When we set out to build the blockchain browser, our biggest question was where the wallet should live and how it should power users and dApps.
Last weeks exploration put together as many explorations as possible, literally in all 3 dimensions: https://tiny-thunder-24f.notion.site/Wallet-Design-Explorations-9118d3ffb85043dab63bb9255161ca47
This week, I collected feedback from the radically different approaches from the team to help shape the next iterations. Here’s a summarized version of the feedback:
Wallet on top of the webview as an overlay
Screen Recording 2023-02-23 at 7.51.21 PM.mov
The biggest reason we decided not pursue it further was because when connecting a wallet via Fortmatic, the plug-in also blurs the webview and focuses on the wallet modal in the middle. Apps are using this but it makes users think that it’s the browser’s modal. If we incorporate that same design, people can get confused between browser-related prompts and dApp prompts.
Wallet in the tab column
Screen Recording 2023-02-20 at 4.17.46 PM.mov
This was a popular one. Having some indication of a wallet present in the main view can convey that it’s a blockchain browser and also enables quick navigation. However, if the wallet was stacked on top of the tabs column, the tabs started moving up and down when there were notifications. So the question became how we could show all the wallet information without moving the tabs: option 1 was a hover, and option 2 was hiding the wallet’s full details behind a swipe.
Wallet on the left of tabs and webview
Screen Recording 2023-02-21 at 7.18.43 PM.mov
This prototype also got positive feedback. One thing to keep in mind was that a swipe trackpad leading to the full screen wallet manager felt too fast and jarring.
Wallet below the webview
Screen Recording 2023-02-22 at 10.42.27 PM.mov
The side slide felt more natural because the sidebar hinted that there could be more to the side whereas bottom slide seemed to come out of nowhere