Shasta Cloud

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Before diving into design, I needed to understand the real pain points faced by Managed Service Providers (MSPs). These teams are responsible for managing IT infrastructure for multiple businesses, but they were stuck using vendor-locked network systems that were inefficient, expensive, and difficult to maintain.

(Who are MSPs? — Managed Service Providers are third-party companies that remotely manage IT infrastructure and networks for businesses. They provide services like network monitoring, cybersecurity, cloud management, and IT support to help organizations operate efficiently without maintaining in-house IT teams.)

What really struck me was the sheer complexity MSPs dealt with:

• Nearly 75% of MSPs manage networks with four or more different vendors.
• Some even oversee up to 20 different systems, leading to massive inefficiencies.
• The tools available to them were bloated with unnecessary features, while the crucial ones were buried under layers of poor UX.

I remember sitting with our team, discussing how frustrating it must be for these professionals — dealing with fragmented systems, spending hours troubleshooting, and feeling powerless against vendor lock-in. We had a mission: to build a unified, vendor-neutral solution that would simplify network setup, monitoring, and troubleshooting, cutting through the noise to deliver what truly mattered.

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Once we knew the problems, we had to ask ourselves:

• How can we simplify the experience for MSPs without stripping away essential functionality?
• How do we ensure that dashboards surface the most critical information, not just a clutter of metrics?
• How do we optimize the product for both web and mobile experiences?

Some key insights guided our approach:

• Only 40% of features in networking dashboards are actively used, proving that most existing designs were overcomplicated (Source: Cisco Report).
• 83% of IT managers agreed that a well-designed dashboard could improve troubleshooting efficiency by at least 50% (Source: SolarWinds Survey).
• 58% of IT teams wanted mobile-friendly dashboards to manage networks on the go (Source: TechTarget).

It became clear that simplicity, clarity, and accessibility were going to be the pillars of our design.

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One of the first things I did was create an Information Architecture (IA) and user flow to guide our design decisions. MSPs had to juggle multiple personas and devices, meaning our solution needed to work seamlessly across web and mobile.

We realized that MSPs often struggle with placing access points efficiently. So, we introduced a feature that leveraged LiDAR scanning on iOS devices — users could scan rooms, floors, and even entire buildings to create an accurate digital representation of their space.

This would allow them to strategically place network access points based on real-world conditions, even considering wall materials and interference factors.

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With the foundation set, I jumped into wireframing the initial screens and presenting them to the team.

And then — reality check.

My first design got rejected.

I remember feeling disheartened, thinking, Did I completely miss the mark? But my seniors reassured me: rejection is part of the process. They helped me see the flaws and refine the design into something stronger. It was a humbling lesson that great UX isn't built in a day — it's a constant process of iteration and learning.

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1. Network Overview Dashboard — A clean, intuitive view of all network components, making monitoring effortless.

2. Access Point Management — A simplified way to deploy and control access points across multiple locations.

3. LiDAR-Based Mapping — A smart tool for network planning based on real-world spatial data.

4. Real-Time Alerts & Notifications — Ensuring proactive issue resolution before problems escalate.

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Shasta Cloud went from an idea to a real, impactful product:

• 7+ global clients have adopted it as their go-to network management solution.
• Organizations cut their costs by 50% after switching from expensive vendor-locked hardware.
• Deployment time per access point dropped from 30 minutes to just 10 minutes — a huge win for efficiency.

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Shasta Cloud wasn't just another project for me — it was a defining moment in my career. It reinforced the importance of:

• Deep user research — Truly understanding pain points before designing a solution.
• Iterative design — Embracing feedback and constantly refining my work.
• Cross-functional collaboration — Working alongside devs and product managers to bring ideas to life.

This journey taught me that great UX isn't just about pretty interfaces — it's about solving real problems and making a tangible impact. And in the end, that's exactly what we are doing.