Description

Discovering, researching, testing, and creating breakthroughs in terminology use in a blockchain startup.

Introduction

This case study explores a significant challenge in the blockchain technology realm: the prevalent confusion over terminology among developers, designers, marketing teams, and users. This study outlines a comprehensive UX research project aimed at addressing this confusion, emphasizing the project's processes, methodologies, and results.

No Joke.

New technologies often spark debates over terminology. For example, when email was first introduced, numerous discussions arose over its usage, the process of sending attachments, and even its spelling. Should it be written with a capital "E", a lowercase "e", or a capital "M"? These were actual debates that could have ideally been addressed company-wide, in an email!

A similar scenario unfolded at Block.one, but with blockchain technology. Frequently, engineers had to pause meetings to explain terms like "wallet", "keys", "encrypted", “identity”, “on-chain”, and many others to marketing teams, or designers. As the team's researcher, I aimed to clarify these terms within the company, as much as possible. I soon realized that the confusion was more widespread than I initially thought, which was impeding productive discussion during meetings.

Identifying the Problem

Action Taken: Initiated from observing and collecting instances where terminology misalignment occurred, especially the varied interpretations of "wallet." Outcome: Recognition of a pervasive issue affecting collaboration and understanding across teams and with users. Quote: "I thought 'wallet' was straightforward, until I realized it meant three different things to three people in the same meeting."

Research Objectives

Action Taken: Set clear goals to unify blockchain terminology, enhance inter-team communication, and improve user experience. Outcome: A roadmap developed to tackle the terminology confusion, with milestones for research, development of personas, and implementation of a unified lexicon.

User Research

Methodology

Action Taken: Created personas, Conducted interviews, Ethnographic studies, Company wide Affinity Mapping, and conducted Google surveys. Outcome: Collected rich, insightful data highlighting how terminology confusion impacted users and team members differently.

Key Findings

Action Taken: Analyzed research data to identify common themes and specific terminology pain points. Outcome: Uncovered critical insights into the misunderstandings and challenges faced by users and teams due to inconsistent terminology. Quote: "As a cashier, the shift from 'physical wallet' to 'digital wallet' was confusing. It took me a while to grasp we weren't talking about leather anymore."

Pain Points

1	Waste of Time	"Every time we start a new project, the terminology debate sets us back. It's like we're speaking different dialects of the same language."
2	Confusion	"Translating blockchain concepts for our audience without a unified terminology is like navigating a minefield. You never know when a term might cause confusion."
3	Same Terms over and over	"Mismatched terminology between our UX designs and what the engineers talk about leads to a lot of redesign and confusion. It feels like we're solving the same problems over and over."
4	Can’t trust	"Every time I switch platforms, it's like I have to learn a new language. It makes me second-guess whether I'm using the technology correctly."
5	Can’e explain to users	“How can I illustrate this in the onboarding process if I don’t understand it?”

Personas

Blockchain Engineer: Jordan

Age: 32
Education: Master’s Degree in Computer Science
Location: Seattle, WA
Occupation: Senior Blockchain Engineer
Pain Points: Jordan is frequently confronted with the confusion that arises from inconsistent terminology during code documentation and inter-team communications. This confusion leads to misinterpretation of project requirements and delays in development.
Quote: "Every time we start a new project, the terminology debate sets us back. It's like we're speaking different dialects of the same language."

Marketing Head: Sophia

Age: 38
Education: MBA in Marketing
Location: New York, NY
Occupation: Head of Marketing for a Blockchain Startup
Pain Points: Sophia encounters difficulties ensuring that marketing materials are both technically accurate and understandable to a lay audience. The variability in blockchain terminology often leads to confusion, undermining the clarity and effectiveness of marketing efforts.
Quote: "Translating blockchain concepts for our audience without a unified terminology is like navigating a minefield. You never know when a term might cause confusion."

UX Team Manager: Liam

Age: 35
Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Design
Location: Austin, TX
Occupation: UX Team Manager at a Blockchain Company
Pain Points: Liam's efforts to create user-friendly and intuitive designs are often hampered by the inconsistent use of terminology between his UX team and the engineering departments. This leads to a disconnect in user interface designs, causing user frustration.
Quote: "Mismatched terminology between our UX designs and what the engineers talk about leads to a lot of redesign and confusion. It feels like we're solving the same problems over and over."

