As cyber threats continue to multiply and evolve, so do opportunities for cybersecurity pros developing ways to combat them. If you aren’t paying special attention to user experience (UX), though, even the best solutions may not gain traction with your customers.
Here’s what we’ve learned about prioritizing UX and making secure operations more accessible to your clients.
Making sure users can navigate your platforms easily is one of the most crucial ways to level up your performance. Users everywhere now expect intuitive experiences that engage them quickly and simplify processes so they feel less overwhelmed. This is even more important when you’re marketing a solution they need, but may not fully understand.
A recent Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) survey of 608 security professionals found that 72% reported end user experience being a top concern for customers seeking solutions. Three other findings stood out in the survey:
63% reported that the richness of security features is a top concern.
62% said solution cost is a top concern.
52% reported finding a complete SASE solution from one vendor is a top concern.
In addition to creating a clear and consistent website or app layout, make sure it loads quickly on all devices, especially mobile. This leaves a more positive impression on your visitors and improves your overall UX.
Look into metrics such as Core Web Vitals, Time to First Byte, and DNS lookup speed to pinpoint where things need to be optimized. Consider using tools like Pingdom or Google PageSpeed Insights to identify what you can change to improve web performance. Both are available for free.
Find opportunities to communicate and engage with micro-interactions. These are task-based feedback or responses to user actions that provide subtle cues about how to use a product.
Micro-interactions you’ve probably seen include:
Progress bars to indicate loading times.
Autocomplete suggestions when you’re using a search bar.
The three dots that appear when another person is typing a response.
In the wake of the pandemic, Tech Target Principal Analyst John Grady explains that most organizations found their security infrastructure couldn’t support a remote workforce, “so that's when SASE really took off and has become more of a critical need over the last 24 months.“
Integrating multiple-point solutions for emerging problems is quickly becoming untenable, especially as more teams and resources are scattered geographically. Because of this, finding ways to optimize connectivity and manage security consistently from a central location is becoming more of a priority.
Converging networks and security on the cloud is no easy task. Because of the perceived difficulty and costs, Grady says many organizations still “have on-premises secure web gateways with VPN concentrators and network firewalls.” He adds, “When you think about it, it's a lot of tools, and a lot of those capabilities are still on premises.”
Secure Service Edge (SSE) solutions are serving as a bridge for organizations working toward convergence without the network connectivity aspect.
Enterprise Strategy Group surveyed 390 IT and security professionals at midmarket and enterprise organizations in the U.S. and Canada to evaluate SSE’s growing importance in paving the way for fully converged solutions. For 72% of respondents, opting for SSE solutions was the most reasonable first step. Only 4% opted for starting with a fully converged SASE approach.
Security Magazine breaks down key differences between SSE and SASE this way: “SSE only converges security functions, like secure web gateway (SWG), cloud access security broker (CASB), data loss prevention (DLP) and zero trust network access (ZTNA). It takes the connectivity factor — the SD-WAN and other networking functions — out of the equation, offering convergence at a different level than SASE.”