# Web3 Product Design Mindsets By [Mona Iu](https://paragraph.com/@mimiiu) · 2022-06-06 --- ### 1\. Driven by Curiosity > _We are curious, open, ask “WH questions” continuously, and change the perspective in order to look at things from various sides._ This sort of curiosity is especially important in the web3 space, as innovations are happening rapidly with lots of resources and talents going into this space. New tools and protocols are constantly surfacing, and the only way to keep up with the space is the relentless curiosity to learn, experiment and question these products. As product builders in the web3 space, the best way to learn is to get our hands dirty and immerse ourselves as a native user. This means trying out various blockchain networks and ecosystems, participating in DeFi products, becoming a member of a DAO, and experiencing various NFT marketplace and auction mechanisms. Through this journey, it is possible that we may stumble and make some mistakes, but it is all part of the learning experience. And as product builders, we have the power to create and improve these experiences. ### 2\. Accept Complexity > _We explore the key complex systems, and accept uncertainty and the fact that complex system problems demand complex solutions._ There is no doubt that web3 space is still at its nascent stage, and building products is like exploring uncharted territory. It is important to embrace that uncertainty as the norm and come up with creative solutions to hide the complexities or better explain the benefits of blockchain technology. One way to explore how product builders have attempted in coming up with solutions to various complex system problems is by reading the whitepapers in the web3 space. Not only do we get a glimpse into the minds of these product builders, we may also draw inspiration from existing solutions and implement our twist to suit our needs. ### 3\. Focus on the People > _We focus on the human being, build empathy, and are mindful when exploring their needs._ The key to scaling and driving adoption for web3 products is driving product-market fit. This requires us to focus on the needs of our users by building up a deep-rooted empathy and embodying an attitude of pure curiosity in need-finding, this way, everything we learn can guide us to human-centered solutions resulting in a better user experience. Being a good designer in web3 need to know how users come into contact with specific products and why they interact with them. Before beginning the design of a product, we must be in contact with the users on social networks or in the real world in order to get an authentic picture of their behaviour and needs. This also means doing extensive user research and gathering user feedback throughout the process. Web3 innovation only works when we have internalized the needs of our users and developed a thorough understanding of them. ### 4\. Experiment and Iterate > _We build and test iteratively to understand, learn, and solve problems in the context of the user._ The experiment and iterative approach are fundamental to a lean startup methodology introduced by Eric Ries, which he defined as “an institution of people organized to make a new produce or service in incredibly uncertain circumstances.” As builders in the web3 space, it is important to draw on user feedback to guide and speed up the product’s iterative development. One way to do so is by creating a social space (i.e., discord group) for users to engage with the community, share their thoughts, and collect feedback. Early blockchain products often have a high barrier of entry, and only a small group of tech-savvy experts are onboarded. By building products through continuous experiments and iterations, we ensure that these digital products are truly addressing the goals, needs, and pain points of our potential users. ### 5\. Develop Process Awareness > _We know where we stand in the design thinking process and develop a feeling for the “groan zone” to change the mindset through facilitation in a targeted way._ An important factor of success in design thinking is to know where we stand in the process. There are generally two mental states during this process: either we develop many new ideas (divergence) or we focus on and limit ourselves to a narrow set of functionalities and solutions (convergence). At what point in time have we gathered sufficient information, and how many ideas are necessary before we begin to transform the cavalcade of ideas into possible solutions? ### 6\. Reflect on Actions > _We reflect on our way of thinking, our actions, and attitudes because they have an impact on what we do and on the assumptions we make._ It is important to reflect on ourselves and realize we don’t necessarily represent the people for whom we develop our innovation. And even if we do, we must proceed with great caution when transferring our needs to others. ### Conclusion Embracing the above mindsets will be good for designers interested in building simple mental models of the technologies that underlie Web3. I believe it’s important to have a basic understanding of what is happening on the backend to be an effective designer. Building this understanding, along with what you’ve already learned, is all the preparation you need to become a Web3 product designer. --- *Originally published on [Mona Iu](https://paragraph.com/@mimiiu/web3-product-design-mindsets)*