Launching 2 new cloud security products & AI explorations at Google
Role
UX Interaction Designer
Team
Google Cloud Security
Duration
Sep 2022 – Dec 2023
Summary
I led UX design for two enterprise-grade cloud security tools—Privileged Access Manager (PAM) and Parameter Manager—from concept to private preview. These products were built to protect sensitive systems through time-bound access and secure configuration management.
I also improved the consistency of tagging workflows and explored how GenAI could streamline complex security tasks.
My role
I was the lead designer on these projects, responsible for shaping end-to-end UX strategy, aligning stakeholders, and delivering prototypes and specifications from concept through private preview.
My work wasn’t about designing screens in isolation; it was about aligning product, engineering, and partner teams across time zones to unblock progress, simplify complex systems, and build patterns that scale.
My approach
At Google, speed alone wasn’t enough. My process often looked like this:
Start with context: Read product docs, internal RFCs, and audit reports
Map unknowns: Frame technical scope with PMs and engineers
Design and simplify workflows: Collaborate on design explorations, edge cases, and prototypes
Validate early: Work with researchers to test usability and expectations
Build alignment: Facilitate workshops to align on UX, technical feasibility, and compliance
Iterate quickly: Move from mockups to polished prototypes to unblock engineering
The challenge
Enterprise security isn’t just about user needs, it’s about mitigating risk across thousands of users and systems, compliance, and audits. These were new security products with no playbook within Google, requiring close collaboration, adaptability, and resilience through two organizational level restructures.
This work is protected under NDA
I can't share specific screens or business details, but I’ve included key takeaways, my contribution and publically available information. Want to learn more? Let’s connect.
Project 1
🔒 Privileged Access Manager
Project Goal
Enterprises needed to reduce standing access risks through a secure, request-based, time-bound access system with clear audit trails and approval chains.
What I Did
I led UX from the ground up, designing end-to-end journeys for access requests, approvals, escalations, and audits. I partnered closely with security PMs and engineers to map out complex scenarios like fallback logic, expired access handling, and breakdown points in approval chains.
I built prototypes, facilitated testing with stakeholders, and iterated through feedback cycles ahead of private preview. Throughout two organizational restructures, I ensured continuity and alignment.
Impact
Designs were LGTM’d in the first review, enabling rapid engineering alignment
Launched in Private Preview for enterprise customers
Project 2
⚙️ Parameter Manager
Project Goal
DevOps teams needed a way to manage runtime configs (YAML, JSON, env variables) securely and independently of code, especially for multi-region deployment environments.
What I Did
I led UX from concept, research to delivery, designing editor flows for creating, referencing, and reverting parameters.
I worked closely with engineering leads to ensure parity between UI and CLI workflows, aligning patterns with Google’s Secret Manager team. My goal was to create a scalable system that could serve as a baseline for future product growth.
impact
Parameter Manager shipped in Private Preview
My design structure became the product's baseline for future scaling
🔗 Docs →
Project 3
🏷️ Tags
Project Goal
We needed to improve tagging workflows, ensure consistent implementation from partner teams, and add more features to match growing business needs.
My Contribution
I led usability testing across internal and external teams, identified key gaps, and designed two new features to improve tagging workflows.
I consulted with partner teams to ensure consistent application of tagging logic across both UI and CLI tools. I also developed multiple POCs to demonstrate how tagging workflows could scale across use cases.
impact
Released 2 new features to Tag functionality and consulted partner teams in integration
Partner teams reused UX patterns created by me. 🔗 Tags Docs →
Project 4
🧠 Gen-AI Explorations
Project Goal
During the company-wide effort to test and train Google Bard (pre-Gemini), We had a unique opportunity to explore how this new technology could be applied directly to our customers' most difficult security challenges.
What I did
I designed and prototyped AI-powered demos, including a chatbot to guide users through PAM policy setup and natural language prompts to help users navigate tagging workflows. These prototypes showcased how AI could dramatically improve usability for complex admin tasks.
Impact
The demos successfully showcased the potential of AI to dramatically improve the user experience
The turnaround time & quality of the execution were recognized with a Bonus from leadership
The difference it made
Product
Launched 2 new cloud security products from scratch to Private Preview
Improved tagging workflows
Created AI concepts across security tools
team
Unblocked engineering by getting designs approved quickly
Aligned PMs, engineers, and researchers and partner teams across US–India time zones
Process
Simplified internal reviews by moving away from presentations to realistic prototypes with implementation-ready specs
Uday possesses a rare combination of technical expertise and deep user empathy. He excels at translating complex security concepts into intuitive and engaging user experiences. This was clearly evident in Uday's work on numerous important projects. His ability to simplify the product user journeys while focusing on business objectives was truly commendable.
ALEX ROZENBERG, Head of UX, Zero Trust @Google
What I learned
🎯 Designing at scale while embracing constraints
I learned to work within complex technical, legal, and organizational boundaries
🤝 Collaboration is about alignment, not just input
Partnering with teams across time zones, disciplines, and product surfaces taught me the value of structured communication and shared language.
📣 Overcommunication is a skill
At a company like Google, clarity doesn’t just happen — you earn it. I learned to articulate design rationale early, often, and consistently to build momentum and trust.