The Challenge

How Cloud Changed Internet Infrastructure

Back in the ‘80s if you were creating a website, you might run it on a server in your basement. With cloud infrastructure, rather than having to own all the machinery and equipment, you can just pay for what you use in data centers across the world.

⚠️ IBM released a brand new suite of cloud infrastructure called Virtual Private Cloud (VPC). However, gaps in our networking services are making potential customers hesitant to choose IBM Cloud for to host their critical applications and workloads.

Research

IBM Cloud Networking Workshop

The product manager and I gathered 30+ IBM Cloud Networking PMs and subject matter experts to do an Enterprise Design Thinking workshop to crowdsource all the customer feedback and pain points gathered over time, across teams.

Interviews

Simultaneously, our UX researcher Anna Obikane conducted interviews with 8 external engineers who work on providing networking infrastructures at enterprises in highly regulated industries.

We learned that engineers in highly regulated industries…

• …need private app-to-app connection on cloud.

  • IBM Cloud only offered a fragmented experience of using CIS and VPN across the internet, but that is neither efficient nor up to their security standards.

  • “I’m embarrassed I don’t have a better story for my customers” - Networking PM.

  • Customers only needed application connectivity, did not want to spend $$$ on connecting entire infrastructures.

  • Interviewees want private by default settings.

• …want to be able to set up connections by themselves (DIY experience).

  • IBM Cloud required customers to use their consulting services in order to complete the connecting processes

  • Interviewees expressed wanting to allow application teams to request/configure their own cloud-based environments

• …value transparency and visibility of status when completing complex processes during setup.

The Big Question

❓ How might we design an app-to-app networking solution on IBM Cloud that’s easy to use, transparent in process, and up to privacy standards?

Understanding the Users

The Provider vs. The Consumer

There are two personas within highly regulated industries:

1. The consumer, who needs to privately connect to an application

2. The provider, who receives connection requests for their application

Both are typically cloud admins, network engineers, but on different teams or a different companies.

Design

Competitor Pain Points

⛔️ AWS: Little to No Guidance

There is little to no guidance during and after a consumer creates. AWS also lacks any explanation for what to expect next.

✅ IBM Cloud: Guidance Where the Consumer Needs It

As you request connection to a service, the consumer can preview what to expect during the app connection process.

✅ IBM Cloud: Progress Tracking

Tracking progress isn't just great for Domino's pizza delivery— it's also great for consumers awaiting private app connection to stay in-the-know.

✅ IBM Cloud: Secure, Automated Approval Policies for Providers

Originally an idea I wrote on a sticky note, providers can set policies to automatically accept, reject, or manually review connection requests from specific accounts.

High-Fidelity Designs

Unmoderated Usability Testing

Outcomes

• Development started in Nov 2022 🎉

• In production since 2023 🎉