Thread
Responsive Website + ICO Launch Strategy
Roles: Research, Branding, ICO + Token Sale Strategy, UX/UI Design
Year: 2018
Background
During my time working on Loom.co, we learned a lot about the challenges users face using online freelancing platforms. While exploring solutions, our team realized there is an opportunity for blockchain technology to solve multiple problems in online freelancing, in a way that benefits platforms and people using those platforms.
We set out to build a marketplace data solution where work experience, reputation and transaction data are verified on a blockchain and securely shared across different freelancing platforms. We called it the Thread Protocol.
The Challenge: Launch an SEC-compliant and trustworthy ICO in one month
My team decided an ICO was the best approach to raising money to build the Thread Protocol. The beauty of an ICO is that fundraising success is a direct result of the strength of the ideas, product vision and ability to communicate it clearly to investors. The rub? The SEC is cracking down on ICOs in the US, resulting in a lot of legal restrictions and hurdles. Also, to be successful we needed to divert business, design and development resources away from Loom, so we set an aggressive goal of launching the ICO in a month.
Research + Planning
I started by auditing upcoming, ongoing and recently-ended ICOs to gain a firm understanding of the user flows and information that our users would expect from our ICO. I focused not only on successful ICOs, but also looked at some that didn’t meet their stated goals. I also held informal interviews with ICO investors to learn the good and the bad about previous experiences purchasing coins and tokens during ICOs.
Armed with competitive and user insights, I worked with my team to develop a multi-phased cross-channel plan for the ICO launch. I developed documentation to help my team make and keep track of important decisions throughout the planning and development process.
Branding
The ICO world is, unfortunately, a bit like the wild west right now. Investors aren't sure which ICOs are legitimate and trustworthy. I didn't want that to be a hurdle for us. My vision was to develop a brand that instills trust, humanity and expertise through every touch point. Blockchain is an emerging technology, and I feel strongly the companies that will succeed in this space are the ones that make blockchain solutions that are trustworthy, easy to understand and even easier to use. I took on a creative director role in the branding process, working with a very talented designer named Julie Eckert to help us bring our brand to life.
ThreadProtocol.io
Arguably the most important piece of a successful ICO is the website. It’s where potential investors get a first impression of the brand, the product vision and company. It's also where the token sale process of the ICO is facilitated. The ICO website must be clear, informative and easy to use. And since ICOs have a global audience, the website needs to be responsive to deliver a consistent experience across any device.
Starting with journey maps and flows, I defined the key functions of our website at different stages in the ICO process. We then met with our legal team to discuss constraints and requirements in regard to SEC compliance. With requirements gathered and alignment with my team on the key functions of the site, I built wireframes for each phase of the ICO process.
Through a few rounds of feedback from my team and prospective users, I evolved the wireframes and applied UI designs. I collaborated with my development team throughout production and testing to ensure a responsive, consistent experience. We launched ThreadProtocol.io in late April and it's been well received, helping us secure several large-volume investors during our token presale phase.
Check out ThreadProtocol.io to see the live website and for updates on our progress.