Proton
What is Proton?
The Proton AG is the parent company of ProtonMail, ProtonCalendar, ProtonVPN and the upcoming proton suite products like ProtonDrive, ProtonChat and more.
Originally founded in 2014 by scientists who met at CERN and were drawn together by a shared vision of a more secure and private Internet. Since then, Proton has evolved into a global effort to protect civil liberties and built a more secure Internet, with team members also hailing from Caltech, Harvard, ETH Zurich and many other research institutions.
ProtonMail opened up to the public in March 2016. In 2017, ProtonMail had over 2 million users, and grew to over 5 million by September 2018, 20 million by the end of 2019, and over 50 million in 2020.
My Role
I joined Proton in 2015 as one of the first 5 hires and the lead designer to build up a design team and take ownership of all design related parts of the company.
During my time at Proton, I was creating and managing 16+ products, implemented a design system, hired and led 5 designer and helped with marketing production.
I was working closely with the development teams, product managers and the CEO together to align tasks and goals of the products, workflows and strategies.
Make Privacy the Default.
Our story begins where the web was born, at CERN.
2015 – 2021
While I was working at
Proton, we went from:
Products
From 1
To 16+
Users
From 100 000
To 50 000 000+
Employees
From 5
To 300+
Products I have worked on:
ProtonMail Web Site
ProtonMail Web App
ProtonMail Android App
ProtonMail iOS App
ProtonMail Windows App
ProtonContacts Web App
ProtonCalendar Web App
ProtonCalendar Android App
ProtonDrive Web App
ProtonVPN Web Site
ProtonVPN Web App
ProtonVPN Windows App
ProtonVPN MacOS App
ProtonVPN Android App
ProtonVPN iOS App
ProtonVPN SmartTV App
ProtonSuite
Ideas, goals & products
Proton wants to offer a real alternative to Alphabet’s (Google) product range with its Proton Suite. The idea behind it is simple: full functionality without paying with your privacy. The implementation however is very complex and started with ProtonMail, the now leading secure and private email service.
With ProtonVPN, an additional product was created to support the overall security and privacy of the users.
Other products already available are Contacts, Calendar and Drive. This already covers the core of the suite and products like a chat, wallet and ID are to follow.
General problems & solutions
The development of such products is already very complex and Proton’s security and privacy features have made this an even more complex undertaking. This also had an impact on the usability kit, for which we had to find new and better solutions.
The balancing act of target groups was also always a big issue. Starting with high-risk journalists and hardcore tech enthusiasts, we had to find the balance to change for the mainstream users.
The rapid growth of the company and the product range meant that we were constantly in a transformation and in a fight to find the time and the best employees.
Mr. Robot
Rami Malek, aka Elliot Alderson is using ProtonMail as his trusted email service in this golden globe winning serie.
ProtonMail
Where it all started
It all started with ProtonMail and is the center of the entire Proton Suite family. After the most successful indigogo campaign of its time, a beta version of ProtonMail was developed as a web app in 2014. When I joined in 2015, we made fast progress to the official release of ProtonMail and kicked off one of the most successful startups in Switzerland.
ProtonMail, an encrypted email service, breaks crowdfunding record.
Not even PayPal’s terribleness could stop them.
the daily dot
Web App
As already mentioned, ProtonMail is the center of the Proton Suite. In turn, the web app is the heart of it all. The ProtonMail Web App is Proton’s main product and serves as a platform for all other products. It is the basis for the design system that is adapted to other products, such as contacts, calendar or drive. During my time at Proton, we have made 3 major updates.
ProtonMail Web App 4+ Version Concept
Full integration of the Proton Suite with lite app bar on the right for quick interactions. Rounded content area for a more modern look and a more efficient use of space while increasing at the same time the white space for a better overview and a simple look and feel.
1. Release 2.0
For this update from the beta phase, first design immediate measures and smaller feature upgrades were made for the official release of ProtonMail.
2. Features 3.0
With version 3 of ProtonMail, we mainly implemented new features and improvements to the system as well as minor interface changes requested by the users.
3. Design 4.0
Version 4 was the biggest update to date with a complete redesign of the interface and code, as well as many new features. The development started already after version 2 in the design, as well as in the development area. With a new design system that covers the complete range of products and ensures that future products can be easily implemented, we have created the design basis for all platforms and products. At the same time, the interface became more modern and user-friendly. Data from customer surveys, tests and general user feedback helped us to identify and improve some issues.
Mark Ruffalo
Even the angry Hulk expresses his love for ProtonMail on Twitter on Valentine’s Day.
Mobile App
Immediately after the first web update, I took care of the creation of mobile apps at Proton. After evaluating surveys, Android was the most desired platform and therefore the first mobile app we designed and released, shortly followed by the iOS version. As the best rated email app in the store, we were able to build on an already very successful app and develop and improve new versions.
ProtonMail is designed with the same lofty goals in mind, prioritizing user security and privacy above all else. Beyond that, ProtonMail is a beautiful app without the wonky UI elements you’ll find in many open source apps.
