Meet Lifeguard

I led the end-to-end SaaS UX/UI design for an AI security startup, driving growth and five-star reviews.

The redesigned Lifeguard desktop protection dashboard
The redesigned Lifeguard mobile protection dashboard

Overview

The client approached me with an early-stage AI product spanning a web app, browser extension, and mobile app, but the experience lacked structure, cohesion, and a clear design direction. I stepped in to lead the full design strategy, redefining the brand and product experience from the ground up.

Full-length capture of the redesigned Lifeguard marketing landing page
Redesigned Lifeguard web app dashboard with protections and setup checklist
Lifeguard web app dashboard showing protection events and family activity
Brendan did a fantastic job helping us on a myriad of various design projects as we launched our company. He was an excellent communicator and really spent the time digging into our product so he could not only design, but provide insightful feedback about flows and product features. He did a really great job making a unified experience from web to mobile to apps and it was a huge step forward in our overall project’s design.
Portrait of Kevin M.Kevin M.Co-Founder, Lifeguard ($1.3M raised)

Landing & marketing assets

I designed the marketing site into a polished startup presence, developed scalable pSEO templates, and designed onboarding that made complex security feel clear.

The redesigned Lifeguard landing page with a product-led hero and refined brand presenceAfterThe original Lifeguard landing page with a generic illustration-led hero
Landing page redesign · drag to compare
Full-length capture of the redesigned Lifeguard pricing page
Full-length capture of the redesigned Lifeguard about page

Simplifying family onboarding

I designed a clear invite and onboarding flow that helped customers quickly add and protect less technical family members. Every step, state, and edge case was considered to keep the experience simple and reassuring.

Lifeguard web app invite landing screen asking the user to join a family team
Invite landing
Lifeguard account creation card with the inviting family member’s avatar for context
Account creation
Calm loading state while joining the family team
Joining state
Welcome card confirming the user has joined their family’s protection team
Welcome moment
Trial-mode getting-started page with breach results and next protection steps
First steps on trial
Expired invite screen offering a one-tap way to request a new invite
Expired-invite recovery

Making security setup easier

I transformed complex security tasks into simple, guided checklists. Live phone previews showed users what each protection feature would do, reducing jargon and uncertainty during setup.

Lifeguard setup checklist state 1 with a live phone preview of the protection being enabled
Lifeguard setup checklist state 2 with a live phone preview of the protection being enabled
Lifeguard setup checklist state 3 with a live phone preview of the protection being enabled
The Lifeguard event-card design system: seven categories of dashboard activity cards, from loading and completion to threats and system issues
Behind the activity feed: a full event-card system with seven categories of activity and one consistent voice
Redesigned Lifeguard dashboard with clear protection states and friendly hierarchyAfterOriginal Lifeguard Protections screen with plain toggles and sparse hierarchy
Protections dashboard · drag to compare
Redesigned Scam Check screen with approachable actions and clearer historyAfterOriginal Scam Check screen with outlined utility buttons and dense history list
Scam Check · drag to compare

Microinteractions and motion

I refined existing UIs, introduced thoughtful microinteractions, and built a system of custom animations across landing pages, splash screens, and onboarding carousels that made the AI feel more approachable.

Full flows, end to end

Dark Web Monitoring, from raw data to reassurance

Redesigned Dark Web Monitoring flow with plain-language results and friendly pacingAfterOriginal Dark Web Monitoring screen with raw timestamps and dense stats
Dark Web Monitoring · drag to compare
Full-length redesigned Dark Web Monitoring mobile flow

A transparent upgrade experience

I designed explorations for a paywall flow that built trust rather than pressuring users. Clear pricing, billing timelines, and reminder messaging helped users understand exactly what they were signing up for before upgrading.

Lifeguard trial paywall screen offering the full product free with no payment due today
The offer: free, up front
Screen reassuring users they will be reminded before the free trial ends
A promised reminder
Screen walking through the 14-day trial timeline day by day before asking to start
The timeline, spelled out

Shipped to the stores

App Store assets that convert browsers

  • Lifeguard App Store screenshot 1
  • Lifeguard App Store screenshot 2
  • Lifeguard App Store screenshot 3
  • Lifeguard App Store screenshot 4
  • Lifeguard App Store screenshot 5
  • Lifeguard App Store screenshot 6
  • Lifeguard App Store screenshot 7
  • Lifeguard App Store screenshot 8

Results

After our collaboration, the product shifted from a rough prototype to a cohesive, trust-driven platform with a strong design foundation and clearly articulated user flows.

The company gained clarity in its design direction, stronger alignment between brand and product, and a scalable system for future growth. The improved experience contributed to increased user acquisition and dozens of five-star app ratings, reinforcing user trust and validating the impact of thoughtful UX/UI design.

The team described my design leadership as thoughtful and impactful, noting that the quality and care embedded into every interaction put them in a significantly stronger position, both in product maturity and market perception.

Really appreciate the thoughtful response and your great attitude about everything. Your work has been fantastic and has made a huge difference for us. The quality and care you put into everything really shows, and we’re in a much better place because of it.
Portrait of Austin H.Austin H.Co-Founder, Lifeguard ($1.3M raised)