Somebody was telling me (sorry I can’t remember who it was!) about the early development of self-driving cars. They didn’t have steering wheels … because they didn’t need steering wheels. But this freaked out early test drivers. A steering wheel is so fundamental to the user experience that it really isn’t a car without one. So the designers added a steering wheel to connect the new to the familiar.
Similarly, designers of the early internet experience recognized they needed to connect this confusing new world to the old one. So, there is a little trash can icon for trash and a little file folder icon for storing things. The new digital natives probably don’t know what a floppy disk is anymore, but back in the day, this was also an easy-to-understand connection to a physical world.
As I begin to explore the possibilities of Web3, it seems to me that it is missing a “steering wheel.” The first UX is so geek-oriented and the uninitiated are being left behind.
Web3 User Experience or Lack of it
The hip place to hang out for Web3 discussions is an application called Discord. Discord doesn’t have chatrooms or forums. They have “servers.” The interface is a mess. Even a Discord admin told me last week that “Discord is a confusing nightmare.” Navigating from place to place sometimes requires adding a computer command. Huh?
Against all odds, I am actually creating a Discord server for my $RISE coin community so this will certainly be a learning experience!
MetaMask is a common Web3 utility. Here is a description from the MetaMask site:
MetaMask is a software cryptocurrency wallet used to interact with the Ethereum blockchain. It allows users to access their Ethereum wallet through a browser extension, which can then be used to interact with decentralized applications.
For a newbie, this is as clear as mud. Where is the steering wheel that connects this to common language and symbols?
Last week somebody was asking me about my POAP. Is it possible to create a presence on Web3 without having Google fired up for every conversation? I know this sort of sounds like old guy talk but it’s really a universal problem for nearly anybody — young or old — trying to enter this unfamiliar world.
I’m enthusiastic about the new world of Web3 and I’ve been giving away thousands of $RISE coins to anybody who wants some so they can learn along with me. But I’m finding a lot of resistance even to “free” because there are so many confusing hoops people have to jump through just to get on board. The significant language barriers of Web3 presents a major obstacle to adoption.
These are early days. A friend compared them to the first years of the internet. “Do you remember trying to describe to somebody how to subscribe to an RSS feed to see your blog?” It will certainly get better eventually.
But in the mean time, Web3 needs a steering wheel. And maybe some training wheels too! : )
There’s a business opportunity here.
Mark Schaefer is the executive director of Schaefer Marketing Solutions. He is the author of some of the world’s bestselling digital marketing books and is an acclaimed keynote speaker, college educator, and business consultant. The Marketing Companion podcast is among the top business podcasts in the world. Contact Mark to have him speak to your company event or conference soon.
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