Designing Ulak Maya for Secure, Scalable Connectivity

The Challenge

The design process was rooted in the SD-WAN infrastructure, a complex domain traditionally managed through command-line interfaces (CLI) and dense technical language. This meant dealing with data-heavy interfaces and hundreds of configuration variables.

Fragmented Architecture. Network administrators had to switch between multiple dashboards to track real-time data and configurations. Early analysis revealed critical challenges in workflow continuity.

Limited Visualization. High-volume telemetry data and distributed endpoints lacked clear, actionable representations, slowing incident response. Traditional network tools prioritized function over clarity.

Contextual Criticality. As Türkiye's first homegrown SD-WAN platform, Maya required not only usability but also mission-level reliability, security, and precision, maintaining consistency across hundreds of unique views.

The central challenge was to make an advanced, infrastructure-level system approachable and intuitive for both veteran and novice administrators, without compromising on the rigor, security, or precision expected from software managing national network assets.

The Solution

In response to the complexity of the SD-WAN system, we adopted a disciplined System-Oriented Design approach, focused primarily on clarity, scalability, and technical precision. Our objective was to render high-volume network data and complex configurations instantly understandable.

Discovery & Research. Conducted in-depth stakeholder interviews, comprehensive product and system audits, and extensive competitor and industry benchmarking to precisely define user pain points, critical workflow gaps, and technical limitations.

Information Architecture. Conventionally complex hierarchies were restructured into clear, task-based flows centered around core user objectives (e.g., policy creation, troubleshooting). This significantly reduced cognitive load and navigation fatigue.

Wireframing & Testing. Utilized high-fidelity prototypes that encompassed crucial network layouts and critical administrator interactions (e.g., configuring tunnels, reviewing alarms) to conduct accelerated usability testing and validate core workflows.

UI Design & Systemization. A Component-Based UI System was engineered to manage and standardize over 600 unique screens and countless data states. This system enforced pixel-perfect consistency in spacing, states, and data logic.

Experience Highlights

Simplified Navigation. We redesigned the information architecture and sidebar system to simplify navigation across hundreds of views. Clear hierarchies, icon consistency, and contextual grouping allow users to access critical functions faster, reducing the cognitive load for network administrators.

Organized and Comprehensive. The new dashboard architecture enables administrators to monitor network health and device activity in real time. Interactive charts and visual summaries make data interpretation faster and more accurate, improving decision-making and operational awareness.

Proactive Issue Detection. We introduced an alarm visualization system that highlights issues across geographic regions before they escalate. The map-based interface provides a clear, color-coded overview of active alerts and enables teams to identify and resolve network problems proactively.

Design Process

Our process was guided by the Experience Loop, Blurple's design methodology that combines analytical clarity with creative exploration. Each phase of the process shaped how we understood, structured, and delivered Maya's experience.

Find: Understanding the Network Complexity
We began by mapping Maya's ecosystem, from enterprise user needs to system-level dependencies. Through stakeholder interviews and user journey mapping, we identified the friction points in managing multi-branch, secure networks. The insight was clear: the problem wasn't just usability, it was cognitive overload.

Reflect: Defining the Design Logic
Instead of jumping into interface production, we built a decision framework that connected technical constraints with user priorities. This reflection phase led to the definition of key principles: visibility, predictability, and adaptability, all critical for enterprise-grade systems.

Act: Building the System
Guided by these principles, we developed a token-based atomic system that could scale across modules and evolve alongside new features. Every design choice, from color hierarchies to state logic, was treated as a rule within a living ecosystem.

Measure: Integrating with Development
We integrated measurement into the delivery process. Shared libraries, documented variations, and developer Slack channels allowed us to test component stability and implementation accuracy in real time.

Evolve: Continuous Improvement
As Maya's platform expanded, the design system matured with it. We established a feedback rhythm between product and development teams, ensuring that every release refined the system rather than resetting it.