E-waste: From Trash to Treasure

🚀 Redefining an Industry: Tasked with transforming a traditionally opaque industry, Securaze sought my expertise to design their products for their global expansion into North America, and Asia. As the first designer to leave an indelible mark in this industry, I embraced the challenge of creating a brand, product, and experience vision on a global scale. Amidst a market devoid of design standards, I pioneered new conventions, usability patterns, and UX logic, establishing a competitive edge for Securaze.

Since we are dealing with reducing e-waste, the company motto of 'Raze, Reduce, Reuse.' was wholehartedly applied within the design work. Careful consideration was given to how, where, and by whom the software would be used. The design system was created with keyboard input and shortcuts in mind, thus increasing ease of use for operators without a mouse, as well as adhering to accessibility guidelines. I created components and, together with the CTO, implemented a new modular way of developing them. Whenever possible, we opted for a dark theme using 100% black to save energy on OLED screens. When in use, thousands of OLED phones consistently operate at 60 to 100% brightness. Therefore, we can expect a potential reduction in energy consumption of 9% to 39% per device.

The challenge in the Securaze project lay in revolutionizing an inherently opaque industry—data security. Often operating outside the public eye, this sector had shown minimal interest in incorporating design principles and capitalizing on their benefits. As Securaze aimed for global expansion, particularly in Europe, North America, and Asia, they recognized the critical need for a comprehensive design strategy across brand, product, and user experience. The absence of design standards within the industry presented a unique opportunity for me to be the pioneer in setting benchmarks. Navigating through uncharted territories, I not only crafted a distinct visual identity but also established new conventions, usability patterns, and UX logic, transforming challenges into competitive advantages for Securaze within an industry traditionally resistant to design innovation.

EasyID system

Through my research, I understood that one fo the biggest issues operators had, was finding the right device whenever there is an error or any type of manual input required. Therefor I came up with a system called EasyID. This system is unique to Securaze; it's owned and patented by Securaze.

It constitutes a letter & number tag inside the app for each device, that is also displayed on the device's screen. Moreover, each USB hub is assigned a letter, and each wire connected to device has a sticker attached with the corresponding number displayed on the device screen.

The design process for Securaze unfolded as a strategic journey encompassing meticulous research, innovative thinking, and a commitment to transforming the industry landscape. Beginning with a comprehensive exploration of the data security sector and its unique challenges, I collaborated closely with stakeholders and operators to understand intricacies and pain points. From there, a structured approach emerged, involving the creation of a Notion document detailing every element and function of the app.

1. Industry Pioneer: Securaze's design initiative revolutionized the data security sector, breaking through industry norms and establishing the brand as a pioneer in innovative design practices.
2. Global Impact: The design strategy seamlessly aligned with Securaze's global expansion goals, propelling the brand into international markets while evolving its identity.
3. Distinctive Competitive Edge: By introducing new conventions and UX logic, the project bestowed Securaze with distinctive competitive advantages, setting it apart in a sector lacking design standards.
4. Operational Efficiency: Innovative features like the 'EasyID System' and 'Hub Setup' streamlined device processing, enhancing operational efficiency and contributing to an intuitive user experience.
5. Cyber-Minimalism Excellence: Guided by the Cyber-Minimalistic design philosophy, the project not only improved aesthetics but also ensured functional, futuristic, and user-centric products, aligning with Securaze's visionary outlook.

‍