My Role
Lead Designer
Duration
Planned - 60 days
Actual - 60 days
Design Team Size
3 Designers
Key Responsibilities
Led the research and design
Collaborated with stakeholders in India and Singapore
Facilitated workshops
Ensured timely delivery utilizing a rapid learning and focused approach
Overview
Led the design of a user-friendly lending platform for Lendroid, a DeFi protocol on Ethereum. This Zero-to-One product aimed to revolutionize lending by enabling users to securely lend and borrow cryptocurrencies in a peer-to-peer manner, leveraging Metamask for seamless interaction. The platform was designed to cater to the distinct needs of Pool Managers, Underwriters, Lenders, and Borrowers, with a core focus on transparency, accessibility, and ease of use within the emerging DeFi space.
The Lendroid Flywheel & Our Approach
Lendroid's core philosophy revolved around a simple yet powerful "Viability - Stability - Cyclicity" flywheel. Our design directly addressed these principles:
Focused on making the platform a viable opportunity for diverse users. This meant designing intuitive flows for lenders to earn without risk, for underwriters to manage collateral risk, for pool operators to create attractive loan packages, and for data analysts to gain valuable insights.
Recognizing the critical need for stability in the volatile crypto market, we prioritized the use of DAI as a stable currency and implemented clear, unambiguous risk management through collateral and underwriting.
Embraced the cyclical nature of the protocol by designing for clear loan expiry and renewal processes, promoting a predictable and trust-independent system, aligning with the growing trend towards automated financial processes. The cyclical nature further reinforced stability, ensuring liabilities never carried forward indefinitely.
Challenges Addressed
Designing for the cryptocurrency and Decentralized Finance (DeFi) space presented unique hurdles:
Cryptocurrency and DeFi were emerging and complex for both our team and potential users. We needed to educate users on concepts like DAI, loan tokens (LDAI, FDAI, IDAI), and the underlying protocol while maintaining a simple interface.
The ambitious 60-day MVP launch deadline demanded rapid learning and a focused approach to understanding the crypto landscape and Lendroid's specific model.
Catering to the varied needs of multiple user roles (Pool Managers, Underwriters, Lenders, and Borrowers) each with distinct requirements, necessitated careful feature prioritization and a seamless experience for all.
Goal
To provide a trusted, user-friendly and informative platform that drives significant and sustained cryptocurrency lending and borrowing activity among a diverse user group.
How?
To quickly onboard the team, we initiated a two-day workshop. This included a virtual session with stakeholders in Singapore and India to grasp the fundamentals of crypto and Lendroid's vision. The subsequent day involved collaborative discussions within the design team and with business owners, utilizing visual aids to solidify understanding and align on requirements.
To ensure a user-centric approach and prioritize features for each user segment, we organized an engaging workshop. Six client-side stakeholders were assigned specific user roles, each working with a designer to create and present a short story from their perspective. This fostered empathy and directly informed our MVP feature set.
Following a clear understanding of user needs, we prioritized and designed the core user flows, starting with Pool Managers, then Lenders and Underwriters, and finally Borrowers. Continuous feedback loops were maintained with the India-based business owners through studio reviews, ensuring alignment throughout the design process.
A quick snapshot of the Lendroid Crypto Platform
IMPACT
The platform's user-friendly interface, coupled with robust security measures and integrated educational elements, was well-received. This facilitated significant cryptocurrency lending and borrowing activity, attracting a diverse user base.
The strategic use of DAI and loan tokens helped mitigate market volatility, boosting user confidence and establishing Lendroid as a notable player in the DeFi ecosystem.
Successful MVP led Lendroid to scale their platform further.
A few interface screens from the Lendroid Crypto Platform