Transforming a Cybersecurity Platform into a Modern SaaS Experience
As Lead Experience Designer, I led the transformation of Scythe's cybersecurity platform from an on premise solution into a modern, cloud based SaaS product.
My role extended beyond design. I led both design and front end collaboration, partnered closely with executive leadership, and helped shape the product into a scalable, investor ready platform.
Company
SCYTHE
Timeline
2022 — 2023
Role
Lead Experience Designer
Focus
0 to 1 SaaS Transformation
Before
Complex technical interface limited to expert users
After
Accessible platform serving both technical and non technical audiences
Scythe's existing platform was built primarily for cybersecurity professionals, limiting its accessibility and broader market adoption.
To support business growth and prepare for a Series A round, the platform needed to evolve into a cloud native, user friendly product that could serve both technical and non technical audiences.
Highly technical experience
Excluded non expert users from the platform
Legacy on premise model
Restricted scalability and growth potential
No cohesive foundation
Lacked product structure for future expansion
I played a central role in redefining both the product and how the team worked.
Driving Product Direction
- Partnered directly with the CEO and VP of Product to define the future vision of the platform
- Aligned product decisions with investor narratives and Series A goals
- Helped translate business strategy into actionable product experiences
Building Team Alignment
- Led a distributed team across design and front end development
- Introduced workshops and design rituals to improve collaboration and product thinking
- Brought teams closer to users through shared research and discovery
The goal was to create a modern, accessible cybersecurity platform that could scale beyond expert users.
Accessibility for Non Experts
Simplifying complex workflows for small business owners
Cloud First Architecture
Enabling scalability and broader adoption
Clarity Over Complexity
Transforming dense security concepts into intuitive experiences
Modular Foundation
Building a system that could evolve with the product
This shift repositioned Scythe from a niche tool into a scalable SaaS platform with broader market potential.
Campaign Details
Device execution monitoring
Dashboard Analytics
Outcomes and threat tracking
Attack Sequence
Step-by-step threat emulation
While leading strategy and alignment, I remained deeply involved in shaping the product.
Led the end to end redesign of the v1.0 cloud native platform
Defined scalable information architecture to support both expert and non expert users
Built a modular design system in Figma, enabling consistency and faster iteration
Worked closely with front end teams to ensure design feasibility and quality
Translated complex cybersecurity workflows into clear, usable product experiences
I operated as a player coach, guiding the team while directly contributing to the product's core experience.
Transforming cybersecurity for broader adoption.
0 → 1
Transitioned from on-premise architecture to cloud-based SaaS product
Accessibility
Made complex security tools usable for non-technical audiences
Series A
Design work directly supported investor positioning and funding goals
Modular
Built scalable design system enabling consistent iteration across features
Measurable results across product, business, and team.
Product Impact
- Successfully transitioned from on premise to cloud based SaaS
- Made the product accessible to a broader, non technical audience
- Established a foundation for a scalable, modular product ecosystem
Business Impact
- Supported Series A positioning through product and design alignment
- Strengthened the product's value proposition for investors
Team Impact
- Improved collaboration across design and development
- Introduced structured workflows that elevated product quality
Lessons from transforming a 0 to 1 product.
Executive alignment is essential
Partnering with leadership ensures design decisions support business goals and investor narratives.
Player coach leadership drives quality
Staying hands on at critical moments ensures quality and builds trust with the team.
Design systems enable scale
A modular foundation allows the product to evolve without sacrificing consistency.
Accessibility expands market potential
Making complex tools usable by non experts opens up broader market opportunities.
Main Dashboard
Campaigns Summary with setup wizard
Attack Simulation Interface
Campaign builder with ATT&CK techniques
Team Management
User roles and permissions settings
Integrations Marketplace
Connect with security tools like JIRA, Splunk, and CrowdStrike
Next Project
Palo Alto Networks