Designing for Cybersecurity Power Users with Tom Keenoy

Ever wonder what it’s like to design enterprise cybersecurity software? Tom Keenoy, a design leader for a cybersecurity company, explains why what you learned in design school may not apply when you’re building software for specialized power users (think: security analysts, IT administrators, devops).

How do you get up-to-speed when designing for complex domains like cybersecurity?How do you adapt your design process for enterprise power users (spoiler: stripping away information isn’t always the right answer)?How to prioritize when “everyone wants to build all the cool things.”Why Tom thinks much of a designer’s job is “de-risking.”The most important skills designers need to be successful in building enterprise security software.

Tom Keenoy is a design leader who loves building technical products for power users. At various points in his career he’s been a designer, an educator, an engineer, a product manager, and a startup founder. He’s currently leading a design team at a cybersecurity company and advising growth stage startups to help right-size their UX and product design programs.