In the evolving landscape of digital assets, Non- Fungible Tokens (NFTs) have emerged as a revolutionary force, reshaping how we see and trade digital content. There are limited platforms that cater to non-crypto savvy users who are less familiar with the web3 space, prioritizing user experience throughout the design process, will build trust, attract and engage users and foster a vibrant community of artists and collectors.

I set out to create a seamless and intuitive experience providing users with an easy and straightforward way to browse, buy sell and auction their NFTs.

To design an interface that truly resonates with my target audience, I had to gain a deep understanding of their needs, preferences, and expectations. I consumed a lot of research materials, conducted user interviews and these were the key pain points I noticed;

User Confusion; NFTs are still a pretty niche market with not a lot of people understanding how it works. There is a tendency for users to be overwhelmed due to the web3 jargon presented in NFT Marketplaces.

Poor navigation; Some NFT marketplaces are a bit difficult to navigate because of the abundance of material. Users may struggle to find the information they need due to poor navigation and structure, which can cause frustration and a bad user experience.

Confusing bidding and purchasing process; the flow of purchasing and bidding for an NFT can be confusing to users who have little or no idea of cryptocurrency wallets and transactions.

After concluding my user research, I had to figure out ways to turn all the discovered pain points into great design decisions.

Creating a platform that makes users comfortable by educating through design.

Simplifying the user experience by structuring content in an easy to find way.

Increase trust by designing a marketplace that looks professional and functions smoothly.

My job was to come up with a design of an NFT marketplace and meet user’s need for a trendy, not overloaded, and competitive web solution, with features that increases the functionality.

In a market as niche as NFTs, designing an NFT marketplace was a bit challenging. Despite the newness of web3, I still believe a lot of the objectives have been accomplished.

Key Problems solved with this design;

Intuitive Interface; I have created a clean and intuitive user interface with easy navigation that lets users to quickly browse, buy, and sell NFTs.

User-Centered Design: I achieved this by having a deep understanding of my target audience and their needs. Considering both experienced crypto users and newcomers to NFTs.

There’s still a long road ahead in the mass-adaptation of web3 products and as a UX designer, I still have a lot of work to do to help onboarding new users.

New features of Sandval will be designed to create a more robust community for all NFT creators, collectors and enthusiasts. Features such as artists and creator tools, community and social features and educational resources.