Workshop Guide

The following materials can be used to run a workshop or hackathon focused on accessible Bitcoin application design.

Workshop Structure

1. Introduction

  • Present the core heuristic
  • Review why accessibility matters for Bitcoin
  • Share examples of universal design benefits

2. Persona Development

Have teams develop personas that represent users at the “edges”:

  • A person who is blind using a screen reader
  • Someone who is deaf in a region with intermittent internet access
  • An older adult with low vision and limited technical experience
  • A person with motor impairments using keyboard navigation

3. Design Challenge

Ask teams to redesign a common Bitcoin wallet function for their persona:

  • Wallet backup and recovery
  • Sending a transaction
  • Managing multiple accounts
  • Setting security preferences

4. Present & Critique

Teams present their designs, focusing on:

  • How the design solves for the specific user
  • How the solution improves UX for everyone
  • Any trade-offs they had to navigate

Hackathon Challenge

For a longer format hackathon, challenge teams to create accessible Bitcoin tools focusing on one of these areas:

  1. Accessible Onboarding: Create an onboarding flow that works for users with diverse needs
  2. Universal Recovery: Design a wallet recovery system that doesn’t rely on technical knowledge
  3. Cross-Context Transactions: Build a transaction flow that works across different environments and abilities
  4. Security Through Clarity: Create security features that are understandable to all users

Evaluation Criteria

Score projects based on:

  • Inclusive Design: How well does it address the needs of users at the margins?
  • Universal Design: How does solving for edge cases improve the experience for everyone?
  • Technical Feasibility: Can it be implemented while maintaining Bitcoin’s security properties?
  • Innovation: Does it take a novel approach to solving accessibility challenges?

Takeaways for Teams

  • Test with edge-case users (or personas): new to Bitcoin, older, colorblind, screen reader users
  • Treat usability as a key part of enabling bullet-proof security
  • Ask: “If this design was the only thing standing between someone and losing their life savings, would it hold up?” -or- “Could Hal Finney use this?”
  • Make your tools accessible and usable, while maintaining security and privacy

Slogan to Remember

Solve for one. Extend to many.

Additional Resources →