Barterchain – Enterprise Ireland, Innovation Voucher

Overview

IADT collaborated with Barterchain – a peer-to-peer service exchange platform – to reimagine its user experience and interface. Led by Gráinne Carroll, with research assistant Anita Savić, the project focused on enhancing usability, strengthening accessibility, and introducing new features to support a sustainable revenue model.

Challenge

While Barterchain’s existing app was operational, it lacked the intuitive design and clarity needed to drive user engagement. Onboarding was confusing, navigation was inconsistent, and users found it difficult to track exchanges or understand their progress. The app required a complete UX/UI overhaul that would simplify the experience, integrate premium community features, and enable data-informed decision-making.

IADT’s Approach

IADT conducted a full UX/UI audit to identify friction points and redesign the app’s overall structure and flow. The team rebuilt all core components in Figma – including onboarding, homepage, user profiles, search, and offer management – and introduced a new “Tribe” community feature as a premium offering to support engagement and monetisation. Accessibility, visual coherence, and clear user feedback mechanisms were central to the redesign.

Impact

Barterchain received a comprehensive design system, complete user flows, and a fully redesigned interactive prototype, ready for development. The updated experience not only improved usability but embedded a viable business model aligned with the company’s social mission. Based on IADT’s redesign, Barterchain has since secured funding to redevelop and relaunch the platform.

“This innovation voucher project allowed us to transform our platform’s UX / UI, and completely reimagine the barter experience. Grainne and Anita took our existing users’ feedback to create a redesign that is both customer and expert led. This innovative design also integrates our business model – so that we can finally start generating revenue. We have since been approved for a feasibility grant to redevelop and relaunch our platform, and we are very excited to see our redesign and rebrand go live! Thank you Grainne and Anita, it was a pleasure to work with you!”

Carla Rosenkranz,
Founder, Barterfolk