Android Police
Desktop App
Although there is no dedicated desktop app for ProtonMail yet, we have developed the ProtonMail Bridge, which allows the user to connect the ProtonMail service with popular email clients.
The bridge provides ProtonMail’s service and privacy/security features for the most popular desktop clients on Windows, MacOS and Linux – for example Thunderbird, Outlook or AppleMail.
Mathew Statsny
Head of Product, Proton AG
Keven is a passionate, meticulous and versatile designer. In the years we collaborated, he demonstrated the ability to take on complex software products with the goal to deliver simple, yet delighful, user experiences working closely with Product Management and Engineering.
ProtonVPN
From zero to hero
After we finished the first versions and updates of ProtonMail, we decided to launch a VPN in 2016. With ProtonVPN, we were able to establish one of the leading and most popular VPNs on the market in a short time. As a modern, solid and trustworthy provider, we were able to shorten the development time with special design measures and add unique features to become one of the most popular VPNs on the market in just one year.
Because ProtonVPN puts such a heavy emphasis on user privacy and technological excellence, you might expect ProtonVPN would be an ugly, unusable mess. That’s not the case. ProtonVPN has a slick and well-designed app that’s easy to use and doesn’t skimp on features.
pcmag.com
Desktop Apps
First we developed the Windows version of ProtonVPN. My basic idea was to incorporate “security” and “hacker” vibes into an easy to use interface. The sidebar contains all functions and can be used without the map or as a taskbar dropdown and forms the basis for the mobile apps without making many changes. Beside unique security features, we also included a unique profile management and a connection map with data diagram for a better overview.
ProtonVPN has one of the best user interfaces around, whether it be on Windows 10, iOS or Android. It has a sleek, dark interface that runs smoothly with a simple “Quick Connect” button to immediately connect to the fastest country and server.
Laptopmag.com
Overall, I liked how easy the desktop interface is with the use of ProtonVPN. It was intuitive and not cluttered so even VPN newbies could navigate it. And while Proton doesn’t host as many servers as NordVPN or SurfShark, what it makes up for in quantity is quality.
Mashable
Mobile Apps
After the Windows and MacOS release, we developed mobile apps for Android and iOS based on the desktop sidebar. Desktop users could use their VPN as usual without having to learn a new interface. Both apps offer the full functionality in a modern interface and native code. The basic usability remained the same for both platforms, but a few native navigation adjustments were made for the respective platforms of Android and iOS.
TV App
With the AndroidTV app for Smart TV’s, we have developed an app for casual users, travelers and entertainment enthusiasts who want to bypass geo blocking with the help of ProtonVPN to watch content from other countries. It is easy to use due to its intuitive interface designed specifically for the Smart TV. With ProtonVPN’s typical style, it is easy to see which connections are available and what their benefits are. For example, you can select a specific server to stream Netflix, Amazon Prime or Disney Plus, or you can simply connect to the fastest server available in the destination country.
To put it straight, ProtonVPN brings everything to make your experience great on an Android TV with ironclad security and all-around privacy protection.
BeeBoom
Calendar, Drive, Contacts and more
Completing the suite
To provide a complete alternative to Google’s productivity products, we have developed other products besides ProtonMail and ProtonVPN to provide a secure and private solution. With ProtonContacts, ProtonCalendar and ProtonDrive we provide the basic software tools for a complete productivity suite. Calendar and Drive were still in beta phase when I left Proton, but the individual design concepts for web and mobile were already at a final stage.
Besides Calendar, Drive and Contacts, other products were planned, such as ProtonChat, ProtonWallet and ProtonID, for which the first design drafts were already available.
My overall feel of the calendar and how snappy it is, is amazing! Every click has an instant reaction, including going into settings and making any changes. This is a large improvement over almost any other calendar, especially gmail and the outlook web gui.
Reddit Beta User
ProtonCalendar
The calendar is an essential part of any productivity suite. Our focus was to make it as easy to use as possible and to fit its functions perfectly into the suite to ensure easy interaction between the products.
Based on the design system, it follows the same rules and design standards. With a web version and two mobile versions for Android and iOS, Calendar is offered on all major platforms.
ProtonDrive
When you think about digital security and privacy, the first thing that comes to mind is your files, such as photos, documents or spreadsheets. ProtonDrive protects all these data in the cloud and connects it throughout the suite’s ecosystem, making it available outside.
We have already brought this solution online with the web beta version, and the mobile versions were of course still planned. ProtonDrive is an important building block of the suite and deeply connected to the other products for easy interaction.
ProtonContacts
Contacts is more than meets the eye. Apart from ProtonVPN, the functions of ProtonContacts are needed in every single product of Proton, including Mail, Calendar, Drive, Chat and Wallet.
Contacts are needed everywhere and they need to be clear and easy to manage without the complex technical challenges of cryptography and privacy blocking. With ProtonContacts, you can manage contacts and groups, as well as their properties and characteristics.
Detailed product showcase:
PRODUCT IN FOCUS
An in-depth look at ProtonMail Web App
PRODUCT IN FOCUS
An in-depth look at ProtonVPN Smart TV App