Building an AI-powered data pipelines platform for a cyber security startup

When I joined Tenzir, it was an early-stage challenger in a market controlled by a well-funded incumbent. The platform was a feature-limited alpha, while the main competitor, Cribl, already held significant market share with over 100x the ARR.

The core challenge was to translate Tenzir's architectural superiority into tangible user value. While the market leader offered a complex suite of fragmented tools, Tenzir provided a unified open-source solution. My objective was to design an interface that proved this unified approach was not just more powerful, but significantly easier to use.

When I took over as Design Lead, the platform was a robust engineering tool but raw and intimidating for non-experts. My mission was to bridge the gap to a market-ready SaaS application.

To achieve modern enterprise standards, I grounded design decisions in continuous user research with SecOps teams. We prioritized features that established a clear mental model, introducing a unified user dashboard, system diagnostics, and a modular package library. We refined the interaction layer with keyboard shortcuts and improved workspace handling, while reducing cognitive load through distinct system feedback like toasts, tooltips, and educational empty states. Combined with custom icons and responsive layout, this user-validated approach transformed the platform into a structured, intuitive workflow tool.

To truly compete with the incumbent, we needed to simplify and enhance the product functionality even further. This strategic decision was directly informed by feedback from product demos for new potential clients and user feedback.

The centerpiece of this strategy was the Data Fabric, an AI-powered visual pipeline builder. We evolved the interaction model to support a hybrid workflow: a drag-and-drop interface working in sync with the code editor. A key feature was the integration of a MCP server, which drastically reduced setup time for new data sources through AI acceleration.

To ensure consistency throughout the app for the frontend team and for corporate communication, I built a comprehensive 30-page Design System in Figma. This unified library accelerated the development cycle and enabled faster frontend development with Claude.

Extending this visual identity beyond the product, I collaborated with the founder to reimagine the company website, evolving it from a basic landing page into a multi-layered SaaS platform with a dedicated sales funnel. To empower the sales team, I also produced high-fidelity collateral, including solution briefs and investor decks.