Boto.io
Canvas Redesign & Design System
ROLE
Founding Designer
Company
Boto.io
Year
2022
I joined Boto as the first and only UX designer, responsible for transforming a developer-led product into a scalable, user-centered platform across desktop and mobile that supports both beginner users experimenting with automation and advanced users building complex, multi-step workflows.
Boto is a no-code Web3 automation platform that enables crypto and blockchain users to automate on-chain activities for blockchains such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana
The Problem
Boto was built from a development-first mindset. While the platform was technically capable, it lacked structure and visual clarity needed to support usability at scale.
Key Challenges
• Cluttered canvas
• Weak hierarchy
• Complex interactions
• Inconsistent visual language
• Lacked easy bot sharing
• Limited scalability
• No mobile UI
UX Analysis
Identifying Friction & Usability Gaps
I began with a comprehensive UX analysis of the existing product, evaluating the canvas, navigation, block interactions, and overall user flow.
Findings: Difficulty in understanding where to start, many inputs were challenging to use, filtering and logic controls lacked clarity, and accessibility considerations were largely absent.
Key takeaways: These findings helped define where simplification was needed and where flexibility should be preserved for advanced users.
Competitive Analysis
Learning How Other Platforms Handle Complexity
Next, I conducted a competitive SWOT analysis across other automation and open canvas workflow platforms.
Areas of focus: Canvas interaction patterns, complexity solutions, onboarding and learning curves, advanced logic and condition handling, community and sharing models
Key takeways: Successful platforms don’t remove complexity, they stage it, allowing users to grow into advanced functionality over time.
Design System
Building a Scalable Foundation for Rapid Growth
Because Boto was still early-stage, establishing a design system quickly was critical. Using the limited branding we had, I created a scalable system based on Atomic Design principles following WCAG / ADA accessibility standards, along with the vertical rhythm standard for precise spacing product-wide.
Outcome: This system unified the product’s visual language, enabled faster feature development, improved design-to-development handoff, and supported both MVP iterations and full-version launches. The design system became the backbone for future product growth.
Exploration & User Flow
Introducing the “Botoverse”
During the redesign phase, the founding team also discovered a core user need - sharing and using community-made bots. We used this opportunity to gamify and socialize our ecosystem by creating new feature known as the Botoverse.
Outcome: The Botoverse allowed users to publish their automation bots, discover and reuse bots created by others, and learn by example instead of starting from scratch, growing bot usage by 300%
I mapped end-to-end user flows covering, bot creation, publishing to the Botoverse, discovering and importing existing bots, shifting Boto from a standalone tool into a community-driven platform.
Results
A More Intuitive, Scalable Automation Platform
The redesign transformed Boto from a developer-driven product into a user-centered automation platform. The refresh didn’t just improve aesthetics, it fundamentally changed how users understood and engaged with automation.
With a small founding team, the redesign was delivered in phases starting with an MVP. Mobile was considered during design but deprioritized for initial development, and the Botoverse launched as a standalone experience to validate the concept before deeper integration.
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