As the DeFi space continues to expand, platforms like DeBank aim to provide users with insights and information about various DeFi protocols and their performance on different blockchain networks. However, ensuring a seamless and user-centric experience within this complex ecosystem presents unique challenges.
In this article, we delve into the results of a comprehensive UX audit conducted on the DeBank platform, highlighting key findings and recommendations to enhance usability and overall satisfaction.
Onboarding and First Impression
Upon entering the DeBank platform, users are greeted with an interface that holds promise but falls short in effectively communicating its purpose and guiding users seamlessly through their journey. The lack of a clear tagline leaves users in the dark about the platform's offerings, hindering their ability to immediately grasp its value proposition. Furthermore, crucial information fails to capture users' attention above the fold line, potentially resulting in disengagement as users may not delve deeper for essential details.
To address these issues, we recommend implementing a clear, concise tagline at the top of the homepage to communicate the platform's purpose effectively, prioritizing key information like the tagline and essential features above the fold to capture user attention immediately, and establishing a clear visual hierarchy through typography, color, and layout to facilitate intuitive navigation and content comprehension.
Task Orientation
DeBank platform faces several low-priority issues that could be improved to enhance user experience. There's an excess of unnecessary screens, causing information overload and a disconnect from users' objectives. To tackle this, we suggest:
analyzing existing flows to eliminate redundant steps,
implementing progressive disclosure, and
providing interactive demos for user experimentation.
Another concern is the fragmented user experience caused by the platform's structure, requiring users to remember information across tasks. Additionally, the onboarding process lacks guidance for first-time users. To address these, we recommend:
designing task-driven interfaces,
implementing contextual navigation, and
maintaining active user sessions.
These interventions aim to streamline user interactions and enhance satisfaction with the DeBank platform.
Navigation and Information Architecture
In terms of navigation and information architecture, DeBank faces several issues, Including wrong Homepage redirection link, poorly placed navigation tabs, and cluttered content. Recommendations include introducing Home link that actually consistently navigates to a home page, optimizing navigation tabs, and conducting content audits.
Additionally, convoluted information hierarchies and complex navigation paths need streamlining. Providing comprehensive task overviews and ensuring consistent back button behavior are also recommended. These interventions aim to enhance user experience by simplifying navigation and improving overall usability.
Trust and Credibility
DeBank faces a low-priority issue regarding the strategic placement of non-intrusive ads to maintain revenue without compromising user experience. If advertising DeBank should:
Integrate ads in areas that don't disrupt critical content
Opt for less disruptive formats like banners or sponsored content
Writing and Content Quality
Addressing another low-priority issue involves optimizing content pages for quick information absorption. By establishing a structured hierarchy of headings and subheadings, content can be visually organized for enhanced clarity. Utilizing various font sizes, styles, or colors to differentiate heading levels aids users in swiftly scanning and navigating the page. This structured hierarchy enables users to focus on pertinent sections aligned with their information requirements, thereby improving the overall user experience.
Page Layout and Visual Design
In the domain of page layout and visual design, DeBank faces medium-priority issues, including ineffective visual hierarchy for next steps and a lack of clear starting points on each page, alongside challenges with consistent use of clickable affordances and grid-based alignment of items. Recommendations include establishing clear visual hierarchies, designating focal points, ensuring consistent use of clickable affordances, and aligning items to a grid system for a structured and engaging user experience.
Search Usability
DeBank encounters various usability challenges related to search functionality, including issues with error messaging, query enhancement, and advanced search capabilities. These challenges hinder users from efficiently finding relevant information and completing tasks. To address these concerns, DeBank should:
Establish clear visual hierarchies
Designate focal points
Ensure consistent use of clickable affordances
Align items to a grid system
Errors, Help, and Learnability
In terms of errors, help, and learnability, DeBank faces hurdles such as the absence of tutorials and feedback mechanisms for user learning. This deficiency can lead to user frustration and reduced engagement. To mitigate these challenges, DeBank should develop an onboarding process that introduces users to key features and functionalities.
Incorporating "Did You Know?" tips and employing progressive disclosure techniques can further enhance user understanding and encourage exploration of the platform's capabilities.
Transparency of Data Provenance
Concerns regarding transparency of data provenance arise from the lack of clear indicators for blockchain-derived data. Users may struggle to discern the authenticity and reliability of the information presented. DeBank can address this issue by introducing visual indicators to differentiate blockchain data from other sources, thereby enhancing transparency and bolstering user trust in the platform.
Transparency of Smart Contract Events
Insufficient visibility of events, particularly those relevant to developers, poses usability challenges for users. By prominently displaying all events in a dedicated section accessible from the main interface, DeBank can improve accessibility and foster greater user engagement with platform events.
Transparency and Accessibility of User’s Interaction History
Unclear indications of user interaction history storage and the absence of tools for managing interaction history hinder user control and usability. To address these issues, DeBank should communicate storage details to users and introduce user-friendly tools for managing transaction data, thereby enhancing transparency and usability.
Transparency of Code
Challenges related to the transparency of code stem from the absence of indicators for open-source components and unclear indications of data sourced from oracles. By introducing badges for open-source code and clearly indicating data sourced from or influenced by oracles, DeBank can enhance transparency and provide users with valuable insights into the platform's underlying infrastructure.
Permanent Newbie Mode
The lack of multi-level educational content and contextual tooltips limits user learning and exploration.
To address this, DeBank should:
Integrate educational content
Develop multi-level resources
Gas Price and Transaction Reversal
Challenges related to gas price suggestions and explanations of gas concepts hinder users from making informed decisions regarding transactions. By providing gas price ranges, time approximations, and clear explanations of gas functions, DeBank can enhance user understanding and streamline transaction processes, ultimately improving overall usability and user satisfaction.
The usability score for DeBank, resulting from the comprehensive UX audit, was 75.7%. This score suggests a relatively good level of usability, indicating that users can interact with the platform with relative ease and complete most tasks without significant barriers or frustrations.
However, there are areas for improvement to further enhance the user experience and align with industry best practices and Web3 usability guidelines.
The UX audit underscores the importance of continuous improvement and user-centric design in decentralized finance. By addressing identified issues and implementing recommended enhancements, DeBank can elevate its platform to new heights of usability, accessibility, and user satisfaction.
For the full audit report of DeBank and access to other valuable resources, visit our GitHub repository.
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