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Protecting Platforms from Cyberattack

We helped make securing Operational Technology (OT) more accessible to vulnerable industries.

The Challenge
Our Approach
Results
Project Team

The Challenge

Client Name:: Shift5
Delivery Date:: September 18, 2020

Shift5’s cybersecurity solution needed to reach all of the industries it’s designed to protect.

OT, which includes nearly every vehicle and platform, is highly vulnerable to cyberattack, and hacking is an increasingly common threat. Shift5 offers interlocking products from hardware to SaaS that defend OT through data capture, visualizations, analytics, and alerts. With the power to shield OT and track anomalous and malicious behavior, their products were a powerful tool for good. They needed to be amplified and made more accessible to reach the vulnerable industries that could leverage them against the entire cyberattack lifecycle.

Part of Shift5’s mission is to accelerate the security of operational technology that we all rely on. We know Coforma will deliver on the critical design vision of Shift5 as a global leader in OT cybersecurity solutions.

Jenny KimHead of ProductShift5

Our Approach

Our user-centered approach first helped us understand what industry professionals wanted from a security product, and then design around their needs.

We conducted human-centered design and user-focused research across multiple OT platforms to inform our design decisions as we set out to create a thoughtful, end-to-end customer experience. We investigated problem areas identified in research priority workshops and conducted user interviews with military and rail industry professionals. Then we created a comprehensive package to address their needs, including marketing materials, brand work, and front-end website and web product development.

Shift5 now has the tools to continue developing product components that are suited to the challenges their customers face, and the business-aligned assets to help them communicate and present their solution.

Assets created to build the design system behind the platform.

Design System

For a trustworthy and consistent experience, we developed a design system that leverages and builds upon Shift5's existing brand and guides users from the learning phase to onboarding to in-depth cyber analytics. This system is alive and growing!

Shift5's company website on the military landing page.

Front-End Website

With a foundation of SEO research and user interviews, we developed guiding principles for Shift5's public-facing website and marketing footprint. We iteratively improved their website, making daily steps towards a more comprehensive communication strategy and visual language.

Gauge cluster dashboard for military vehicle health and alerting.

Gauge Cluster

One of Shift5’s key offerings is Gauge Cluster, an analytics interface where cybersecurity analysts, executives, and vehicle operators can see the most important information for them. We audited the demo build for legibility and design improvements. We also developed future-state concept designs and tested features with a variety of users, iterating on the design. Gauge Cluster has the potential to deliver on-vehicle instructions, real-time cyber awareness, and executive dashboards.