PROJECTS
Workflow
Stakeholder Interviews
User flows
Journey Map
Information Architecture
Wireframes
Figma Prototypes
Iterative designs
Team
Product Designer
Product Managers
Engineering Managers
Time
2024
Q1
Product
Sonatype SBOM Manager
Metrics
BUSINESS
$7M+ Pipeline Growth
10 Enterprise Deals Closed
3 Cross-Functional Teams Aligned
Design
MVP Delivered in <3 Months
9+ Stakeholders Interviewed
Unified Design System Adoption
Users didn’t require more files—they needed clarity and trust
Organizations required more than just a place to store Software Bill of Materials (SBOMs); they needed a reliable and secure workflow for requesting, sharing, and reviewing SBOMs across vendors and teams.
Through stakeholder interviews and initial feedback, we discovered that users faced greater challenges with ingestion, visibility and formatting of SBOMs.
Designing fast, secure workflows to unblock compliance
We focused on speed-to-market while ensuring trust and clarity in every interaction. Our goal was to launch a lean MVP that simplified the process for organizations to request, upload, and manage Software Bill of Materials (SBOMs) without technical confusion.
Through iterative sprints, we rapidly prototyped core workflows, including Dashboard view, vendor uploads, and BOM review page. We simplified flows, aligned on compliance terminology, and optimized for clarity across teams.
“The flows are so clean—it’s obvious what action to take, and there’s no guessing.”
— Analyst
To reduce friction, we transitioned from heavy card layouts to a searchable table UI and rephrased ambiguous CTAs like “Export SBOMs” into clearer actions based on internal testing.
Building just enough to validate real user value
To move quickly and learn even faster, we concentrated our MVP on a few high-impact features that could validate real user engagement: the SBOM Dashboard, SBOM upload capability, Bill of Materials page, and basic permission settings.
We deliberately chose to defer more complex features such as automated ingestion, a vendor portal, and audit trails. While users expressed interest in these features, they were not essential for getting started.
“We don’t need every feature right away—just make sharing/storing SBOMs with our vendors not painful.”
— Solutions Architect, Sales Demo Feedback
This sharp focus allowed us to ship in under 3 months, support Lighthouse customers immediately, and give sales a working product to demo and close deals.
Elevating a lightweight MVP into a powerful $7M+ opportunity
The MVP launch of SBOM Manager revealed strong demand for a centralized and secure SBOM sharing platform. Despite a lean feature set, it provided immediate business and user value. We saw quick traction among sales, customer success, and Lighthouse users.
“This MVP gave us something tangible to sell and opened doors with compliance leads at key accounts.” — Enterprise Sales Engineer
