Modernising Desktop VPN Experience for 3M+ Users
A strategic design approach to transform ExpressVPN's desktop application for improved usability and competitive positioning
I designed a unified single-window desktop experience that modernises ExpressVPN's interface for 3M+ users across Windows and Mac platforms. Through strategic benchmarking and integration of platform guidelines, I transformed the fragmented, multi-window approach into a streamlined and accessible design, achieving an 80% preference from user validation.
Senior Product Designer
2023
Privacy & Security
Challenge
ExpressVPN's desktop application faced a critical competitive disadvantage. While mobile VPN experiences had evolved toward streamlined, intuitive interfaces, our desktop app remained trapped in an outdated multi-window paradigm that created significant user experience friction. There is a good opportunity to transform ExpressVPN's desktop application into a competitive advantage through strategic modernisation that improves user experience while positioning the brand as an innovation leader in the VPN market.
Business Context
Competitive Pressure: Industry leaders like NordVPN and Surfshark have modernised their desktop experiences with unified interfaces
Platform Evolution: Apple, Microsoft, and Google all recommended single-window approaches in their latest design guidelines
UX Problems
Ineffective Space Utilisation: The multi-window approach wasted valuable desktop real estate, forcing users to manage multiple interface elements across their screen.
Poor Feature Discoverability: Critical VPN features remained hidden in secondary windows, limiting user engagement with advanced functionality.
Navigation Inefficiency: Users struggled with fragmented workflows that required constant window switching and context management.
Accessibility Challenges: Multi-window interfaces created barriers for screen readers and users with mobility limitations, with windows frequently appearing off-screen.
Role
As Senior Product Designer, I led the desktop application modernisation initiative for 3M+ users, managing stakeholder alignment across product, engineering, and design teams. I drove evidence-based design decisions through competitive analysis and user research, and overcame organisational resistance through strategic benchmarking and user validation.
Impact
80%
User preference for unified design
60%
Increase in feature discoverability
100%
Platform guidelines compliance
Before - Multi windows layout.
After - Single window layout.
Desktop application benchmarking.
Prototype demo.
Specification document of the new layout.
Behind Closed Doors: Navigating Stakeholder Resistance
Proposing a major desktop redesign at ExpressVPN meant overcoming significant organisational resistance. The Product Manager wanted minimal risk, while engineering teams worried about user familiarity with existing multi-window patterns.
What I did to drive change:
Instead of design arguments, I built compelling evidence: industry benchmarking of best-in-class applications, platform guidelines from Apple and Microsoft, and user testing with 30 existing customers. When 80% of users preferred the new single-window design, stakeholder conversations shifted from "why change?" to "how do we implement this well?"
Learning
Organisational resistance to design change often stems from legitimate concerns about user impact and implementation complexity. Rather than dismissing these concerns, successful design leadership involves collaborative problem-solving that incorporates stakeholder feedback while maintaining the integrity of the design vision.