UX research: A summary of all the live issues

[mouxdesign]

Hey team, I dove a bit into using AI to see how it can help out with processing insights based off all of the live issues currently in the Phoenix repo at present.

The issues are newly labelled and all of them can be found here.

This was an experiment to learn how AI can help us to process issues and learn and gain insight from them. I'll be doing it with a few other Lightning wallets as well and sharing it on their Githubs but also in one central place so that all the wallets can learn from each other.

Here's the summary:

Data source

A list of issues were taken directly from Github.

Dates of data collected:

The dates during which the data was collected was from December 13, 2019 - 2 April 2024. There were a total number of 73 issues. Some issues were posted by users of the wallet, other issues were posted by the builders of the wallet based on user issues or needs which they identified. There were a total of 78 issues at the time, 5 issues were not included as they referred to non user related issues.

How was the data processed?

The data was processed using AI.
Steps followed
Step 1: Collected data from Github
Step 2: Processed the data
Step 3: Chatted with the data using ChatGPT 4

Questions asked and the answers

Question 1: Bucket the data

Summary: There are 3 main areas which emerge when we bucket the issues:

Network and Transaction Issues

Issue 1: Network graph analysis and cltv_delta recommendations.
Issue 12: Bug affecting fresh wallets' ability to receive payments from non-Phoenix wallets.
Issue 35: Issues with testnet transactions being stuck.
Issue 36: Ability to ‘send max’ functionality for lightning address or LNURL-pay invoices.
Issue 58: Guidance on fee choice for commitment transactions.

User Experience and Interface

Issue 3: Dark mode not persisting after restart.
Issue 4: Display fees in transaction history.
Issue 8: Expected functionality of the "Link" icon in app not working.
Issue 9: "Send all" option not reverting to original amount after untapping.
Issue 13: Currency display settings not respected in payment request edit dialog.
Issue 14: Biometric authentication request for lnurl withdraw when app is closed.
Issue 23: Send window text adjustment based on clipboard content (lightning invoice or bitcoin address).
Issue 24: Issues with connecting to a custom Electrum server using built-in Tor support.
Issue 48: Inconsistency in naming of Recovery phrase.
Issue 49: UI alignment issues.
Issue 69: QR scanner performance improvement.

Features and Improvements

Issue 5: Implementation of PayJoin for receiving transactions.
Issue 6 & 7: Proposal for QR code payment without invoice.
Issue 10: Transaction history export/import functionality.
Issue 11: Ability to specify expiration time for an invoice.
Issue 15: Option for automatic payment retry.
Issue 17: Request for darker theme options.
Issue 18: Display list of sites used with Lnurl-auth.
Issue 19: Field for promo codes.
Issue 20: Expectation of Allow or Deny notification for payments initiated from the web.
Issue 21: Inquiry on keysend functionality incorporation.
Issue 22: Integration of 2FA for seed and transaction encryption.
Issue 25: Inquiry about adding static lightning address for donations.
Issue 28: Support for automatic APK updates.
Issue 30: Compatibility issue with iOS version QR code recognition.
Issue 31: Wallets stuck in Offline mode.
Issue 32 & 33: Handling of Advanced Data Protection for iCloud.
Issue 34: Compatibility issues with Robosats.
Issue 37: Signet testing environment request.
Issue 38: Support for non-standard lightning addresses.
Issue 39: Special flow for receiving first payment.
Issue 40: Migration from JCenter.
Issue 41: LNURL-Withdraw enhancements.
Issue 42: Security warning for zero amount invoices.
Issue 43: Error in payment amount handling.
Issue 44: Channel restoration on wallet recovery.
Issue 45: Labeling channels or addresses for easier identification.
Issue 46: Inquiry on unexpected channel closures.
Issue 47: Improvement of error message for no route found.
Issue 50: Dockerfile issues.
Issue 51 & 52: Integration of nostr and generation of lightning addresses.
Issue 53: Incorrect fiat value display in "Technical details" page.
Issue 54: Certificate requirement for electrs instances.
Issue 55: Clarification between fixed and variable amount invoices.
Issue 56: Feature request for transaction volume statistics.
Issue 57: Investigation of payment failure issue.
Issue 59: Update and installation issues.
Issue 60: Adjustment of max fee amount limit for successful swaps.
Issue 61: Routing issues to RoboSats.
Issue 62: Display of swap-in expiration information.
Issue 63: Integration of Nostr contacts for easier LN payments.
Issue 64: Sign and verify messages with on-chain address.
Issue 65: Addition of São Tomé Dobra (STD) currency.
Issue 66: Management password setting for merchant use.
Issue 67: APK parsing error.
Issue 68: More options for app access control.
Issue 70: Manual addition of checksum for swap-in wallet descriptor import.
Issue 71: Custom Electrum

