At this year’s AllDayDevOps Online Conference, Nick Boucart delivered an insightful talk focused on the hurdles small SaaS teams encounter when trying to embrace a security-by-design mindset. His presentation highlighted a key issue that many startups and small-scale software teams face: the balance between innovation and ensuring security from the very start of product development.

One of the standout points in the talk was the idea that security isn’t just a checkbox for developers—it needs to be embedded in the product’s DNA from day one. However, for smaller teams, limited resources, tight deadlines, and the constant pressure to ship new features often push security to the backburner.

So, how can product managers help? According to Boucart, they play a crucial role in bridging the gap between the technical concerns of developers and the real-world worries of customers. By acting as mediators, product managers can ensure that customer concerns about security and privacy are fully understood by the development team. Their input helps developers prioritize security features that align with customer needs, ensuring that the product is both user-friendly and secure.

For small SaaS teams, this shift in mindset could be the difference between a product that thrives in today’s market and one that struggles under the weight of security vulnerabilities.

The slides are available below.