Social Links
Overview
OSINT, B2B, SaaS
Overview
OSINT, B2B, SaaS
Role
Head of Product Design
Role
Head of Product Design
What was done
DesignOps UXR Process Design Strategy Positive Impact on Metrics
What was done
DesignOps UXR Process Design Strategy Positive Impact on Metrics
Audience
Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) Detective and Investigators Corporate Security Cybersecurity Professionals Intelligence Analysts Legal Professionals
Audience
Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) Detective and Investigators Corporate Security Cybersecurity Professionals Intelligence Analysts Legal Professionals
TL;DR
TL;DR
Made CrimeWall easier to adopt and scale. In just 4 months we shipped a refreshed version, cut onboarding time from 3:30 to 1:15, reduced support tickets by 34%, moved design in-house, and slashed design costs by 3x. The feedback from clients was overwhelmingly positive.
Made CrimeWall easier to adopt and scale. In just 4 months we shipped a refreshed version, cut onboarding time from 3:30 to 1:15, reduced support tickets by 34%, moved design in-house, and slashed design costs by 3x. The feedback from clients was overwhelmingly positive.
Context
Context
When I joined SocialLinks, CrimeWall was already helping investigators, private detectives, and government teams uncover tough cases: from crypto scams to drug trafficking and child exploitation. The product worked, the company was growing, but the market was speeding up. Competing only on features wasn’t enough anymore. We needed to be faster and way easier to use.
My role wasn’t just about making pretty screens. I was responsible for shaping design strategy, building the team, and ensuring design directly impacted both product and business outcomes.
When I joined SocialLinks, CrimeWall was already helping investigators, private detectives, and government teams uncover tough cases: from crypto scams to drug trafficking and child exploitation. The product worked, the company was growing, but the market was speeding up. Competing only on features wasn’t enough anymore. We needed to be faster and way easier to use.
My role wasn’t just about making pretty screens. I was responsible for shaping design strategy, building the team, and ensuring design directly impacted both product and business outcomes.
Key
results
Key results
Time to First Success
3:30 → 1:15
Onboarding now is 3x faster
Support Tickets
59/week
↓34%
Engagement Rate
72%
↑12%
Frustration Score
<10%
(UEQ + SUS + UMUX)
Bad Guys Caught
∞
A priceless feeling
What shaped the work
What shaped the work
At that moment, CrimeWall had two big issues. First, the product was powerful but difficult to use. The information architecture was confusing, and new clients could not get started without a personal onboarding session. Sales literally had to walk every user through the tool. We wanted to flip this around and make the product usable even for someone who had never touched OSINT before.
Second, the design team itself was outsourced. We were paying three times more than we should for output that was uneven and detached from the company’s goals. If we wanted design to truly shape the future of CrimeWall, we needed to build that function in house.
And there was one more layer of complexity: research. In OSINT, discovery is not like in other SaaS products. Many users refused to show their identity. Some joined interviews masked or with cameras off. Others kept their feedback short and emotionless, for obvious reasons. Finding ways to collect honest input was a problem of its own.
At that moment, CrimeWall had two big issues. First, the product was powerful but difficult to use. The information architecture was confusing, and new clients could not get started without a personal onboarding session. Sales literally had to walk every user through the tool. We wanted to flip this around and make the product usable even for someone who had never touched OSINT before.
Second, the design team itself was outsourced. We were paying three times more than we should for output that was uneven and detached from the company’s goals. If we wanted design to truly shape the future of CrimeWall, we needed to build that function in house.
And there was one more layer of complexity: research. In OSINT, discovery is not like in other SaaS products. Many users refused to show their identity. Some joined interviews masked or with cameras off. Others kept their feedback short and emotionless, for obvious reasons. Finding ways to collect honest input was a problem of its own.
Task
Task
Create the best in class OSINT tool by making it easier to learn, faster to use, and cheaper to evolve. Prove that design is a lever for product and business results, not only aesthetics.
Goals for the first release
Goals for the first release
Make onboarding self-serve and reduce time to the first successful project.
Fix the information architecture and taxonomy so new users understand what to do without a live guide.
Build a durable design function in house that compounds knowledge and cuts cost.
Ship a refreshed, accessible UI that holds up on low quality monitors used by some field teams.
Set up a continuous discovery loop that works in a sensitive domain.
Make onboarding self-serve and reduce time to the first successful project.
Fix the information architecture and taxonomy so new users understand what to do without a live guide.
Build a durable design function in house that compounds knowledge and cuts cost.
Ship a refreshed, accessible UI that holds up on low quality monitors used by some field teams.
Set up a continuous discovery loop that works in a sensitive domain.
Design strategy
Design strategy
I developed a design strategy that tied directly to product growth and business outcomes.
I started with an assessment of design and process maturity across three levels — operational, tactical, and strategic. This helped us understand where we stood and where we needed to move. Within the first weeks, I mapped out quick wins to show progress early, while also building a long-term roadmap for sustainable growth.
To keep strategy grounded in impact, I introduced a metric tree that defined success beyond “shipping screens.” We tracked time to task completion, adoption rates, feature usage, and support load. This gave us a clear line of sight between design decisions and product outcomes.
I also built a stakeholder map to understand influence and involvement across the company. This ensured design stayed aligned with product, engineering, and business leadership, even during leadership changes.
