Gib.meme

An experience that feels like a lighthearted, addictive game on the surface but operates with the precision, clarity, and systematic design of a financial product underneath.

To resolve the visual and technical friction imposed by the brief, I developed an interface strategy structured in two distinct layers, bridging brand identity with product usability:

The Immersive Layer (Brand & Emotion): Focused on attraction and engaging the casual gamer. I developed a vibrant visual identity using proprietary hand-drawn illustrations and animated interactions (GIFs). To meet aggressive deadlines, I integrated generative AI tools (such as Gemini and image generation platforms) to scale asset production and visual drafting without losing the game's tactile, nostalgic feel.

The Functional Layer (UI & Precision): Focused on conversion and trust. Every transactional moment (connecting a wallet, purchasing packs, analyzing card attributes) was shielded from visual "chaos". I built a clean interface, anchored by a strict Design System and rigid grids, guiding the user seamlessly so the underlying blockchain complexity remained invisible.

In a top-down, speed-first startup, I became the advocate for craft — protecting visual quality and consistency where formal UX processes couldn't fit.

Working in a highly accelerated startup environment often means structured UX processes (like deep discovery and usability testing) take a back seat to shipping speed. In this top-down scenario, my role evolved into being the primary advocate for visual quality and consistency. I focused my energy on what I could control: ensuring flawless art direction, building a robust Design System for developers, and applying usability heuristics to mitigate friction before launch.

With limited metrics, I used Hotjar recordings to justify a structural pivot — from a top menu to a scalable sidebar — as new features kept shipping.

While access to structured product metrics was limited, I sought to ground critical architectural decisions in qualitative data. By analyzing available Hotjar session recordings, I identified a usability bottleneck: as new features were rapidly introduced, the original top menu hindered feature discovery and engagement. The solution was a structural pivot to a sidebar navigation, resolving the immediate friction and ensuring continuous scalability for the product.

I turned unavoidable blockchain wait times into a reward: an "unboxing" animation that replaces dead loading screens with a hit of dopamine.

Blockchain processing often results in frustrating wait times. Instead of relying on generic "loading" or "success" screens, I leveraged the art direction to enhance usability. I designed an "unboxing" animation to transform the technical delay imposed by Web3 into a moment of visual reward, triggering dopamine and active engagement.

One inventory, two modes: Visual Cards for players who love the art, and a Data List for investors who need to compare numbers fast.

Because card attributes fluctuate in real-time with the crypto market, the interface needed to accommodate vastly different use cases. My UI solution was to design two distinct viewing modes (Visual Cards vs. Data List). This decision directly solved the interface conflict: it serves the casual player focused on art, and the analytical investor who needs to compare numbers quickly, effectively reducing cognitive load for both.

One onboarding for two worlds: wallet connection for Web3 natives, email login for everyone else — with blockchain complexity kept out of sight.

The technical requirement involved integrating Privy to support dual login methods. My role was to translate this visually: I designed a frictionless flow where Web3 natives can seamlessly connect their wallets, while casual users log in with just an email. The UI was intentionally crafted to hide blockchain complexity, ensuring an approachable entry for any user profile.

Given the restricted scope and the fast‑paced delivery environment, the true impact of this project is measured not by traditional discovery metrics, but by the strategic and technical execution that enabled the business to launch:

• Enabling the MVP (Zero to One): I delivered the complete interface and visual identity required to bring the product to life, turning an abstract brief into a functional, visually engaging digital product within the tight deadline.
• Engineering Acceleration: Building a strict, component-driven Design System drastically reduced handoff friction. This allowed the engineering team to scale screen development autonomously and predictably.
• Translating Web3 Complexity: I successfully shielded casual players from the financial anxiety typical of crypto platforms. The transactional flows (pack purchases, hybrid login) convey trust through a clean UI, without losing the fun, chaotic essence of the brand in the immersive layer.

Regardless of time-to-market pressures, an MVP is a starting point, not the finish line. With the visual and technical foundation successfully established, my strategic recommendations for the product's next phase would be:

• Establish Qualitative Feedback Loops: Implement targeted usability testing around the wallet connection and micro-transaction flows, mapping exactly where Web2 users still experience friction in order to iterate the UI.
• Transition to Data-Driven Evolution: Shift from a top-down feature factory model to data-driven design decisions, utilizing heatmaps and conversion funnels to validate if the "Immersive vs. Functional Layer" architecture is driving the expected retention.
• Scale the Design System: Expand the component library to support upcoming gamification features (such as tournament leaderboards and new battle modes), ensuring the product can grow rapidly without compromising visual consistency.