Nume stands at the forefront of blockchain innovation with its gas-abstracted, scalable, and secure web3 payments protocol. Positioned as a Layer-3 solution on Polygon zkEVM, Nume addresses critical challenges in transaction scalability and cost-efficiency within the Ethereum ecosystem.
End-to-end design, competitor analysis, wireframing, visual design, prototyping.
Solo designer, with guidance from Head of Product, 4 engineers.
March 2023 - December 2023
A comprehensive technical discussion ensued, focusing on the intricacies of blockchain interoperability and transaction mechanics. This discussion, led by the tech team and synchronized with the Head of Product, set the foundation for understanding the technological landscape and user requirements.
Existing solutions like Optimistic Rollups (OR) offer cost-effective transactions but suffer from delayed settlement finality, while Zk-rollups provide instant settlement at higher costs due to intensive computational requirements. How might we address the high gas fees, scalability limitations, and varied settlement times inherent in current blockchain transactions, particularly within the Ethereum ecosystem?
Users face fluctuating gas fees that make transactions expensive and inconsistent, which hinders the adoption and usability of the Ethereum network.
The Ethereum network struggles to handle a high volume of transactions simultaneously, leading to network congestion and increased costs, especially during peak times.
Users experience unpredictable settlement times due to network congestion and varying transaction priorities, causing uncertainty and a poor user experience.
The need to calculate per-operation fees adds a layer of complexity that deters users from engaging with blockchain transactions and limits the accessibility of the technology.
Competitive analysis played a crucial role in identifying transaction types that Nume would support and exploring opportunities for cross-chain interoperability. This analysis helped in positioning Nume against existing solutions and understanding market demands.
The next step involved crafting a comprehensive sitemap ensuring the platform’s content was logically structured. This approach set the foundation for designing intuitive user flows tailored to meet diverse user needs while accounting for varied operational scenarios.
Nume aimed to address the high variability in settlement times and unpredictable transaction experiences for users engaging in blockchain transactions, particularly within the Ethereum ecosystem. The overarching goal was to streamline the settlement process to ensure faster, more predictable transaction times, and a more consistent user experience across different transaction types. To solve this problem, I introduced the Transaction History feature.
I explored two design variants for the Transaction History feature, focusing on transparency and usability.
After reviewing all the variants, we chose Variant 2 because:
A breakthrough allowed the tech team to introduce a global "Claim Funds" button. This feature simplified the process by allowing users to withdraw all funds at once, reducing repetitive actions.
During internal testing, the team discovered that there was an uncertain delay in transaction status updates due to interoperability issues and Ethereum network congestion. I designed status modals that provided users with immediate feedback on the progress of their transactions, addressing delays. These modals offered clear messaging at various stages and included a "view transaction status" CTA for further details.
The final Transaction History design features comprehensive status updates with clear calls to action, providing users with real-time visibility into their transactions and a smoother experience overall.
Key Improvements
Blockchain transactions are often accompanied by high and unpredictable gas fees, a significant barrier for users—especially those who perform frequent operations. To address this, Nume introduced a premium subscription model offering a more predictable, affordable, and simplified pricing structure. The goal was to reduce the cognitive load and remove the complexity of calculating gas fees on a per-transaction basis, thereby enhancing user adoption.
Technical Constraints:
The challenge was to design a landing page and subscription flow that clearly communicated the benefits of Nume’s premium service while accounting for the technical constraints. Early iterations faced obstacles such as overly technical language and confusing fee structures, which could create friction for users. We tested two design variants to resolve these issues:
This variant provided a straightforward presentation of benefits but included heavy use of technical jargon, which could potentially confuse users and negatively impact conversion rates.
This variant improved visual hierarchy and made key benefits easier to scan and understand. However, the language still leaned too technical, leading to concerns about user comprehension and engagement.
After reviewing all the variants, we chose Variant 2 because:
Recognizing the need for more user-friendly communication, I collaborated closely with the co-founder to simplify the language and remove unnecessary jargon. In tandem, the product head opted to limit the number of daily transactions included in the subscription, making it easier for users to grasp the value without needing to understand the intricacies of settlement frequency. This simplification strategy was pivotal in increasing user adoption.
Key Improvements
A consistent style guide was created to ensure uniformity across the bridge site’s UI.
The Nume protocol gained significant attention upon launch, earning recognition across Twitter (X) and coverage in major crypto news outlets like Decrypt. Seeing the product receive such praise was incredibly rewarding.
