DUO MOBILE AS TRUSTED
Simplifying Authentication to Improve Adoption and Lower Support Overhead
To access work applications and documents, end-users must first authenticate on their mobile devices using a feature called Duo Mobile as Trusted. However, authentication workflows varied by device and security policy, creating unpredictability.
This inconsistency overwhelmed IT help desks with support tickets, frustrated end users, and eroded customer confidence—ultimately leading to subscription attrition.
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Impact: By implementing a simplified authentication experience, we improved adoption, strengthened customer retention, and eased help desk burden.
Role
Senior Product Designer (UX), Design Lead
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Duration
14 weeks
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Team (In-house product design team)
2 Jr. Product Designers, Product Management, Engineering​​
Deliverables
UX Brief
User flows & wireframes
Prototype
Research findings doc
Mockups
Design documentation
Components
Phab Stories/Tasks
Customers struggled with complex end-user flows
We took a step back to understand the full picture—how each workflow was presented to end users and the technology behind them. Three main issues became clear: too many steps, unclear instructions, and unpredictable edge cases. These challenges frustrated customers and created a significant strain on help desk teams.
“We've struggled to provide clarity to customers and they in turn have struggled to have predictability.”
— Manu Anand, Product Manager
Mapping out the multiple workflows and edge cases showed us how messy things were. It was here we learned about the main challenges our users face.
Activities & outputs
Stakeholder interviews, Identify business goals, Research user needs, Define scope, Write UX Design Brief
Flipping the script on a business problem
This complexity was creating headaches for help desk teams—but the impact went beyond support tickets. It was eroding customer confidence. We heard directly from customers that the friction their users experienced led them to question the value of the product, and in some cases, even downgrade their subscriptions.
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I believed that if we solved the root user experience issues, we could create a ripple effect. Better UX would rebuild trust at the business level, increase adoption, and shift the narrative. We had a chance to flip the script—and win new customers!
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Knowing all this, we workshopped on solutions—but first we needed to work on our team collaboration.
Speedbump! We needed a shared vocabulary before we could start
The Engineering team hadn’t previously worked closely with designers, so we took time upfront to build shared understanding of our processes. Early on, there were some tensions as we worked through differences in priorities—particularly around balancing speed of delivery with user experience. But by creating space for open dialogue and aligning on shared goals, we were able to shift toward more collaborative problem-solving.
Before we could truly begin work, we had to establish an operating model with our engineering partners. This required a fair amount of discussion and navigating differences.
Activities & outputs
Team icebreaker, operating model discussions, ongoing rapport throughout project lifespan
Collaborative workshopping helped us gain consensus
I led whiteboard solutions to map out an improved flow while tackling edge cases. In the process, we reduced the number of workflows by 50%. This streamlining made the experience more predictable and consistent, helping build customer trust. Fewer workflows also meant fewer edge cases, reducing implementation complexity and making it easier for help desk teams to support end users.
Virtual whiteboarding sessions were messy at times—but eventually led us to agreement so we could move forward.
We reduced the number of workflows from six to three, a 50% reduction in complexity.
Activities & outputs
Workshopping / whiteboarding, User flows, Wireframes
Prototyping and testing gave us the green light
Building a prototype and testing with customers from various industries let us see how the new experience was received "in the wild." End users found the flow seamless, with just enough UI feedback to confirm success. We synthesized our findings as a team, identifying areas for final refinements before launch.
“This felt pretty fast—the feedback was just enough to know that it worked.”
— Customer end-user
Synthesizing feedback from research sessions in Mural helped us know we were on the right track. We also saw areas for improvement that were refined for launch.
Activities & outputs
Prototyping, 10 Customer interviews, Synthesis, Findings doc
Bringing it all together: visual design, accessibility, and handoff
With insights in hand, we made final refinements and applied Duo’s visual design system—contributing back new patterns and components along the way. Accessibility is baked into Duo’s design process, so we ensured our work met (or exceeded) expectations. We documented everything clearly for Engineering, setting up a smooth handoff. Through regular check-ins and ad hoc touchpoints, we helped maintain design quality throughout development. All of this led up to launch.
We applied Duo's visual design system to screens as we prepared to document the design and new patterns/components.
Activities & outputs
Mockups, Design handoff documentation, Components, Design QA
Launch: Adoption up, burden down
Once the simplified Duo Mobile as Trusted workflow was launched and socialized, we stayed close to customers to gather feedback as they rolled it out.
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We heard of several key successes from the field:
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Help desk burden decreased – The new flow resolved the prior complexity making it easier to remediate any end-user issues.​
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Adoption improved and customer retention strengthened – With a more predictable, transparent experience, customers felt more confident rolling out the feature.
Script flipped! After launch, we added a number of high profile companies to our customer roster.
What we learned defined how we designed what came next
By partnering closely with Product Management and sharing our findings, we not only shaped how this feature was implemented, but also influenced how future features would be designed.​
For example, our findings helped shape broader product strategies, including:
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Prioritizing simplicity in our technology
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Centering content around human language
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Integrating visual cues and assistive guidance
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Making content actionable
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Embedding help directly in the user flow
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Leveraging automation thoughtfully to minimize manual effort
Conclusion & reflection
Seeing the positive impact after launch reinforced the success of our efforts. As a feature team, we went on to develop several more products and features, most notably Duo Desktop. The strong working relationships we built with our Engineering and Product partners only made us more effective in future projects.
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Looking back, one key lesson stands out—I would have involved Engineering more often in our workshopping phase. Success would have been smoother had we integrated them into our process earlier. It would have established a shared working vocabulary from the outset.
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