Product User: Emily

Age: 28
Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Finance
Location: Chicago, IL
Occupation: Financial Analyst
Pain Points: Emily finds the inconsistent and sometimes opaque terminology across different blockchain platforms to be a significant barrier to fully trusting and efficiently using these technologies.
Quote: "Every time I switch platforms, it's like I have to learn a new language. It makes me second-guess whether I'm using the technology correctly."

These revised personas and quotes underscore the critical need for a standardized blockchain terminology. Clear, consistent language is essential for ensuring that all stakeholders, from engineers and marketers to UX designers and end-users, can communicate effectively and navigate the blockchain ecosystem with confidence.

Product Designer: Dylan

Age: 25
Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Graphic Design
Location: Blacksburg, VA
Occupation: UX and Visual Designer
Pain Points: Dylan has to illustrate a how to series of images for an onboarding process. But every time he shows them to marketing and engineering neither can agree that I’m sending the right message to users.
Quote: “How can I illustrate this in the onboarding process if I don’t understand it?”

Collaborative Workshops and Discussions

👉

I started posting related terms on the wall near my desk. What I initially thought was going to be a quick terminology exercise quickly grew.

Action Taken: Organized workshops bringing together stakeholders to discuss, debate, and refine blockchain terms. Outcome: Fostered a culture of collaboration and consensus-building, leading to the initial draft of a standardized lexicon. Quote: "Seeing terms on the wall and being able to physically move them around brought a sense of tangibility to our discussions."

👉

It didn't stop there. As the list grew, I had to move it to another wall. As I did, engineers began stopping by and asking what I was doing.

👉

I identified something powerful because more engineers and marketing folks stopped by. And when they did, they stood by the terms discussing a disputed term.

Formalizing the Inquiry

Action Taken: Systematized the collection of disputed terms and facilitated rank-ordering sessions for their review. Outcome: Achieved alignment across engineering teams on terminology definitions, establishing a shared understanding. Quote: "I never realized how passionate I could be about the word 'node' until we had to rank-order its definitions."

Engineering and UX team terminology review

All engineering teams came in and reviewed the terminology, rank-ordering terms to align with specific definitions. In some cases, teams decided to rewrite the definitions.

Results and Implementation

The completion of the blockchain terminology project marked a significant advancement in resolving communication barriers within our organization.

Action Taken:

We finalized a comprehensive blockchain lexicon and distributed it via Google Forms, complemented by strategic postings throughout the workplace. This ensured easy access and engagement for all team members. Interactive workshops were held to deepen understanding and facilitate the practical application of the new terminology, encouraging open feedback and discussions for continuous improvement.

Outcome:

The initiative dramatically improved internal communication and reduced misunderstandings, particularly in blockchain-related projects. It became instrumental in onboarding, significantly easing the integration process for new hires and serving as an essential reference for all team members. Collaboration across departments saw notable enhancements, streamlining project workflows and enhancing productivity.

Quote:

"A unified glossary transformed our communication. It's like we're finally in sync," remarked a senior project manager, encapsulating the sentiment across the organization about the positive change brought by the lexicon.

Future Steps:

With the lexicon now a key part of our organizational toolkit, we plan to keep it updated to reflect the latest in blockchain technology. Ongoing educational initiatives will further support our team's growth in this dynamic field, ensuring our communication remains clear and our collaboration effective.

This project not only solved a critical issue of terminology confusion but also fostered a culture of continuous learning and improvement, setting a foundation for future success in our fast-evolving industry.

Conclusion and Future Directions

Reflecting on the successful completion of the blockchain terminology project, we've set in motion a plan for the lexicon's continuous evolution. By committing to regular reviews and updates, we aim to keep pace with the ever-changing landscape of blockchain technology.

Key Achievements:

The establishment of a sustainable, iterative process ensures our blockchain communication remains both clear and relevant.
This initiative has fundamentally transformed our approach to discussing complex technical concepts, enhancing our overall communication strategy.

Insight:

"This project transcended mere terminology alignment; it revolutionized our approach to conveying complex ideas within and beyond our team," reflects a project leader, encapsulating the broader impact of our efforts.

Looking Forward:

The success of this project serves not only as a testament to our team's capability to overcome communication barriers but also as a model for future endeavors in rapidly advancing technological domains. It underscores the importance of clear, unified communication and sets a precedent for addressing similar challenges in other technical fields.

Unraveling Blockchain Terminology UX Research (Block.one)