NextDLP was transitioning out of its early startup phase, entering a period of organizational and operational maturity. The company’s investors had brought in experienced leaders, including a new CEO and Head of Product, while much of the founding team remained in place.
Despite its relatively small size, NextDLP had gained strong traction in the market and secured several high-profile customers, creating both opportunity and pressure to scale effectively.
Role:
Consultant, acting Sr.Director of UX
My work with NextDLP focused on filling gaps within the core Product team. The UX design foundation was already fairly solid, reflecting the company’s evolution and growth as it adapted to customer needs.
The founding UX team had provided solid UX consistency, and the (new) Head of Product had established a clear product direction. As a result, my contributions were primarily operational and tactical, ensuring alignment, prioritization, and execution across teams. I was both a people manager, leader and needed hands on in diverse roles.
Delivering value quickly was essential. I engaged directly with both customers and end users, an important distinction. Customers were highly engaged and open, offering both candid feedback (“product therapy”) and forward-looking insights that informed our roadmap discussions.
Part of the journey for NextDLP had been focusing in on what the core offering actually was for the product. The client end point was capable of delivering value in different scenarios. At my arrival the decision had been made to grow the capabilities around both data loss protection and insider risk.
Part of working in the cyber security field, is to understand the technologies and approaches available and the governmental regulation and oversight there is on data privacy and our rights as individuals as employees. You have to spend most of your time listning to ensure you understand enough of the subject matter to provide value.
Accomplishments