Product

Why pick a design company that specializes in cyber over a generalist designer

Lisa

3/12/2025

The breach wasn’t caused by weak encryption. It wasn’t a misconfigured firewall or a missed patch. It was a design mistake.

Customers didn’t understand the security warnings. The onboarding flow rushed them past critical permissions. A misleading button label caused them to approve an action they shouldn’t have. And just like that, a simple design flaw became a security risk.

Does this sound like your worst nightmare - or a problem you’ve already faced? If the answer is “yes”, congrats - you have a design problem.

Why “congrats” if it’s clearly a bad thing? Because design problems are fixable. And in today’s world, UX/UI designers aren’t rare creatures. A good one - or better yet, a strong design team - can not only solve these issues but free you from these recurring nightmares altogether.

So, you want to fix your design. First thought: hiring an in-house designer. That makes perfect sense - having someone embedded in your team means deep product knowledge, close collaboration, and long-term consistency. In-house designers bring incredible value, ensuring alignment with company goals and culture. But finding someone with both deep industry experience and strong UX skills can be challenging. Even if you do, they’ll need time to onboard, learn your systems, and integrate into your workflow. And of course, there’s the budget strain of hiring top design talent.

But you need this now - not six months from now. Outsourcing becomes the logical next step. You start exploring agencies, studios, freelancers. Their portfolios are impressive, their case studies polished, their testimonials glowing. They promise sleek designs, intuitive interfaces, seamless user experiences. But, who do you trust with your product’s future?

Let’s find out.

The first and probably biggest decision is this: should you choose a cybersecurity-specialized design firm or a generalist agency?

At first glance, a generalist firm might seem appealing. They’ve worked across industries, bringing “fresh perspectives” and innovative ideas. Many companies value this broad experience because it fosters creative problem-solving and out-of-the-box thinking. A firm with diverse experience might introduce elements that haven’t been seen in cybersecurity before - potentially unlocking new possibilities.

But before you make the call, ask yourself:

Will a non-cyber firm bring a fresh perspective - or introduce ideas that don’t quite fit cybersecurity workflows?

A generalist firm might help differentiate your product visually, steering clear of industry-standard designs that might feel outdated or overly technical. Their experience in consumer-focused industries could bring in outside perspectives to your design.

But will those solutions actually work in cybersecurity? Or will they be based on design patterns from SaaS, fintech, or e-commerce - industries with very different user needs?

• Will the “clean and simple” UI choices actually strip away critical security context that analysts rely on?
• Will the onboarding flow be too simple for security professionals?
• Will they introduce design elements that look fresh but create unnecessary friction - forcing analysts to spend extra time learning an interface that doesn’t align with their workflow?

In cybersecurity, a visually appealing design isn’t enough. It must also reduce risk and enhance user efficiency.

Are you bringing in an experienced partner - or spending valuable time bridging the industry knowledge gap?

A non-cyber firm might offer a fresh outlook by drawing from different industries, where user engagement, usability, and aesthetics play a significant role.

However, when designing for cybersecurity professionals, the challenge is not just usability - it’s achieving clarity while providing enough context and proof. Security people are not the most trusting bunch - they need to see not just what the interface shows, but why. It's about building trust through transparency and showing your work. Designers unfamiliar with this mindset might need time to adjust, which can lead to slower progress and misalignment early on.

• Are you ready to spend time explaining the basics of MITRE, attack chains, and risk severity levels?
• How much back-and-forth will you need before they grasp the urgency of threat detection workflows?
• Are you comfortable driving all security-related UX decisions while the designers focus solely on visuals?

A cybersecurity-focused team already understands the complexities of your industry - so instead of spending time educating them, you spend time actually improving your product.

“In startup innovation, the most critical asset isn’t just funding - t’s design expertise aligned with domain knowledge. I’ve personally seen how the right designer can amplify productivity tenfold, enabling rapid development cycles with unparalleled accuracy.”

— Chris Clark - 5x CTO, VP Product and Founder.

Are you protecting your competitive edge - or giving it away?

Let’s address the elephant in the room: if a design firm specializes in cybersecurity, won’t they just take what they learn from working with you and apply it to your competitors?

A fair concern. But before jumping to conclusions, consider:

• Are you certain that a non-cyber firm won’t work with another cybersecurity client in the future?
• What’s riskier - working with an expert team that helps multiple cybersecurity companies, or trusting a team that might deliver a generic, easily replicable UI?
• Would you rather have a battle-tested UX that’s built on industry best practices - or a design that perhaps forces your users to navigate unfamiliar territory?

Every agency reuses learnings. The real question is: do you want your design team’s expertise to come from years of working in cybersecurity, or from trial-and-error on your product?

Every design choice comes with trade-offs. A generalist firm can be a fantastic choice, bringing fresh ideas, broad experience, and well-polished execution. Their diverse background can lead to unique perspectives and innovative solutions. But when it comes to cybersecurity, the challenge isn’t just making things look good - it’s ensuring they function securely and intuitively for highly specialized users.

Cybersecurity design is a delicate balance between usability, security, and trust. Working with a team that already understands the industry means fewer risks, faster implementation, and a product that seamlessly integrates security without compromising user experience.

At Good Code, we get it. We speak cybersecurity, we understand the challenges, and we design with security in mind - so you don’t have to choose between usability and protection.

If this resonates with you, let’s make your product the best it can be - with a team that speaks your language.

→ Reach out today, and let’s build something great together.