Node Guardians
How I designed & launched a payments platform handling $250K+ in daily volume.
Research
UI Design
Leadership
Overview
Node Guardians was a blockchain and Web3 learning platform built specifically for developers, wrapped in a unique gamified experience inspired by old-school RPG games. The idea was to make highly complex, technical learning feel engaging and fun by turning challenges, quests, and progress into an interactive game world. When I joined as Lead Designer, the platform needed a full redesign that could scale with new content, mechanics, and a fast-growing community.
Role
Lead Product Designer
Years
2023 — 2024
Type
Full Time
Team
Product Manager, Game Designers & Artist, Frontend & Backend Developers
Tools
Figma, Midjourney
The Challange
Searching for Clarity
The platform mixed highly technical Web3 content with a fantasy-themed RPG world, and the biggest challenge was balancing both without sacrificing clarity.
Developers needed a smooth, intuitive experience for learning complex concepts, while the UI needed to feel immersive, and story-driven. The old platform lacked structure, consistency, and the visual quality needed to deliver a true RPG-like experience.
My Role
As the Lead Designer, I directed the full redesign of the product experience from structure to visuals. I worked closely with the Product Manager to define core flows, learning mechanics, and the narrative style that tied everything together.
At the same time, I managed collaboration with external artists responsible for creating the game-like assets, ensuring the art direction stayed consistent with the product’s goals and technical constraints.
Discovery
Research
Before jumping into design, we ran a focused research phase to understand how developers actually used the platform. We conducted user interviews, analyzed engagement data, and talked directly to the community on Discord, where most activity happened.
This gave us clear insight into what users do, where they were getting stuck, and how the RPG-style experience could better support their learning process. The findings shaped the redesign and ensured every decision connected to real user behaviors.
Solution
New UI – +5 Wisdom Points
The new design brought a fresh, structured, and visually rich interface that captured the spirit of an RPG without overwhelming the learning experience.
I introduced clear layouts, simplified navigation, modular components, and a visual system that helped the fantasy art shine without getting in the way of the content.
With a tighter UX, improved onboarding, and a more immersive UI, the platform felt cohesive, modern, and engaging for both new and experienced developers.
