Elevating network security for enterprise teams
Challenge
Tackling the challenges of visualizing complex security data
Tenable faced a big challenge in visualizing the vast amounts of data generated from cloud based security software. This data, often complex and detailed, requires tools that can prioritize critical vulnerabilities while filtering out less relevant information. Real-time visualization is very important for immediate threat detection. Also, these visualizations have to balance technical detail with usability, allowing both experts and non-experts to interpret the data.
Design Process
Transforming sophisticated cybersecurity data into a visual and intuitive user experience
A key challenge was making an unconventional design pattern usable for a broad range of cybersecurity users. Many customers were used to large lists and tables of vulnerability data, which, while familiar, became overwhelming as data grew. The team aimed to introduce a more visual and interactive experience that would allow users to scan, investigate, and act on vulnerabilities more efficiently.
Discovery Process
Creating a new user experience for managing large sets of intricate security data
To address the challenge of visualizing large amounts of data, the Tenable team recognized the need for a new approach that would allow users to seamlessly zoom in and out of complex datasets. Traditional methods of data navigation were insufficient, especially when dealing with the scale and depth of information generated by network scans. The team began exploring novel solutions within their cloud-based software to provide users with greater flexibility and control over data exploration.
In the spring of 2018, the Tenable design team gathered for a week in Washington, D.C., to lay the groundwork for a reimagined network management product codenamed "Cerebro"
Structure wireframes
Navigation pattern wireframes
Flow diagrams for creation flow
I worked inside the design team specifically on wireframes and documentation so we could establish foundational concepts and design patterns that would shape this system. The result was the “Hive Planar System,” a UI design that used overlapping panels to let users drill into specific details without losing their place in the broader data context.
The goal was to help users quickly identify patterns and insights, making it easier to dive into specific vulnerabilities, assess severity, and respond faster. The challenge was ensuring this new approach catered to both technical experts and less specialized users, offering a seamless transition from traditional data-heavy formats to a more intuitive, dynamic system that reduced cognitive load without sacrificing efficiency or accuracy.
