Case Study
Web3 Verifiable Credentials Wallet: Redesigning Emerging Tech for Accessibility and Adoption
Client: Major Public University's Enterprise Technology Division || Industry: Higher Education Technology || Project Duration: 6 months (0 to production)
The Challenge
The digital identity wallet was designed to be inclusive and bridge the opportunity gap. Instead, it was creating a new one.
During internal demos, even employees of the university's Enterprise Technology division—people who build technology for a living—couldn't figure out how to use it. The UX was modeled after crypto wallets with multiple security steps, complex authentication flows, and terminology that assumed technical literacy.
This wasn't just embarrassing; it was an existential threat to the product's mission. If tech-savvy internal users were confused, how would students, workers, and diverse community members ever adopt it?
The Results
User satisfaction: 4-5 out of 5 stars on ease of use and usability
NPS performance: Nearly double the industry average for educational technology software
Accessibility achieved: Users across age ranges and technical literacy levels could use the app without friction
Mission accomplished: The app finally bridged the opportunity gap instead of widening it
The Approach
As Product Manager, I led a complete UX overhaul grounded in user reality, not assumptions.
Faced the Brutal Truth
Accepted that our initial design was fundamentally flawed
Went back to the drawing board without defensiveness
Ruthlessly Simplified
Removed multiple authentication steps including password requirements
Eliminated jargon and technical terminology
Streamlined user flows to focus on core actions only
Cut every step that didn't directly serve the user's immediate goal
Tested Early and Often
Created Figma prototypes for rapid iteration
Tested with actual target users before writing a single line of production code
Iterated based on real feedback, not designer, developer or funder preferences
Validated with Real Users
Released to diverse user groups: ACE Hardware employees (ages 17-70) and university students
Monitored adoption and gathered systematic feedback
Key Takeaway
"Intuitive" is not what you think it is—it's what your users experience. We transformed a technically impressive but unusable product into something anyone could figure out in seconds. Sometimes the hardest UX decisions are about what to remove, not what to add.
