The UX of Things: Exploring UX Principles to Inform Security and Privacy Design in the Smart Home

Abstract

Smart home devices have been successful in fulfilling functional requirements but have often failed at incorporating user-centric security and privacy. This research project addresses the problem of security and privacy in the smart home through the lens of User Experience (UX) Design. Using qualitative interviews with users and designers, we explore the relationship between UX design, security, and privacy in the smart home. This is followed by participatory design workshops with smart home stakeholders to gain an in-depth knowledge of UX design challenges of security and privacy. Our results are further broadened by the development of a conceptual framework for UX design of security and privacy in the smart home.