Clueless to Users Loving It — A Journey Through Web3 NFT Design Projects

Alif Farhan
Sixty Two Tales
Published in
8 min readSep 12, 2024

GM!

GM! That’s our way of saying “Good Morning” in the Web3 world 🌍. But here’s the cool part, you can use it anytime! It’s all about keeping the vibe positive in the NFT community.

Btw Hi! I’m Alif, a product manager who has spent the last 2 years diving into Web3/NFT projects at Sixty Two. I’m excited to share my journey with you, from my clueless beginnings, through the challenges of Web3 NFT projects, to the moment users fell in love with it. I hope you enjoy the read! 😄

Throwback to When I Knew Nothing About Web3

When I first jumped into this space… clueless! 😅 Web 3.0? NFTs? I had no idea what I was getting into. But I rolled up my sleeves and started from scratch and gradually figured out the differences between Web 1.0, Web 2.0, and finally Web 3.0. The learning curve was REAL, but I was determined to crack it.

Difference Between Web 1.0, 2.0, and Web 3.0

  • Web 1.0 was all about reading static pages, think of it like an online newspaper you couldn’t interact with 📰
  • Web 2.0 opened the door to interaction, you could read and participate, like see content and posting on Instagram, Twitter, or TikTok 📱
  • Web 3.0 takes it even further. Not only can you read and participate, but you can own your digital assets. Imagine owning your Instagram photos or TikTok videos, where instead of the platforms having control, you hold onto them.

Explanation on web3

Ever wondered what happens to your social media posts when the platform shuts down? All those photos and videos could disappear along with it. But with Web3, it’s different. In this decentralized concept of Web3, you actually own your digital assets, meaning, even if the platform disappears, your posts stay with you. It’s like carrying a digital backpack that stays with you wherever you go 🎒. That’s why Web3 takes things further than Web2. Instead of just reading and participating, you are actually owning your digital assets.

Imagine a future social media built on Web3, no matter what happens to the platform, your photos and videos are truly yours.

Also this decentralization brought about possibilities like cryptocurrency, the metaverse, and of course, NFTs.

So, What’s an NFT?

NFT stands for “Non-Fungible Token” Non-Fungible means something is unique and can’t be replaced. It’s like owning a one-of-a-kind collectible, but in digital form. Imagine you own the original Mona Lisa painting. There may be replicas, but only one is the real deal, verified with a certificate/signature. NFTs work the same way. Think of a Mona Lisa 🖼️, but digital, with a special digital signature that proves it’s the original.

While others can copy the image, only you have the proof of ownership. That’s what makes NFTs special and valuable

Remember Ghozali’s Selfies?

OpenSea Ghozali

Yup, even Ghozali took the NFT world by storm with his everyday selfies turned into NFTs. Back in 2022, his simple, daily selfies caught everyone’s attention when one of them sold for a mind blowing $3000 USD! 💰 It might sound wild now, but at the time, it was even wilder to think that a series of casual photos could be worth so much. It was a perfect example of how NFTs could transform something ordinary into something extraordinary, simply because of ownership and uniqueness. That’s when I realized just how powerful NFT could be.

https://www.bbc.com/indonesia/majalah-59976296

Learn more about NFT

Once I got the basics of NFTs, I started exploring more. If you’re keen to dive deeper after learning the fundamentals, I highly recommend checking out nftnow.com/guides. It’s a great resource that really helped me and perfect place to understand NFTs.

One thing I’ve realized, Web3 moves fast. Trends shift, new technologies get updated so often, and communities are always buzzing. That’s why I keep Twitter open, to stay updated on the latest NFT news.

CyberKongz

Sixty Two frequently collaborates with high profile clients, one of it includes the one I was working on; CyberKongz. Launched by the artist Myoo in March 2021, CyberKongz began as a collection of 1,000 unique, randomly generated 34x34 pixelated gorillas, known as the Genesis Collection. Over time, the project has grown to include voxelated 3D (VX) avatars, and most recently, Anime style NFTs. These avatars can also be used in gaming experiences. This project is one of the biggest things happening in the NFT world right now, and everyone’s talking about it with their social media engagement going through the roof. It’s truly making waves in the NFT community.

