Credenza
Breaking the barriers with blockchain
Project overview
Industry
Digital issuance
Edtech
Blockchain Technology
Tools
Figma
Maze
Miro
Timeline
3 week sprint
Role
UX Researcher
UX/UI Designer
Team of 3
Project Type
Client project
End-to-end app + branding
Challenge
Our client, Akowe are known for their digital issuance engine; providing institutions and employers with verified digital certificates in an aim to tackle Nigeria’s pervasive issue of academic fraud.
Our task was to design and create their new ‘digital wallet’ Credenza; one centralised platform that provides users a place to store and share their qualifications securely. It partners with Akowe’s current system to verify existing academic documents.
Outcomes
Designed and developed a standalone partner app that directly integrates with Akowe’s issuance website, expanding the platform’s capabilities and streamlining the overall user journey.
Secured a new strategic business partnership with a large telecommunications company.
New and secure two-stage onboarding system promoting blockchain security.
Increase in trust and security among users.
Final product
Watch the video to see the final product in action.
How the design solves the problem
A new peer to peer verification system to improve trust and legitimacy of professional documents.
Improved the overall user experience of storing, sharing and verifying qualifications whilst promoting security and safety.
Discover
Doing the research…before the research
Before we began our research journey; it dawned on us how unfamiliar we were with blockchain technology. I had heard of blockchain, I use some cryptocurrency apps casually- but it was still an unfamiliar term. I didn’t understand HOW this made certificates more secure; it felt similar to people saying they save things to ‘the cloud’ and many of us are still unsure what that means.
It was therefore easy to assume:
If we didn’t understand blockchain, would Akowe’s users understand it either?
-
Blockchain is a secure, decentralized digital ledger that records transactions in "blocks" linked together. Once added, data can't be changed.
Everyone on the network has a copy, making it transparent and tamper-proof. It's used for cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin but can track other data too.
Methodologies
Akowe website teardown
Competitive and comparative analysis
USP
What did we learn?
Designing a platform from scratch meant it was vital to see other companies operating in the educational technology and credential verification space.
There were a variety of platforms widely utilised across Europe and the US, but in Nigeria, there is limited adoption and minimal competition among such services.
Pluses
Offer a range of digital certificates
Clean and intuitive interface
Strong brand recognition
Deltas
Time consuming and overwhelming onboarding
Expensive subscriptions
Lack of mobile optimisation
What are users saying?
We interviewed 17 users; these ranged from recent graduates to working professionals who had been actively job searching, storing and sharing their credentials.
Obtaining certificates is a time-consuming process.
Credentials need to be accessible, anytime, anywhere.
Organisation is key- but it’s a personal thing.
Credentials are important, security needs to be high.
Verification is crucial for job confidence.
Familiarity makes for a seamless experience
Blockchain is great…when it is explained to you.
Current findings
16 out of 17 users were unaware that blockchain added extra security—knowing this would have boosted their trust in the app.
3.5/5
Sharing a credential user satisfaction
3.2/5
Verifying a credential user satisfaction
Define
Meet Yemi
Goals
Yemi wants an efficient process.
He wants employers to trust that the validity of his qualifications.
Needs
Yemi needs to organise and categorise his credentials in a way that suits his needs. He needs to feel confident that his credentials are safe and secure.
Behaviours
Yemi values platforms that integrate seamlessly with his existing tools such as LinkedIn.
Frustrations
Yemi is frustrated with having to source, store, and scan physical documents to prove the validity of his credentials.
How might we be the positive connection Yemi and the employer?
Develop
Design studio
In the sketching phase of our design process, we laid the foundation for a completely new app, mapping out multiple user flows and pathways to address complex needs. This exciting yet challenging stage required fresh, innovative thinking, as there were no pre-existing frameworks or templates to rely on. Listening closely to user research was crucial, ensuring our designs aligned with real user insights while also staying focused on business goals and OKRs. This phase balanced creativity and strategy, allowing us to explore innovative ideas while ensuring each pathway supported both user expectations and organisational objectives.
Through the course of this process we identified the following design focuses:
Onboarding
File storage
Uploading credentials
Peer to peer verification
Sharing with employers
Turning point
During a meeting to showcase our designs, the client introduced a new and vital shift in direction: designing a payment pathway.
With this new priority, we collaborated with the Akowe team to incorporate the payment feature into the current design; the client made it clear that the payment process must not restrict the user and that most of the app remained freely accessible.
