Project Type
Industry
Google, a global leader in technology, is no stranger to innovation. However, when it came to launching a new identity protection solution specifically designed for individuals facing heightened security threats—journalists, politicians, activists, and executives—they encountered a surprising challenge: low adoption.
Despite early efforts through advocacy groups and evangelists to promote the program, uptake remained minimal. Activation rates lagged, and abandonment in the first days of use was high. They partnered with SketchDeck to uncover the root of the issue—and to unlock the program’s full market potential.
SketchDeck embedded a team led by a senior research consultant to investigate, starting with generative interviews to gain a deeper understanding of how target users perceive and manage identity-related threats. These conversations uncovered key gaps in product messaging and positioning.
The team then turned its focus to the product experience itself—interviewing and observing real users during onboarding and initial use. Research on this critical window of use revealed the precise points where confusion and drop-off occurred, highlighting areas of unnecessary friction and misalignment with user expectations.
The partnership with SketchDeck provided Google with what it was missing: a deep, human-centered understanding of why its high-security product was falling short—and how to address the issue.
Results included:
By unlocking the “why” behind low adoption, we helped transform a high-potential program into a more intuitive, user-ready solution—and set it on a path toward broader impact for those who need it most.
