Creating an Intuitive Mobile VPN

Founded in 1988, F-Secure is a Finnish cybersecurity company that provides privacy and security software to customers and clients around the world. The company came to us in 2014 with an ancillary application they were going to offer their customer base—a flexible VPN solution that could be modified based on a user’s needs. Because security and VPN solutions are sometimes complex and unapproachable, our key challenge was making sure users understood the value of the product.

Opportunity
To create a flexible VPN solution that could be modified based on a user’s needs, and as security and VPN solutions are sometimes complex and unapproachable, our key challenge was making sure users understood the value of the product.

Outcome
We created an application that allows the user to change security levels on their device based on specific needs at any given time, while graphically displaying the level of security in an intuitive, easy-to-digest way. The application has more installs than any other F-Secure product.

The focus on the end-users brought in the results

To help deliver a user-friendly solution for the general public, we conducted participatory workshops, surveys, interviews and diary studies in the US, UK, Germany and Finland. These studies helped us make more informed decisions with the user interface, the overall branding and messaging surrounding the application.

Together, we created Freedome—an application that allows the user to change security levels on their device based on specific needs at any given time, while graphically displaying the level of security in an intuitive, easy-to-digest way. The application gives a user unlimited bandwidth and the ability to surf public wi-fi carefree without exposing their private information to hackers or advertisers while also eliminating pop-up ads. While the product was intended to be a functional addition to their product portfolio, the application ended up having more installs than any other F-Secure product.