Twitter Link

Every project comes with its fair share of challenges, and this one was no different. Along the way, we navigated some unique challenges. One of the key challenges we encountered was working with clients at the forefront of NFT technology where team constantly pushes the boundaries of possibilities. We had to stay up-to-date with trends while positioning them as experts to deliver the best possible design solutions.

https://genkai.cyberkongz.com/emaki/manga

Collaborating closely with the artist brought its own difficulties, as they were heavily involved in shaping the visual direction. This requires us to carefully balance their creative vision with our expertise, often navigating complex decision-making processes. We frequently collaborated in the early phases to align the visual direction with both the artist and the team.

Delivering top-tier visuals while maintaining an exceptional user experience was another challenge. It wasn’t just about aesthetics, we had to ensure the platform was highly usable and scalable. Every detail required careful attention to balance visual appeal with seamless functionality, without compromising on either.

Our global team, spread across Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Bali, Bandung, and Taipei, worked with clients primarily based in the US and Europe. Navigating time zone differences, especially during critical stages of the project, was tricky. With team members across the globe, we had to find a sweet spot for scheduling, which sometimes meant taking late-night calls to accommodate others. However, we knew this wasn’t a sustainable long-term solution.

Say Goodbye to Endless Meetings

When you’re working with a global team and clients across different time zones, scheduling meetings can be tricky. We know that meetings are essential, especially when collaboration or decision making is needed. But not every situation requires a meeting, and that’s where the problem arises, the “endless meetings”.

To make our workflow more efficient, we’ve embraced async updates and feedback. For situations that don’t require real-time collaboration, we record quick videos outlining what we need feedback on. This approach saves time, allows for flexibility across time zones, and keeps everyone’s workload manageable. By cutting down on unnecessary meetings, we can focus our scheduled meetings on the discussions that truly matter. Plus, it significantly reduces those “this could have been an email” moments 😅

We used Loom video as a tool to quickly record and share videos of our internal workflow processes between team members and client

Creativity & Collaboration

As a PM, unlike anything I’ve worked on before, we’re diving into uncharted territory, with a client leading the Web3 technology. The technical limitations have pushed our creativity to new heights, and my collaboration with Experience Designers has been really interesting. Balancing the art-heavy nature of NFT projects with usability and innovation has been challenging. Through creativity, collaboration, and understanding both user needs and the client’s vision, we’ve navigated some challenges.

One of the biggest challenges was aligning the highly artistic and visually complex nature of NFT projects with the usability standards we hold for any product. It wasn’t just about delivering something that looked stunning but ensuring it functioned seamlessly for users too. To meet in the middle, we held constant alignment with the client and design team, where we balanced their visual vision with our expertise in user experience. By maintaining open communication and remaining flexible, we were able to create a product that not only looked stunning but was also intuitive and scalable. That’s what makes this project so exciting, and I love it!

If you’re curious about our creative process and how we balance it with user experience, check out this case study.

Small Wins, Big Reward

From having zero knowledge about NFTs to seeing clients love the designs we’ve created, small wins like nailing the perfect visual direction after rounds of revisions, or receiving feedback from users who found the experience intuitive and visually stunning, have been truly rewarding. Our team not only deepened our understanding of NFTs but also strengthened our chemistry as we worked together.

Thanks to this collective effort, we earned the CSS Design Award for Best UX/UI Innovation, an Awwwards Honorable Mention, and W3awards Website Redesign 🏆. These moments remind me that all the hard work is worth it.

Dealing with Highly Confidential Project

Because the NFT project that I work on is highly confidential, I even got myself a magnetic anti spy glass for my laptop 🕵️. When I work remotely like in a cafe, I don’t have to lower my screen brightness to the point of getting a headache anymore 😂. You should consider getting one yourself too haha.

Oh and Guess What?

And guess what? After almost two years on this project, I finally bought my first NFT as my profile picture, a self reward to mark my journey. It’s a reminder of how far I’ve come.

Celebrating small victories and staying grateful for life’s milestones is what keeps everything moving forward.

And there you have it ✌️

That’s the experience that I can share from my perspective working in an NFT web3 project. Check out what our team has been working on from a strategic and design perspective in our case study.

If you’re excited to learn more, check out other works from Sixty Two and watch the video below to see what Sixty Two is up to!

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