CoinMarketCap
Mobile framework and interaction design
Role
Timeline
UX/UI Design
OCT 2019
About
Developed a mobile-first framework to optimize financial data visualization for one of the fastest-growing financial platforms, enhancing accessibility and engagement for millions of users.
How do you make complex financial data digestible on mobile without losing depth?
Overview
When CMC engaged VSA Partners, where I was working, they were in the midst of a rebrand and saw an opportunity to improve their mobile site experience (at the time, it was desktop-only). Working with a project manager, I led a lean UX process to rapidly design, prototype, and test a series of mobile tables. I also spearheaded two new page designs—an Initial Coin Offering (ICO) Calendar and a Crypto Platform page.
Process
When I joined the project, the brand redesign was already underway, and the UX workstream was highly tactical. I pushed to pause briefly and better understand the problem space before jumping into solutions. Despite tight timelines, I successfully advocated for user research, even though it wasn’t officially scoped.
I took an agile approach, prioritizing:
Quick insights through research
Sketching & prototyping
Early feedback loops from real users
This allowed us to refine solutions quickly while staying aligned with the fast-moving redesign.
Research Approach
With no official research scope, I had to be nimble and resourceful. I conducted a competitive audit, scanned Reddit for insights, and leveraged my network to interview crypto enthusiasts and industry experts—ensuring our solutions were grounded in real user needs.
COMPETITIVE AUDIT
Analyzed cryptocurrency and stock ticker display tools to assess design, functionality, and user experience. Identified trends in data presentation, refresh rates, and platform integrations. Leveraged insights from stock tickers to inform recommendations for an optimized crypto ticker experience.
EXPERT INTERVIEWS
I planned and conducted a handful of interviews with amateurs and pros to form a baseline understanding of their mindsets and experiences with cryptocurrencies and associated tools – and to get gut reactions to some initial sketches.
USABILITY TESTING
I tested three UX approaches for mobile table display to gauge usability on small devices and understand which users preferred.
Research Insights
We learned that crypto investors with different levels of sophistication had different behaviors and information needs.
INSIGHT
Newbies were highly interested in Bitcoin price specifically, but undemanding otherwise.
RECOMMENDATION
Highlight popular coins, namely Bitcoin, but optimize the experience for Sophisticated users with nuanced needs.
INSIGHT
All participants regularly checked financial data on their phone and expected to access detailed CMC data on their devices.
RECOMMENDATION
Create a simple, easy-to-use interaction framework to support detailed data display on small screens.
Building User Empathy
I created proto-personas to communicate our learnings, promote user empathy, and provide a shorthand for day-to-day conversations.
Exploring Solutions
When it came time to sketch and prototype ideas, I explored three interaction models. I outlined pros and cons for each to help educate CMC’s team and enable us to make informed trade-offs.
Prototyping Solutions
I iterated on a series of mobile designs and rapidly tested them with users. These tests validated that while crypto newbies weren’t too particular so long as they could see prices at a glance, sophisticated users preferred to deep-dive into data points (looking at market cap, percentage change, and the performance graph). A horizontal scrolling table with a locked first column emerged as the winning approach because it could support both use cases.
Outcome
A mobile-optimized data experience for the world’s most-visited cryptocurrency website – suited to visitors of all stripes.