CASE STUDY

Catena

Web App

Overview

Over the course of 4-week consultancy, I created a complete web app product design for a stealth mode startup called Catena. The founder's business was focused on securing mission-critical networks utilizing state-of-the-art AI and machine learning models.

My role involved collaborating closely with the founders to define user needs, develop a web app platform and design system. We didn't have time to create detailed prototypes that align with their cutting-edge security solutions.

Throughout the short engagement I was responible for:

Gathering requirements
Doing competitive analysis
Exploring branding and color options
Conducted basic user research
Started a simple design system
Designed a simple web app container

Market

The cybersecurity industry is booming as organizations of all sizes face increasing threats from cyberattacks, data breaches, and ransomware. With the rapid growth of digital transformation, cloud adoption, and remote work, businesses are investing heavily in advanced security solutions to protect their assets and maintain trust. However, the threat landscape constantly evolves, making cybersecurity a continuous challenge that requires innovative technology, skilled professionals, and proactive strategies. As a result, the industry is dynamic, competitive, and more critical than ever for safeguarding digital infrastructure.

Customer Persona

A Security Ops Pro keeping an eye on their company network for any security issues. They respond to threats, troubleshoot problems, and stay up-to-date on the latest cyber risks to keep everything safe. They're detail-oriented, quick-thinking, and good at working with others to fix issues fast.

A busy IT pro
Very technical
Interested in the latest gadgets
An early adopter of technology
Likely a gamer

Project goals

This was a very short 1 month project with only one visit to the Bay Area to consult. They needed a web app design that they could poplulate and modify later. Most of the product details were unknown because they were in stealth mode. I would only have the rough product pitch to guide me. They were setting out to apply the latest AI/ML models to monitor and predict security breaches on highly-secure networks. Their customers would be mission-critical international networks owned by financial institutions, hospitals, military and government organizations.

Responsive Page Design
Navigation Model that can grow over time
Figma Assets and Illustrations

The Design

App Structure

Color

Page Templates

Outcome

This customer was very happy with the results of this collaboration. I can confidently say I exceeded their expectations. They were highly collaborative, attentive partners in the process. They provided valuable perspective significantly improved the end product's usability and aesthetic.

What I Learned

This partnership was all about speed. They needed to have a working prototype of their app to secure funding and accelerate their development timeline. There would be no testing and no need to build any workflows, just help them prop up a good-looking app that followed existing and common design patterns. I ended up doing some branding and design system work, but not at all comprehensive. It ended up being a fun challenge for all of the above reasons.

Follow Latest Standards Most interfaces are becoming similar and web and mobile app patterns are converging. This is a good thing, even if there are few unique interfaces any more
Move Fast Evaluate sketches and options with the team very early and very often—gather feedback through slack asynchronously
Information Architecture Quick run through how a product like this would unfold as it grows, led me to add a few impoortant elementsa to the navigation.