Sift Ninja (by Two Hat Security)
AI-powered community protection: affordable, plug-and-play moderation for every scale
Role & Deliverables
Product Designer & UX Lead: User journeys, wireframes, high-fidelity UI mockups, interactive prototypes, design system, onboarding flows, analytics dashboards
Context & Background
Two Hat Security (acquired by Microsoft) leveraged its enterprise-grade content-moderation AI to launch Sift Ninja, a self-service, plugin-style solution for small- and mid-sized community sites, games, and social networks. Available as a WordPress plugin and standalone SDKs, Sift Ninja brings adaptive-sensitivity profanity filtering, real-time reporting, and easy integration — no enterprise contract required.
Goal & Strategy
- Enable product-led growth by offering an accessible, low-friction moderation tool priced for SMB budgets.
- Repurpose Two Hat’s proven AI classifiers from Community Sift to detect toxicity, hate speech, bullying, and other harmful behaviours.
- Design a clear onboarding flow and dashboard that requires zero specialist training or custom development.
Approach & Execution
- Conducted rapid prototyping of the plugin UI—settings panels, dashboard analytics, and sensitivity controls—using Figma and user feedback from indie developers.
- Defined information architecture for a 3-step install: API key entry, domain verification, and filter tuning; validated via usability testing with five volunteer community managers.
- Collaborated with engineering to surface real-time classification results in the dashboard, leveraging RESTful endpoints from the Community Sift engine.
- Iterated on microcopy and error states to prevent misconfigurations and ensure trust in automated moderation decisions.
Outcome & Impact
- World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer (2020) — one of seven Canadian companies selected, highlighting Sift Ninja’s role in democratizing safe online interaction.
- Rapid PLG traction: GitHub-distributed WordPress plugin adopted by numerous community blogs and indie game forums within months of launch.
- Community managers reported a reduction in manual moderation time and a marked decrease in user complaints about toxic content.
- Concept and UX patterns from Sift Ninja informed later enhancements in Two Hat’s enterprise products, streamlining feature rollout.
Reflection & Personal Takeaways
Building Sift Ninja crystallized my transition from crafting marketing-driven websites/apps to full-stack product design: end-to-end software experiences with measurable impact. Working closely with Two Hat’s founder and engineering mastermind, Chris Priebe, taught me the value of clear, user-centered interfaces in complex, data-driven systems. Seeing a small-scale PLG product drive real social value—protecting communities without heavy overhead—remains a career highlight.