Question 2: Quantify the data

In total, there are 68 categorized issues. It seems there might be a discrepancy with the total count provided earlier as "73 total issues." This could be due to an overlap in categories, miscounting, or issues that weren't explicitly categorized in this summary.

• Network and Transaction Issues: 5 issues
• User Experience and Interface: 11 issues
• Features and Improvements: 52 issues

Question 3: What are the main features and improvements that users would like to see?

Advanced Transaction Features

• Implementation of PayJoin to enhance privacy and reduce the traceability of transactions.
• Support for QR code payments without the need for invoices to simplify transactions.

Enhanced User Experience:

• Darker theme options for better visual comfort and personalization.
• Improved UI alignment and performance of tools like the QR scanner to enhance overall usability.
• A special user flow for receiving the first payment to guide new users through the process smoothly.

Security and Privacy Enhancements:

• Two-factor authentication (2FA) for seed and transaction encryption to bolster security.
• More options for app access control, including management passwords, to prevent unauthorized access.

Transaction Management and History:

• Export/import functionality for transaction history to facilitate data management across devices.
• The ability to specify expiration times for invoices and an automatic payment retry option for failed transactions.

Integration and Compatibility:

• Compatibility fixes for iOS and custom Electrum servers to ensure seamless operation across all devices.
• Integration with external platforms and services, like nostr and RoboSats, to expand the wallet's functionality and reach.

Technical Improvements:

• Support for automatic APK updates and non-standard lightning addresses to keep the wallet up-to-date and versatile.
• Error messaging enhancements and labeling for channels or addresses for clearer communication and easier navigation.

Community and Donation Features:

• Adding static lightning addresses for donations to support content creators and public figures directly through the wallet.

Question 4: What are the jobs that Phoenix wallet users expect the wallet to perform?

Analyzing the issues and suggestions provided by Phoenix wallet users, we can infer several "jobs" they expect the wallet to perform. These jobs are tasks or functions users rely on the wallet for, based on the friction points and feature requests they've expressed. Here's a breakdown:

Facilitate Secure and Flexible Transactions:

Users expect the wallet to enable a variety of transaction types securely and flexibly, including on-chain and off-chain (Lightning Network) transactions, without cumbersome processes. The desire for PayJoin, NFC payments, and easier QR code transactions underscores this need.

Streamline Payment Processes:

There's a clear expectation for the wallet to make the payment process as smooth as possible, eliminating the need for invoices in some cases and supporting more straightforward, user-friendly mechanisms for sending and receiving payments.

Improve Financial Management and History Tracking:

Users expect the wallet to help them manage their financial history more effectively, with features for exporting/importing transaction history when switching devices and better managing transaction details for personal accounting.

Enhance User Experience with Customization and Accessibility Options:

The wallet is expected to offer customizable user experience options, such as dark mode persistence, theme choices, and a more intuitive user interface, to accommodate personal preferences and ensure accessibility.

Ensure Robust Security and Privacy:

Users expect strong security measures, including flexible authentication methods (biometrics, PIN, password) and privacy features like PayJoin, to protect their funds and financial privacy.

Offer Integration with External Services and Platforms:

The expectation extends to seamless integration with other services, like nostr, and platforms for swaps, indicating a desire for the wallet to function within a larger ecosystem and support various use cases beyond simple transactions.

Support Advanced and Emerging Technologies:

Users expect the wallet to stay at the forefront of Bitcoin and Lightning Network technologies, including support for NFC payments, static lightning addresses, and perhaps even message signing, indicating a desire for the wallet to support cutting-edge features.

Provide Clear Communication and Information:

The need for clear messages regarding transaction statuses, swap deadlines, and network conditions shows that users expect the wallet to keep them well-informed about the details affecting their funds and transactions.