Hey everyone! Sahil here, walking along a lake in Riga for today’s episode. I’m joined by Erik, a bitcoin designer who’s here to share his unique journey and insights from the world of UX and design. Episode Highlights: Exploring Riga & European Design: Erik shares his love for European architecture and city design, comparing it to the walkability and creativity-inspiring aesthetics of Stockholm, where he lives. Erik’s Path into Design: From dabbling with early digital design tools as a kid, customizing game graphics, and pirating Photoshop to eventually mastering UX—Erik has quite the unconventional, tech-centric backstory. Peer-to-Peer Influence on Bitcoin UX: Erik explains how his fascination with file-sharing communities naturally led to his interest in Bitcoin and designing peer-to-peer systems. Design Philosophy: We dive into what “good design” means to Erik—balancing functionality with user enjoyment, making sure even technical designs offer a seamless, pleasant experience. Challenges in eCash UX: Erik talks about his work with eCash, a protocol he’s passionate about, and the unique UX challenges it presents—like offline functionality and “pending” transactions that need intuitive design solutions. Hoseki and Institutional UX: Erik shares his experience with institutional design at Hoseki, where keeping it polished yet simple for a traditional finance audience is key. Design Inspiration from Solana & Beyond: Erik’s got a hot take—he’s learning design patterns from Ethereum and Solana’s fire UI/UX, proving that great design inspiration can come from all corners of the tech world. The Art of Explaining Design: We get into a candid chat about the challenges of articulating design choices to stakeholders and Erik’s journey to improve in this area. This episode is full of gems on navigating design with a user-first mindset while staying grounded in practicality. Whether you’re a designer, a dev, or just interested in the thought processes behind some of the products you use, you’re gonna love this conversation. Connect with Erik: Twitter: @uxerik_ Noster: [email protected] Website: uierik.com Connect with Me: Twitter:⁠ @Sahilc0⁠ Nostr: [email protected] Web:⁠ sahilc.com⁠ Don't Miss Out: If you’re in Austin, check out the Bitcoin Design Club that Paul and I host on the 4th Wednesday of each month. It’s where we connect with other designers, builders, and anyone passionate about Bitcoin design. Thanks for tuning in! If you enjoyed this episode, hit that subscribe button, and let’s keep this design conversation rolling. Peace! Background image credits: Jason Marder https://jtrain.studio/ Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction to the Studio 21 Show 00:33 Exploring Riga and Personal Backgrounds 03:33 Early Design Inspirations and Journey 05:58 Combining Design with Bitcoin 11:05 Institutional Design at Hoseki 16:04 Challenges in eCash UX Design 21:15 Exploring eCash Offline Functionality 22:53 User Communication Challenges 23:05 Design Philosophy: Truth vs. Abstraction 24:35 Balancing User Feedback and Development 26:37 Hot Takes on Design Prototyping 29:18 Learning from Cutting-Edge Design 33:17 The Culture of Cashew 34:41 Challenges in Design Communication 37:53 Final Thoughts and Wrap-Up

In this episode of the Studio Twentyone Show, Sahil chats with Paul Miller from Mutiny to dive deep into the world of Bitcoin product design. Paul shares his unique journey from being a web designer at 13 years old to becoming a key player in the Bitcoin ecosystem, working on projects like Voltage and Fedimint. 🔍 What you'll learn in this episode: The challenges of designing intuitive Bitcoin UX for users. How to balance simplicity with the complexities of Bitcoin technology. The importance of iteration and progressive enhancement in product design. Why great UX for Bitcoin products is about more than just making things look pretty. Hot takes on the future of Bitcoin products and how designers can make Bitcoin more user-friendly. Paul offers candid insights into his design philosophy and the difficulties of delivering seamless user experiences in a space where technical complexity and user expectations clash. If you're interested in Bitcoin development, UX/UI design, or just curious about the behind-the-scenes of how Bitcoin products are created, this episode is a must-watch! 🎧 Listen to the full episode to discover: Paul’s thoughts on what makes good design in Bitcoin. Why "better UX won’t be easy" and how it compares to relationships or fitness. The truth vs. abstraction debate in Bitcoin UX. 🔗 Subscribe for more content on Bitcoin, product design, and tech from the Studio Twentyone Show! Connect with Paul: Twitter: @FuturePaul Upcoming Projects: Keep an eye out for some exciting B2B SaaS evolutions from Mutiny. Connect with Me: Twitter: @SahilC0 Nostr: [email protected] Web: sahilc.com Don't Miss Out: If you’re in Austin, check out the Bitcoin Design Club that Paul and I host on the last Thursday of each month. It’s where we connect with other designers, builders, and anyone passionate about Bitcoin design. Thanks for tuning in! If you enjoyed this episode, hit that subscribe button, and let’s keep this design conversation rolling. Peace! Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction to the Studio Twentyone Show 00:21 Meet Paul Miller from Mutiny 00:44 Casual Walk and Talk in Austin 01:02 Discussing the Concept of Design 03:52 Paul's Journey from Web Developer to Journalist 06:15 The Essence of Design and Creativity 09:44 Integrating Design and Problem Solving 15:33 Paul's Early Design Influences 20:33 Challenges in Designing Bitcoin Products 22:59 The Importance of User Experience in Bitcoin 27:19 The Value of Health and Relationships 27:33 Effort and Consequences in Health and Wealth 29:12 Building for Different Audiences 29:34 The Mutiny Team's Decision 31:03 Bitcoin and User Responsibility 32:30 The Evolution of the Internet and Bitcoin 34:02 Designing for Truth vs. Abstraction 37:36 Challenges in Bitcoin Payment Methods 42:01 Learning and Inspiration in Design 50:16 Final Thoughts and Wrap-Up Background image credits: Jason Marder https://jtrain.studio/