Realigning the brief
With new client priorities it was important that we evaluated our design focuses and ensured we still kept the user in mind.
We used a value-effort metrix to help the team focus on the most valuable features with the time frame we had.
Designing the solution
Onboarding
I’m concerned about identity fraud
Two-stage onboarding system, with one time password protection for initial account set up and biometrics for future logins. Including a brief overview of the app including how it utilises blockchain technology to keep their documents secure.
My folders
I like to organise my credentials into categories that I can customise
Credential and file storage; customisable folders and search function to find specific qualifications easily. Akowe credentials section show files that are downloaded from their partner website.
Upload and verify
I need employers to trust that my qualifications are legitimate
Upload certificates to be verified by Akowe’s services, main information saved from profile set up. Live update shows status of verification and allows user to send a verification request to a peer or contact. External platforms linked for quick and easy requests.
Identity & payment
We don’t want users to feel restricted on the app
Upload certificates to be verified by Akowe’s services, main information saved from profile set up. Live update shows status of verification and allows user to send a verification request to a peer or contact. External platforms linked for quick and easy requests.
Usability testing
We tested 10 users on the following task flow and measured:
Hesitations
Misclicks
Confidence scale
User feedback
Confusing language
“What does request verification mean and does it mean verify my profile or verify a credential?”
Unclear navigation
13 misclicks
Lacking shortcuts
“Why do I have to go all the way to my profile to check or verify a credential?”
Tree test
To identify the exact areas of unclear navigation and lack of shortcuts; we tested the main functions on the app in an unmoderated tree test.
This pin pointed two functions of the app that were unclear to users: verifying a qualification and checking the status of their verification.
With this information we knew exactly the areas we needed to fix.
93%
Upload qualification
64%
Verify qualification
57%
Check status of qualification
Deliver
We fixed…
Confusing language to aid navigation
Banner to navigate to payment
Efficient shortcuts for verification
Confusing language
Problem
Users were unsure whether ‘Request Verification’ was to verify their profile or their credentials.
Solution
By rewording the buttons to add ‘credential’ users were clear in their navigation.
We also added a fixed banner at the top of the screen to prompt users to verify their profile and follow payment; without restricting their use of the app.
Shortcuts
Problem
Users were frustrated with having to navigate back to their profile each time they wanted to verify a credential or check an update.
Solution
We added an extra screen after a credential is uploaded with a button that provides a shortcut to request a verification for that document.
We also added a shortcut so that users can go straight from their files to view the status of verification.
We made…
Onboarding with OTP and biometrics
App overview to promote blockchain security
Link to their partner website
Customisable folders
Clear payment pathway
Credential uploads
Peer verification system
Verification status updates
Sharing that links with external platforms
Results
11 less
misclicks
50%
less hesitation
4.6/5
Sharing a credential user satisfaction
4.8/5
Verifying a credential user satisfaction
Final product
Watch the video to see the final product in action.
How the design solves the problem
A new peer to peer verification system to improve trust and legitimacy of professional documents.
Improved the overall user experience of storing, sharing and verifying qualifications whilst promoting security and safety.
Client feedback
I had the pleasure of working with Sophie and her incredible team during which they developed and designed Akowe's new Credenza app. From the start, Sophie demonstrated team leadership that coordinated the entire experience from start to finish. She demonstrated a deep understanding of user experience, attention to detail, and a commitment to delivering a product that not only met but exceeded our expectations.
Sophie’s approach was collaborative and insightful, ensuring that every decision was data-driven and aligned with our goals. She always brought fresh perspectives to the table, transforming the user interface into a sleek, modern, and intuitive design that we believe will transform our services.
Sophie and her team’s creativity, professionalism, and dedication throughout the project were remarkable. The final product speaks volumes about their capabilities, and we couldn’t be more thrilled with the results. I highly recommend Sophie for any future design or UI/UX projects. Her abilities around the core work and her leadership abilities are second to none.
Thank you, Sophie, for your hard work and for being such a pleasure to work with.
Key takeaways
Communication is key
We were lucky to have worked so closely with the product founder and his team; it was important that we were able to touch base during each stage to ensure that the project direction stayed in line with both the user and business needs.
Ch-ch-ch-changes
There were some large changes added by the client during the process and it was important that the research was not forgotten during these times. Realigning the brief whilst still keeping the users in mind was such an important part of the process.