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Fast forward to recent client work on a peer-to-peer (P2P) crypto payment platform, where I was curious to learn how I could use AI to boost and streamline the following user centered design process.

• User & Market Research: Accelerated discovery by synthesizing insights and identifying patterns.
• Personas & User Scenarios: Quickly generated realistic personas and scenarios.
• Customer Journey Mapping: Outlined comprehensive journeys, identifying touchpoints and needs.
• Edge Cases: Considered inclusivity and accessibility in the design process.
• Design & Ideation: Enhanced brainstorming with diverse design solutions.
• Front-End Development: Assisted in generating code and front-end components.
• Data Analysis & Visualization: Analyzed data patterns and created user-friendly visuals.

Typically I would be working with design researchers, customers and my peers for discovery along the process points above but for this project, moving quickly and building a foundational understanding was a priority.

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Building a Framework with AI

In the early stages of product development, understanding the market, competition, and users is critical. I asked ChatGPT for insights on existing P2P crypto apps.

“What are some of the top peer to peer crypto apps?”

The returned response provided a view of the competitive landscape, detailing platforms like Venmo, Cash App, and PayPal, highlighting their crypto features and target audiences.

I also requested a Market Positioning Comparison graph, which helped provide orientation within the competitive landscape as to whether to target mainstream users (like Cash App) or a niche, crypto-savvy audience (like LocalBitcoins).

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Based on the results, I could see the market seemed to be a mix of apps serving certain user groups:

Here are the top contenders for Crypto Apps

Exploring Opportunities

As a newbie to the space, ramping up would have taken much longer, but AI allowed me to quickly understand the competitive landscape and draw valuable insights about the consumer base.

From there, I started thinking about where the business opportunities might be. The P2P crypto payment space is growing, but there’s room for innovation and differentiation.

I asked,

“What are some features that might differentiate a new product in the space?”

ChatGPT provided a comprehensive list of potential features to explore further:

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Persona Development + User Needs

With a clear high-level view in place, I shifted focus to customer research and persona development. Understanding who the users are, what motivates them, and how they interact with the product is key to crafting a user-centered design. This insight ensures we prioritize the right experiences and align the design with customer needs.

From my experience at iRobot, I learned the value of engaging with large groups of customers, spotting commonalities, and forming personas organically. Testing this new approach with AI, I asked Chat:

“What are a set of 10 preliminary design research questions we can ask in our user studies?”

Here are some results after a few attempts in refining its output:

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Persona Development

When designing anything, it’s essential to understand the diverse user personas that may use the end product. Each group will have different needs, behaviors, and expectations.

“What are some user personas to consider for a peer-to-peer (P2P) crypto payment app? Please include age, user needs, and pain points.”

Here are the results for our Crypto Personas

Aligning, the product strategy to our target market position, the “Crypto Enthusiast” Persona would be worth a deeper dive. here is what Chat gave me:

I was impressed by the persona generated but had to ask Chat,

“How are you generating this persona?”

I learned Chat generated its results from a combination of research sources, trends in the cryptocurrency space, and insights into common user behaviors.

It went on to explain that cryptocurrency users fall into four groups: Investors, Traders, DeFi Users, and Hodlers. They prioritize low fees, fast transactions, and advanced features. Pain points include high fees, security risks, and wallet complexity. Research shows professionals aged 25–40 seek optimized fees and advanced trading. Apps like MetaMask and Uniswap offer valuable insights with easy onboarding and multi-currency support.

With a solid grounding of who our potential users were, I was curious how I could leverage these insights in the design phase for our app.

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User Experience Design: Ideal User Journey

Based on the Crypto Enthusiast persona, the ideal user journey for a P2P crypto payment app should combine simplicity, advanced features, and high security while addressing the unique challenges and goals of an experienced user. This journey should offer a smooth, efficient, and engaging experience, integrating core features for trading, managing crypto assets, and interacting with decentralized finance (DeFi) or peer-to-peer payments.

I asked Chat for a preliminary user journey for this persona and was presented with a map that blends ease of use with the features and flexibility needed by experienced crypto users.

