Alejandra Anderson

Spexi From fiat to cryptocurrency

I designed Spexi’s move from fiat to crypto payments for a drone pilot network largely new to crypto, with one goal: make the new system understandable enough that pilots could keep flying, earning and participating with confidence.

Role
Senior UX/UI Designer
Company
Spexi Geospatial
Timeline
2025–2026
Focus
User research, product strategy, systems thinking, emerging technology
A Spexi drone pilot working on a laptop beside the drone at a mountain lookout.
Spexi pilots capture drone imagery for customers around the world.

01 · Business goal

Change the payment system without losing the pilots

Spexi wanted to move pilot payments from fiat to cryptocurrency as part of a broader global network model.

The challenge was making that transition without creating so much confusion or friction that existing pilots stopped participating.

Many pilots were not crypto users. The new system had to feel understandable and trustworthy even when the technology underneath it was unfamiliar.

Fiat: fly, then get paid, in one direct and familiar step Fiat Fly Paid Direct and familiar Crypto: the same outcome, with an unfamiliar system in between Crypto Fly Paid Same outcome, unfamiliar system in between
The same exchange, now with an unfamiliar system underneath.

02 · Why it was hard

Seven constraints at once

  1. Pilots were not crypto experts
  2. Multiple interconnected products
  3. A rapidly evolving roadmap
  4. One designer
  5. Token economics
  6. Web and mobile
  7. A marketplace

03 · Research

Starting from zero research

I combined several signals to understand who our pilots were, what motivated them and where the move to crypto could create confusion or distrust.

Research inputs

Interviews 3 surveys Mixpanel Discord Support tickets Leadership

What it shaped

Personas Onboarding priorities Wallet guidance Where to simplify first

04 · Personas

Three pilots, three motivations

The research revealed something important: pilots were not divided by how much they understood crypto.

They were divided by why they were using Spexi in the first place.

  • Casual explorer

    “Make this easy for me.”

    Open to trying something new, but does not want unnecessary complexity.

    • Simplicity
    • Reassurance
    • Friendly support

  • Business-first side hustler

    “Make this worth my time.”

    Focused on whether the experience is reliable and the earnings justify the effort.

    • Predictable earnings
    • Reliable tools
    • Clear value

  • Early adopter

    “Let me participate in where this is going.”

    Interested in the future of the network and wants transparency, early access and a voice.

    • Transparency
    • Early access
    • A voice in the network

Key insight

Three reasons to fly, not three levels of crypto.

The personas were not beginner, intermediate and expert.

They represented three different motivations for participating in Spexi, and the product needed to support each one without exposing everyone to the same level of complexity.

05 · Design strategy

Design around the decisions pilots need to make

At every stage, pilots were deciding whether Spexi was worth their time, effort or money.

I designed around the information each pilot needed to make that decision confidently, while keeping the blockchain complexity in the background.

Our first instinct was to explain more about crypto. Research showed us pilots needed something more practical: clarity about what was happening, what they needed to do next and whether participating still felt worthwhile.

Is Spexi worth it?

  • Casual explorer

    Easy enough to do casually.

  • Business-first side hustler

    Worth the time and effort.

  • Early adopter

    A chance to participate and help shape what comes next.

Six decisions, one question underneath

Is this worth it?

  1. DiscoverWorth my time?
  2. CommitWorth the commitment?
  3. FlyWorth the effort?
  4. UploadDid I complete it?
  5. EarnDid I get what I expected?
  6. Access earningsHow do I get my money?

Flow 01

Find and choose a mission

Help each pilot quickly decide: Is this worth my time and effort?

The campaign experience surfaced location, available areas and total earning potential so pilots could judge an opportunity based on what mattered to them.

  • Casual explorer

    “Is there something close enough that I can easily do?”

    They are more likely to choose a small cluster close to home. The map makes nearby opportunities immediately visible so they can participate without turning it into a major commitment.

  • Business-first side hustler

    “Will I earn enough to make the time and travel worthwhile?”

    They are willing to travel farther when there are larger, more continuous areas to fly. Showing the available coverage and total earning potential helps them quickly judge whether the opportunity justifies the effort.

  • Early adopter

    “Where can I participate in what Spexi is building?”

    They are motivated by the larger network and are more willing to explore new campaign areas. The experience gives them visibility into where the network is growing and where they can participate next.

One campaign, three different reasons to commit.

Flow 02

Access earnings

Help each pilot understand their earnings without forcing everyone to learn crypto.

The wallet started with the information every pilot needed, then revealed more detail only when it became relevant.

  • Casual explorer

    “How much did I earn, and how do I get my money?”

    They can immediately see their balance and follow a simple withdrawal path without needing to understand USDC, exchanges or gas fees upfront.

  • Business-first side hustler

    “Did I get paid what I expected, and can I access it reliably?”

    Balance and payment history make earnings easy to verify. The withdrawal flow then explains the steps required to move those earnings into money they can use.

  • Early adopter

    “How does the crypto side of this actually work?”

    For pilots interested in the technology and Spexi’s broader crypto vision, deeper information about USDC, ETH, exchanges and gas fees is available when they choose to go further.

Complexity appeared only when the pilot needed it, one decision at a time.

06 · Key decisions

Build trust before introducing anything new

  1. Plain language, no crypto jargon

    I explained new mechanics using words pilots already understood wherever possible.

  2. Real videos, not AI

    Crypto already carried skepticism for some users, so tutorials used real footage and real people rather than AI-generated presenters.

  3. Familiar wallet patterns

    Wallet experiences borrowed from familiar digital wallet conventions while still supporting the needs of the crypto system underneath.

  4. Keep crypto in the background

    The next decision stayed visible up front. More technical detail was available for people who wanted it.

Design principlesSimplicity first · Progressive disclosure · Familiar mental models · Reduced cognitive load · Build trust · Crypto in the background

“As an engineering leader, I typically don’t hear much from design unless we have problems. With Alejandra, it was the exact opposite. Her drive to understand the business and the customer, her keen sense of detail, and her analytical thinking brought together an impressively cohesive user experience and brand that really carried the business to the next level.”

Garrett HemannEngineering Leader, Spexi

Read more recommendations on LinkedIn

07 · Outcome

Make an unfamiliar system feel understandable

The hardest part was not designing the screens.

It was helping pilots understand an economic system they could not see, while keeping enough of the underlying complexity out of the way.

The research gave Product, Design and Engineering a shared understanding of who the pilots were, what motivated them and where trust could break down.

That became the foundation for onboarding, wallet experiences, documentation and the broader move to crypto.

For pilots

  • Clearer concepts and terminology
  • Less unnecessary complexity
  • More confidence in an unfamiliar system

For Spexi

  • A shared understanding of pilot motivations
  • Better alignment across Product, Design and Engineering
  • A UX foundation for the move to cryptocurrency

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