A secure communication platform for critical organisations
2022 - PRESENT · PRIVATE DISCUSS · B2B PLATFORM
Introduction
Private Discuss is a secure communication and collaboration platform built for organisations working in sensitive environments, including government, energy, defence, finance, healthcare and other critical industries.
I joined the product alongside another designer and became the sole product designer after he left. Over the following four years, I continued to evolve the platform, designing new features, improving existing experiences and gradually modernising the overall interface.
The goal was to help a mature B2B product keep up with the expectations set by tools like Teams and Zoom, while respecting the familiarity and reliability that existing users depended on.
The Problem
Private Discuss had grown significantly over time, but its interface had not evolved at the same pace. As new features were introduced, the experience became increasingly dated and harder to keep visually consistent.
At the same time, we were competing with products like Teams and Zoom, where a modern, polished interface had become an expected part of the experience. The product needed to feel current and competitive without losing the familiarity of the organisations already using it.
This was particularly important for our users. Many worked in sectors where people use the same tools for years and become familiar with exactly where things are. The existing card-based structure and familiar workflows might not have looked modern, but users knew how to use them.
The challenge was therefore not to start again, but to modernise a mature product without making it unfamiliar.
Solution
I approached the product as something to evolve rather than replace. The card structure, core navigation and established workflows stayed, while everything around them became clearer and more contemporary.
The homepage was the starting point. Every tool needed to remain accessible, so the challenge was about structure rather than subtraction. I separated personal shortcuts from platform tools, tightened the grid and introduced a clearer hierarchy across the fifteen tools that had accumulated over time.
That approach became a foundation for the rest of the product. I applied the same thinking as I designed and evolved video conferencing, messaging, webinars, administration and encryption setup, as well as later experiences for the mobile apps and a version of Private Discuss built for the Neat Pad, the wall-mounted touchscreen used to start and manage meetings.
Results
Four years in, I'm still the only designer on the product, and every feature I've worked on has gone through the same design process.
The product now spans desktop, mobile and meeting room hardware, and the work has been well received internally, including by the CTO and management.
It's still ongoing. The platform continues to expand, and I continue to evolve the product without losing the familiarity that existing users rely on.
Mobile apps, designed alongside the desktop platform
End-to-end encryption setup, made legible for non-technical users
Private Discuss on Neat Pad, the wall-mounted meeting-room screen