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1. Discovery:
   The user discovers the app through social media, crypto news, or community discussions, drawn to its low fees, multi-currency, and DeFi features.
2. Onboarding:
   Quick sign-up with wallet creation, security setup (2FA), and an introductory tour to basic functions.
3. Initial Setup:
   Manage multiple assets, enable fiat-to-crypto conversion, and prepare for cross-chain transactions.
4. Core Use:
   Easy crypto transfers with clear fee transparency and transaction speed options.
5. Advanced Use:
   Stake assets, access DeFi protocols, and explore liquidity pools for rewards.
6. Monitoring:
   Track portfolio, set price alerts, and use advanced analytics for decision-making.
7. Security & Control:
   Enforce MFA, cold storage options, and offer an audit trail for transactions.
8. Post-Transaction Engagement:
   Access educational resources, community discussions, and 24/7 customer support.

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I also asked for a few possible interaction models for the app. Having quickly generated these potential experiences, We as designers are able to rapidly iterate and understand the pro and cons for each.

• Wizard-Style: Best if the app’s primary goal is to cater to new users or users unfamiliar with crypto transactions, offering step-by-step guidance.
• Quick Action Flow: Ideal for crypto enthusiasts or power users who value speed and already understand the mechanics of crypto transactions.
• Hybrid Flow: Best for apps targeting a wide range of users (from beginners to experts) and want to offer flexibility, letting users choose the level of control they need.

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I also asked ChatGTP to produce “Key Interactions for a P2P Crypto Payment App”

1. Sign-Up & Onboarding: Create an account, complete KYC for security and compliance.
2. Linking Payment Method/Wallet: Connect a bank account or crypto wallet for transactions.
3. Searching for Counterparty: Find trade offers or specific users to buy/sell crypto.
4. Initiating Trade/Payment: Set trade amount and terms, then confirm the trade.
5. Setting Preferences/Filters: Customize trade preferences (crypto amount, payment methods, region).
6. Escrow & Transaction Confirmation: Crypto held in escrow until both parties confirm.
7. Sending/Receiving Crypto: Transfer digital assets between users’ wallets.
8. Transaction Dispute Resolution: Initiate a dispute if issues arise during the trade.
9. Notification & Alerts: Set alerts for trade offers, updates, and security issues.
10. Withdraw Crypto to External Wallet: Transfer crypto to an external wallet for storage.
11. Managing Security Settings: Configure 2FA, strong passwords, and recovery options.
12. Viewing History & Balances: Track past trades and current wallet balance.
13. Canceling Trade/Order: Cancel pending trades or orders if needed.

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And then asked to list out “Edge Cases to Design For in a P2P Crypto Payment App”

1. Incorrect Transaction Details: Ensure address verification, network confirmation, and a final review screen to avoid errors in recipient or network choice.
2. Insufficient Funds or Gas Fees: Display real-time gas estimates, check balances, and allow fee customization to prevent insufficient funds.
3. Network Congestion or Delays: Show network status and offer auto-retry with adjusted fees during congestion to minimize delays.
4. Transaction Errors or Double-Spending: Lock transactions until confirmed and display real-time status to prevent double-spending.
5. Loss of Private Keys or Recovery Issues: Require wallet backups during onboarding and support hardware wallets for recovery options.
6. Invalid or Expired Payment Requests: Display expiration timers and send alerts for expired requests, allowing easy re-generation.
7. Incorrect Currency or Token Swap Failures: Validate tokens and networks, provide warnings, and offer token swap functionality to avoid mismatches.
8. Regulatory Compliance and KYC Issues: Inform users of KYC requirements early, explain transaction flags, and use geofencing to comply with regulations.
9. App Crashes or Network Downtime: Provide offline mode, notify users of maintenance, and implement fallback systems during app downtime.
10. Multi-Device Sync Issues: Ensure real-time syncing and provide status indicators for any sync issues across devices

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To conclude…

At first it felt a little odd leveraging AI to help build a human centric design approach but there is no doubt it offers an advantage for designers who want to quickly understand a problem space.

Personally will be adopting this tech into my own process but will always seek to validate the information and insights against tried and true design methodologies.

Incorporating AI into the human-centered design process opens up exciting possibilities for creating more efficient, personalized, and scalable user experiences. While AI can accelerate tasks like research, ideation, and testing, it’s essential to remember that its true value lies in complementing human empathy, creativity, and judgment. By striking the right balance between automation and human insight, design teams can unlock innovative solutions that not only meet user needs but exceed their expectations. As AI continues to evolve, its potential to enhance user experience design will only grow, making it an indispensable tool in the designer’s toolkit. However, it’s crucial to use AI thoughtfully—always prioritizing the human element in every design decision.