Helping businesses to automate cybersecurity
CHALLENGE: design a digital product for obtaining cybersecurity certifications, particularly ISO 27001 in weeks instead of months.
GOAL: automate and streamline the cybersecurity certification process, and make it not only faster but also more accessible to businesses of all sizes.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: embedding a user-centric design culture within the team.
Companies can't afford to compromise on cybersecurity. In Europe, particularly, ISO 27001 has become a golden standard. Yet, the certification process is complicated, time-consuming, and particularly challenging for SMEs. Could we make it more streamlined, faster, and user-friendly?
In my professional journey, I've been fueled by a passion for streamlining complex processes and making them accessible to all. This commitment led me to a unique opportunity with two forward-thinking entrepreneurs focused on reshaping the cybersecurity landscape in Germany and Europe.
Their goal was not just ambitious but strategically sound: to revolutionize cybersecurity certifications and, in doing so, enhance business operations. This vision resonated with my own commitment to efficiency and innovation.
The business case was compelling. Companies today require certifications such as ISO 27001 for vital partnerships, regulatory compliance, and trust-building with clients. However, the traditional route to certification was fraught with manual work, consuming valuable time and resources.
RESEARCH AND IDEATION
Our journey began with insightful conversations with stakeholders who brought to light the complexities and challenges within the certification process. These early dialogues provided us with a profound understanding of the pain points that businesses faced.
As we delved deeper into the market landscape, it became evident that we needed a distinctive approach to thrive in a competitive environment. The decision to tailor our solution for the European market emerged as a strategic move. Understanding the unique needs and regulatory intricacies of the EU business landscape became paramount.
In our quest to provide an exceptional user experience, we noticed a common pitfall among competitors - uninspiring user interfaces. To avoid falling into the same trap, we took a proactive approach. Extensive usability testing became our tool of choice to identify and rectify potential bottlenecks in the certification processes. These strategic decisions were instrumental in shaping our initial concept. We aimed not only to understand the pain points but also to offer a tailored solution for the European market. By addressing usability challenges head-on, we aspired to create a user-centric design that would set us apart in the industry.
PROTOTYPING AND VALIDATION
Using Figma, we transformed our findings and strategies into a functional prototype. Continuous feedback from real users informed numerous refinements, effectively making our product more efficient and user-centric.
PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
The synergy between the design and development teams was a hallmark of our project. My role as a product designer was not just pivotal but also nuanced, requiring a deep understanding of both user needs and development constraints. While my primary aim was to simplify the often complex certification processes, real-world constraints necessitated several thoughtful compromises.
Recognizing the need to expedite development without compromising on quality, I leveraged my expertise to make the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) as "no-code" as possible. This involved tapping into established frameworks and employing industry best practices to save time and resources, allowing the development team to focus on creating a robust and scalable product.
Every design choice was therefore not just a step towards user-centricity, but also a calibrated decision aimed at efficient resource management. This balance ensured that the user experience was uncompromised, even as we navigated the tight corridors of time and budget.
LANDING PAGE DESIGN AND BUILD
The landing page served as the initial touchpoint for our audience, effectively communicating our unique value proposition. It wasn't just about showcasing our service; it was about guiding potential customers effortlessly into the first step of their cybersecurity certification journey.
Through meticulous A/B testing, we refined key elements such as calls-to-action and user pathways. This data-driven approach allowed us to fine-tune the user experience, ensuring that visitors were not just informed but also inspired to take action. I designed the interface in Figma, focusing on aesthetics that aligned with our unique value proposition, and was responsible for bringing this vision to life by building it in Webflow.
By handling both design and build, I ensured a seamless transition from concept to execution, delivering a user experience that was both cohesive and compelling.
SCALLING THE DESIGN TEAM
As the project matured and evolved over the span of a year, so did our design team. This growth provided me with expanded opportunities to further shape our approach to UX design. It wasn't merely about adding more hands on deck; it was about refining our collective methodology and ensuring the team was aligned with a user-centric vision.
The scaling of the team also afforded me a deeper immersion into the UX domain. My role evolved from not just executing design but also guiding the team through best practices, ensuring the intuitive and engaging nature of our user experience remained consistent even as the platform expanded and became more complex.
RESULTS AND IMPACT
The tangible impact of our efforts went beyond just user experience and product features; it was also reflected in our financial milestones. We successfully raised a $3.8 million seed round, a testament to the market's faith in our vision and execution. Coupled with over 10 successful certifications through our platform and an influx of positive user testimonials, these achievements made it clear that we were on the right path.
EMBEDDING DESIGN VALUES
From the onset, my ambition extended beyond just crafting a user-centric application. It was about instilling a culture where design was revered as a core value within the team's DNA. Through collaborative workshops, knowledge-sharing sessions, and an open feedback culture, the essence of design transcended beyond the design team, permeating through every facet of the project.
Our mantra was clear – to be staunch advocates for our users. This user advocacy became our compass, guiding every decision, every feature enhancement, and every interaction within the application. It wasn’t just about meeting the users’ needs; it was about exceeding their expectations, ensuring their journey towards cybersecurity certification was not only seamless but enjoyable.
The impact was just amazing. The team began to embody a design-thinking approach, evaluating challenges through the lens of our users, fostering solutions that were not only technically sound but resonated with the people they were designed for. This cultural shift was a cornerstone for the harmonious collaboration between designers, developers, and stakeholders, ensuring the user remained at the core of our desisions.
