From napkin to production, how Good Code helped Cyber Sainik build a next generation XDR

Challenge

At Good Code, we work with a variety of cyber security organizations, from early-stage companies trying to figure out everything, to companies that already have an established product and need help improving it. Our goal is to make every product visually amazing and more importantly easily usable. Occasionally, we come across trailblazers who want to build something completely new, and we love creating this together from the ground up!

Sam Kumar approached us and asked us to help him build a next-generation XDR (Extended Detection and Response). Sam's expertise was in Network Technology, and he had yet to bring a SAAS product in the cyber security field to market before. Sam looked to us for guidance throughout the entire process, from determining what to build to defining its look and functionality.

When we first started discussing the project with Sam, the team was just forming, consisting of Good Code and a group of advisors. One of the key principles that the Cyber Sainik team emphasized was that the product had to be beautiful but also embody the KISS principle (Keep It Simple, Stupid). Both aspects are challenges, to design something beautiful, while ensuring functionality, and delivering real value is where Cyber Sainik and many of our other customers rely on Good Code.

Approach

When we first engaged with Cyber Sainik, we worked with their team to create a unique brand and incorporated that theme throughout the application. Everything, from the colors to the symbols, was focused on reflecting the brand's personality. Below, you can see the original concept and then, what we introduced.

Once the design language was established, we could begin the actual work. XDR was a new concept at the time not clearly defined by the industry and often misunderstood and misrepresented. We researched who exactly their target customer's end-users would be and what capabilities they considered critical for success. During the discovery phase, we interviewed CISOs and analysts across a wide range of verticals.

After collecting the feedback, we partnered with the team at Cyber Sainik to equate our findings to measure the business success of their product. CISOs and executives have different opinions on how things should work, so getting to the core of their needs was challenging. At Good Code, we approach these types of problems by focusing on the value the user will gain, rather than simply listing the features we need to build or were requested. This fundamental difference in mindset and partnership leads to an outcome that truly delivers value. If you only focus on features, you end up with a product that has many cool things, but they don't effectively come together to solve the problem.

We were approached by Sam to help interview candidates to help juggle the responsibility of CEO and Product Lead. Often, our customers ask us, "Can you help us find the right resources?" In a typical consulting world, this may be seen as a competitive aspect of the business model. At Good Code, we aim to build meaningful relationships and help our customers succeed. Helping clients find and hire the right resources is crucial, with our combined cyber security network and experience we were able to assist in bringing on board the CTO, Dean Teffer.

With the teams assembled, and the feature matrix defined, work progressed at a fast pace. In an early-stage company, rapid prototyping is incredibly powerful. It allows us to present the designs and ideas to key stakeholders without investing heavily in features that may not provide value. We collaborated with the team to create full-fledged Figma prototypes that looked and felt like a real product. The teams used these prototypes to gather feedback from the CISOs before entering the build phase.

During the build phase, scalability is often associated with performance. However, we believe scalability should also be measured by how quickly we can bring features to the market. The key to scalable design and UI code is creating a design system that becomes the source of truth for the teams resulting in product optimization and mutual profitably.

At Good Code, we partner with numerous cybersecurity startups, and one challenge we always encounter is the need to create unique designs for each product we build. To accomplish this, we have developed a design system for both Figma and React, and we have open-sourced a significant portion of it (https://github.com/reaviz). This design system enables us to create rapid designs that are truly unique and not just another Material UI skin. We collaborated with Cyber Sainik to build a completely custom design language and implement it using this toolchain.

Results

In this case, the saying "a picture speaks a thousand words" holds true. The above screenshots showcase the product we helped Cyber Sainik bring to market. Within less than a year, we were able to take that initial idea from a napkin and not only design and build a beautiful, functional user experience but also provide guidance on the product and help build the team, resulting in furthering Cyber Sainik’s success in the industry.

_“Good Code is an amazing full-service team of designers and developers. We have really enjoyed working with them, and they have designed and deployed a UI that has exceeded our already high expectations.” _

— Dean Teffer, Chief Technology Officer; Cyber Sainik

About Good Code

Ready to step into a world where cybersecurity meets a personalized, unparalleled user experience? Unlock the doors to a future where UI/UX isn't just a feature but a testament to seamless collaboration and innovation. Head over to www.goodcode.us – your next tech adventure begins now!

About Cyber Sainik

In a world of rapid change and evolving threats, staying ahead is paramount. At Cyber Sainik, we lead the charge in cybersecurity, equipped with top-notch professionals dedicated to keeping you secure. Explore our website and book a consultation to discover the power of AI technology and how it is being utilized in our innovative XDR solution.