Case Study

Case Study: Enhancing Cybersecurity with Tripwire.io

ROLES
UX designer, UX researcher, UX team lead

TOOLS
Sketch, Balsamiq Mockups, Adobe Creative Suite, Wire-framing

SKILLS
Analytical Skills, User Experience Design (UED), User-centered Design, Customer Journey Mapping, UX Research, Information Architecture

PROBLEM
Tripwire customers were having difficulty monitoring the configuration of their assets in the cloud.

SOLUTION
I designed Tripwire.io, a cutting-edge security SaaS platform, empowering users to monitor the configuration of assets across AWS, Google Cloud, and Azure from a unified console.

The Configuration Management screen in Tripwire.io displays all the issues in a cloud service.
The Configuration Management screen in Tripwire.io displayed all the issues in a cloud service.

Research and Discovery

I conducted comprehensive user research activities, including interviews, usability studies, observational field research, card sorting, prototype testing, and competitive product analysis. These insights informed strategic decisions, leading to improved user satisfaction. The hands-on approach to research facilitated a deep understanding of user needs and pain points, as show in the Empathy Map below.

This empathy map shows what an IT Manager might say, do, and feel.
This empathy map showed what an IT Manager might say, do, and feel.

Collaboration and Communication

I collaborated closely with developers, customer support, and product management to craft a robust product strategy, leading to successful product launches. I facilitated user interface reviews with designers and front-end developers, ensuring strict adherence to design standards and best practices. This collaborative effort resulted in a more cohesive and user-friendly interface, improving development efficiency.

The Value Proposition Canvas for Tripwire.io displays the jobs, pains and gains of the target user, and whether the products and services being offered meet those needs.
Above, the Value Proposition Canvas for Tripwire.io displayed the jobs, pains and gains of the target user, and whether the products and services being offered meet those needs. Collaboration with product and sales managers helped ensure our value proposition was on target.

Design and Prototyping

I oversaw the end-to-end product journey, visualizing concepts, and prototyping at various fidelity levels. The designs for web, iOS, and Android platforms directly addressed user research findings, functional requirements, technology constraints, and business goals. This approach led to enhanced user satisfaction and streamlined workflows.

Guided Tour wireframes
Wireframes for security dashboards, including call-outs for guided tour ideas.
Futurecast brainstorm session wireframes.
Collaborative activities such as Designsprints, and Futurecasts helped generate wireframes for testing.
An example of a taskflow for Tripwire.io that displays the steps, screens, and actions a user would take for a particular task.
An example of a taskflow for Tripwire.io that displayed the steps, screens, and actions a user would take for a particular task.
Sketch of dashboard screen showing cloud issues.
Sketch of dashboard screen showing cloud issues.
Sketch of issues screen with a details dialog box that appears at the bottom of the screen when an Issue is selected.
Sketch of issues screen with a details dialog box that appears at the bottom of the screen when an Issue is selected.

Based on user feedback, the Policy Results screen was updated to have the details pane appear on the right side of the screen.

Medium-fidelity wireframe of the Policy Results screen with the details pane on the right.
Medium-fidelity wireframe of the Policy Results screen with the details pane on the right.

Agile Development

I led Agile project teams in defining, designing, and creating innovative products, services, and customer experiences. This agile approach, including design sprints and rapid testing of new ideas, resulted in faster time-to-market and successful introduction of innovative features. The collaboration with developers, customer support, and product management ensured a holistic and efficient product strategy.

User Research

Utilizing usability tests and contextual inquiry, I compiled qualitative and quantitative data to help prioritize design iterations. For example, based on user feedback from a usability test, I added the ability to switch between light and dark modes. This simple feature greatly improved the usability and accessibility of the site.

Qualitative feedback from participants in usability tests.
Qualitative feedback from participants in usability tests helped to prioritize design updates.
Light, Dark, and Auto modes help improve accessibility.
Light, Dark, and Auto modes helped improve usability and accessibility.

Additional screens

The Issue Details pane in Tripwire.io allows the user to view more information on the issue, as well as remediate the issue.
The Issue Details pane in Tripwire.io allowed the user to view more information on the issue, as well as remediate the issue.
The File Integrity Monitoring screen shows issues by severity.
The File Integrity Monitoring screen showed issues by severity.
The Vulnerability Assessment screen shows issues prioritized by severity of vulnerability.
The Vulnerability Assessment screen showed issues prioritized by severity of vulnerability.

Outcomes

  1. Increased User Engagement: The platform’s success is evidenced by increased user engagement, driven by a user-centric design that addressed real-world challenges in the cybersecurity landscape.
  2. Improved Operational Efficiency: The seamless integration and streamlined workflows resulted in improved operational efficiency for security professionals using Tripwire.io.
  3. Enhanced Product Functionality: The collaboration with cross-functional teams and an agile development approach led to enhanced product functionality, meeting the evolving needs of users and staying ahead of the cybersecurity curve.
  4. Positive User Satisfaction: The user-centric design approach, informed by comprehensive research, resulted in a platform that not only meets users needs but also delights them, contributing to positive user satisfaction.

In conclusion, the hands-on approach to UX design, coupled with agile methodologies and effective collaboration, played a pivotal role in the success of Tripwire.io. The platform stands as a testament to the positive impact of user experience design in the realm of cybersecurity.

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