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HACKNITE
Designing for growth: How a user-friendly platform secured HackYeah 2025 for a CTF Startup
Timeline
March 2024 - May 2024
Role
UX/UI Designer
Team
1x UX/UI Designer
1x Full-stack developer
Project context
A fresh and modern take on a Catch The Flag (CTF) hosting platform for cybersecurity workshops and competitions. The project started from scratch with the goal of being a user-friendly product designed for both experienced hackers and cybersecurity newcomers.
Impact
A user-centric design led to a successful launch and helped secure a major partnership for future growth
I turned my unique knowledge gap into a strength, enabling a focused and efficient process for an on-time launch.
Deep user research created a product that truly met their needs and ensured a smooth, collaborative handoff to the developer.
Links
THE PROBLEM
Launching a user-friendly product
The core problem was to design and launch a complete product from the ground up that could be used to host cybersecurity competitions and workshops.
While the business goal was clear — to launch quickly and serve as a platform for major conferences, I faced a significant challenge: making a complicated technical product feel intuitive for users with varying levels of cybersecurity knowledge.
01
Launching a complex technical product
The primary challenge was designing and launching an end-to-end platform for cybersecurity competitions from the ground up. The goal was to launch quickly to meet business needs.
02
Designing for a beginner, and experts
A significant hurdle was making a technically complex product intuitive for users with varying levels of cybersecurity knowledge. I had to design a product that was simple and easy for newcomers to understand, while still being functional for experienced hackers.
03
Focusing on the Minimum Viable Product (MVP)
I faced the challenge of intentionally limiting the scope of the initial product. To ensure a quick launch, I had to focus only on the core user flows and fundamental features necessary, avoiding the temptation to build a large, complex platform from the start.
Ideation for starting point
THE PROCESS
Turning a challenge into a superpower
My process began with a unique challenge: I had zero knowledge of cybersecurity and CTFs. However, I recognized this as an opportunity. I created accounts on competitor platforms and participated in various challenges to understand the user journey from the perspective of a true beginner. This experience gave me a unique vantage point, allowing me to focus on creating simple, logical flows with clear instructions that were easy for any new user to understand.
After my initial research and competitor analysis, I focused on designing the core user flows needed for a Minimum Viable Product (MVP). We intentionally avoided large, complex features at the start to ensure a quick launch, focusing on the fundamentals needed to successfully host our first conference.
Research & Immersion
Competitor analysis
User Journeys
Pain point identification
Defining the MVP
Feature prioritization
Scope limitation
Designing Core Flows
Wireframing
Simplifying complex tasks
Iterative Collaboration
Component-based design
Weekly sync-ups
Frictionless handoff
My biggest challenge was my own knowledge gap, but I turned it into a strength. By designing for a beginner like myself, I was able to ensure that complex tasks were broken down into simple steps, making the platform highly accessible.
Screen with tasks for a user taking part in the CTF competition
Clear navigation
For a newcomer, a CTF platform can feel overwhelming and intimidating. The sheer volume of technical jargon and complex tasks can create a high barrier to entry. Ensured that users always knew where they were, what they could do, and how to get to the next step, making the complex world of cybersecurity feel accessible and welcoming.
The account dashboard is well-organized, offering users control while ensuring that it isn’t overwhelming.
USER FLOW
Designing for the challenge creator: simplifying a complex process
The user experience for competitors was just one part of the equation. To make the platform a success, we also had to design a user-friendly experience for the administrators who would be creating and managing challenges. This process is inherently technical and complex, involving multiple settings, services, and configurations.
Recognizing that many administrators might not be full-time developers, I applied the same principle of "designing for a beginner" to this flow. Instead of presenting a single, overwhelming form, I broke down the challenge creation process into five logical, bite-sized steps. This made a daunting task feel manageable and intuitive, minimizing errors and ensuring a smooth workflow for our clients.
Below, you can see how I broke down this flow into five simple steps.
THE OUTCOME
A successful launch and continued growth
My methodical approach paid off with a successful product launch. The design was well-received, and the platform performed flawlessly.
01
A successful launch
The platform successfully helped organize a CTF competition for students, providing the tasks and hosting the competition with great user feedback.
02
Continued growth
The launch was just the beginning. The platform is continuing to grow and has secured a major partnership with Unshade to organize a CTF event during HackYeah 2025, a testament to the product’s quality and scalability.
03
A smooth hand-off
My focus on clear, logical flows and collaboration ensured a quick, frictionless hand-off to the developer, leading to positive feedback and a successful launch.
RETROSPECTIVE
I leveraged a user-centric design approach to turn a knowledge gap into a superpower, designing an intuitive platform that secured a major conference partnership.
Faced with building a user-friendly platform for a technical industry, I leveraged a hands-on research approach to design a highly intuitive product. My process streamlined the launch, validated the product, and led to a key conference partnership.
01
Product impact
My user-centric design approach resulted in a highly intuitive and accessible product. By focusing on the perspective of a beginner, I was able to simplify complex cybersecurity tasks and validate the product's usability, leading to a successful launch and strong adoption. This design work directly contributed to the business's growth by helping to secure a major event partnership at HackYeah 2025.
02
Process impact
As the sole designer, my process was built on a unique strength: I turned my initial lack of cybersecurity knowledge into an advantage. This enabled me to focus on designing a true MVP with clear, simple user flows. It was a direct, efficient approach that streamlined our workflow and ensured we stayed on track for a quick and successful launch.
03
People impact
My hands-on research (by actually participating in challenges) allowed me to understand the user's perspective on a much deeper level, resulting in a product that truly met their needs. My process also created a smooth, collaborative relationship with the developer, allowing us to build the entire product with a clear direction and a unified vision.