I developed a design strategy that tied directly to product growth and business outcomes.
I started with an assessment of design and process maturity across three levels — operational, tactical, and strategic. This helped us understand where we stood and where we needed to move. Within the first weeks, I mapped out quick wins to show progress early, while also building a long-term roadmap for sustainable growth.
To keep strategy grounded in impact, I introduced a metric tree that defined success beyond “shipping screens.” We tracked time to task completion, adoption rates, feature usage, and support load. This gave us a clear line of sight between design decisions and product outcomes.
I also built a stakeholder map to understand influence and involvement across the company. This ensured design stayed aligned with product, engineering, and business leadership, even during leadership changes.
Building the team
Building the team
The first thing I did was cut ties with the outsourced designers and hire an in-house team. It was a bold move, but it instantly slashed costs by 3x and gave us the ownership and focus we needed.
From day one, I set up rituals: standups, design reviews, decision logs, and quarterly OKRs. This gave the team direction and connected our work directly to company goals.
The first thing I did was cut ties with the outsourced designers and hire an in-house team. It was a bold move, but it instantly slashed costs by 3x and gave us the ownership and focus we needed.
From day one, I set up rituals: standups, design reviews, decision logs, and quarterly OKRs. This gave the team direction and connected our work directly to company goals.
Discovery in a difficult domain
Discovery in a difficult domain
Since interviews were limited, I created multiple feedback channels: in app surveys, structured interviews when possible, email surveys, and a systematic review of support tickets.
Within weeks, we saw the real picture. The biggest blocker was orientation. New users struggled to create their first project and connect data sources. Without guidance, they were lost.
Since interviews were limited, I created multiple feedback channels: in app surveys, structured interviews when possible, email surveys, and a systematic review of support tickets.
Within weeks, we saw the real picture. The biggest blocker was orientation. New users struggled to create their first project and connect data sources. Without guidance, they were lost.
Fixing the experience
Fixing the experience
We rebuilt the information architecture and simplified the taxonomy. We adjusted the tone of voice, cutting insider jargon. We redesigned the entry point so the first screen clearly led users to create a project, add data, and start investigating.
The results were immediate. A task that used to take three minutes and thirty seconds was reduced to one minute and fifteen seconds.
We rebuilt the information architecture and simplified the taxonomy. We adjusted the tone of voice, cutting insider jargon. We redesigned the entry point so the first screen clearly led users to create a project, add data, and start investigating.
The results were immediate. A task that used to take three minutes and thirty seconds was reduced to one minute and fifteen seconds.
Refreshing the interface
Refreshing the interface
Alongside the structural changes, we refreshed the UI. We modernized the look, improved contrast and spacing, and tuned everything for accessibility, even on low quality monitors that many agencies still use.
Alongside the structural changes, we refreshed the UI. We modernized the look, improved contrast and spacing, and tuned everything for accessibility, even on low quality monitors that many agencies still use.
Enabling growth
Enabling growth
The new architecture did not just make the product easier. It also made it more scalable.
While fixing the basics, we rolled out powerful new features: map based triangulation, astroturfing detection, AI powered media analysis like voice recognition, face recognition, and gun detection.
Thanks to the new design model, these additions slotted in smoothly without overwhelming new users.
The new architecture did not just make the product easier. It also made it more scalable.
While fixing the basics, we rolled out powerful new features: map based triangulation, astroturfing detection, AI powered media analysis like voice recognition, face recognition, and gun detection.
Thanks to the new design model, these additions slotted in smoothly without overwhelming new users.
The outcome
The outcome
Four months later, we shipped the refreshed CrimeWall. Onboarding time dropped from 3:30 to 1:15. Support tickets fell by 34 percent. Clients praised the clarity and speed.
Inside the company, design costs were down 3x, and the new in-house team was thriving. Sales no longer relied on one to one onboarding as the default. And most importantly, we had proven that design could move the needle not just for users, but for the business.
Four months later, we shipped the refreshed CrimeWall. Onboarding time dropped from 3:30 to 1:15. Support tickets fell by 34 percent. Clients praised the clarity and speed.
Inside the company, design costs were down 3x, and the new in-house team was thriving. Sales no longer relied on one to one onboarding as the default. And most importantly, we had proven that design could move the needle not just for users, but for the business.
Lessons learned
Lessons learned
This project taught me that orientation is the first product. If users know what to do in the first minute, adoption follows naturally. It also showed that in sensitive fields, discovery has to be creative. You cannot always rely on face to face interviews, so you need parallel feedback loops.
But the biggest lesson was about design leadership. It is not just about solving UX problems. It is about building the right team, creating processes that stick, and making design a driver of growth in the business.
This project taught me that orientation is the first product. If users know what to do in the first minute, adoption follows naturally. It also showed that in sensitive fields, discovery has to be creative. You cannot always rely on face to face interviews, so you need parallel feedback loops.
But the biggest lesson was about design leadership. It is not just about solving UX problems. It is about building the right team, creating processes that stick, and making design a driver of growth in the business.
Key
results
Key results
Time to First Success
3:30 → 1:15
Onboarding now is 3x faster
Support Tickets
59/week
↓34%
Engagement Rate
72%
↑12%
Frustration Score
<10%
(UEQ + SUS + UMUX)
Bad Guys Caught
∞
A priceless feeling