
Developer Consultation
Design Systems
Information Architecture
Outcome
“such a high experience balance between miners, devs and traders, so well thought out”
- Morgan Denner, TechFleet
Currently awaiting official beta launch. On route to becoming the best, most comprehensive & user friendly Kadena blockchain explorer currently on the market.
Understand
the Gap
Current explorers can be very data heavy and impossible to understand, turning away some new users
People shouldn't have to struggle so hard to understand their finances and this app would allow them to cater to their needs (i.e. giving traders detailed data to pinpoint the ideal spot to buy or sell OR giving blockchain newbies, the info they need to get started, right at their fingertips).
HMW
How might we disrupt the current space make a trustworthy, user friendly Kadena explorer?
In this project phase, the design team aimed to update existing pages of the K-Block design according to the client's requirements, making them both visually appealing, usable and ready for beta testing. The focus was on facilitating a smooth transition from design to development.

Backed by UXR, product strategy recommended that we take a desktop first approach to the designs as a majority of users for this intricate type of analysis, prefer to look at larger screens to view data.
Built for everyone, the goal of this decentralized application (dApp) is to provide an easy to use blockchain exploration experience for all Kadena users - newbies and experts alike.
Research
Getting insight on the current state & doing a ton of competitive analysis
To begin, the design team aimed to assess the current design's effectiveness. We wanted to determine if both seasoned crypto traders and newcomers could easily find essential features in our block explorer.
Getting research participants feedback
Results of user interviews revealed that participants felt that K-Block's current design should be more straightforward, aligned with other blockchain platforms to minimize cognitive load.

Additionally, users expressed a desire for real-time updates on crypto developments. Learning about cryptocurrency can be overwhelming, and users requested more engaging resources for education.
Understanding the key problem & brainstorming solutions
Based on detailed user feedback and insights from UXR, UXD set out to identify key areas of improvement to prioritize and brainstorm solutions.

Improving information architecture, working on consistency by creating a design system, more detailed explanations around block and transactions were some key areas to address.
Design Process
Users thought the previous Block Details page was “unclear” and  “confusing”
Research participants expressed desire for more detailed explanations for detailed pages while maintaining the clean and easy to follow interface that they appreciate about other financial applications.
Feedback was taken into consideration while making improvements
The Block Details page empowers users to explore blockchain data at a granular level while maintaining accessibility. Continuous refinements based on user feedback are ongoing as we head towards the beta phase.
Block Details Page: Enhancing Blockchain Exploration
Brand consistency was met with a cleaner more scanable page - details were grouped by relevance and within section headers. Took research into account with every decision. Added tool tips, clarified the neighbouring chains section, divided the page into relevant areas
Handoff
Developer Handoff & Demo
We made changes and designed responsive versions for mobile and tablet views, ensuring a seamless handoff to our front-end development team by organizing and annotating the design system and high-fidelity pages.
User Testing
Moderated Usability Study was conducted to assess the changes.
Participants were categorized into 3 key groups based on their experience; varying from being familiar with crypto/web3, to experienced Kadena blockchain explorer users.
Participants were categorized into 3 key groups based on their experience; varying from being familiar with crypto/web3, to experienced Kadena blockchain explorer users.

Successes
1. User satisfaction score increased by 52% from Phase 2.
2. Newbies praised K-Block's intuitive interface, accessibility & usability
3. Pop-up tips clarified unfamiliar terms.
4. Users found K-Block's analytics comprehensive, a one-stop for key blockchain data.
Beta
Consulting with back-end team
Since K-Block achieved its initial MVP objectives, the next phase involves collaborating with backend developers to explore data extraction possibilities to lead the tool to beta. The collaboration between existing design team and dev is important to help a seamless transition while focusing on the MVP.

Beta phase will involve: Development: Finalizing the development of all features and ensuring the platform is stable and secure for beta testing.

Beta Testing: Recruiting a group of beta testers from the Kadena community and beyond, in collaboration with Tech Fleet Inc., to gather real-world feedback and identify any remaining issues.

Refinement: Using feedback from beta testers to make necessary adjustments and enhancements to the platform's design and functionality.