Factoring User Experience into the Security and Privacy Design of Smart Home Devices: A Case Study

Abstract

Smart home devices are growing in popularity due to their functionality, convenience, and comfort. However, they are raising security and privacy concerns for users who may have very little technical ability. User experience (UX) focuses on improving user interactions, but little work has investigated how companies factor user experience into the security and privacy design of smart home devices as a means of addressing these concerns. To explore this in more detail, we designed and conducted six in-depth interviews with employees of a large smart home company in the United Kingdom (UK). We analyzed the data using Grounded Theory, and found little evidence that UX is a consideration for the security design of these devices. Based on the results of our study, we proposed user-centered design guidelines and recommendations to improve data protection in smart homes.

“It did not give me an option to decline”: A Longitudinal Analysis of the User Experience of Security and Privacy in Smart Home Products

“…The data was collected in four different phases (see Figure 2): planning (week 0-4), deployment (week 4-12), problem solving (week [12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20] and reflection (week 20-26). We describe three phases below.…”

“…Seven reported having an undergraduate degree, and five a graduate degree. Twelve participants were working age adults (30)(31)(32)(33)(34)(35)(36)(37)(38)(39)(40)(41)(42)(43)(44)(45)(46)(47)(48)(49) and eight participants were schoolage children and young adolescents (8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17). Two members were too young to participate (1-3).…”

“…Research has uncovered a number of negative security and privacy experiences: powerlessness, confusion, frustration, disappointment and annoyance [93]. Shortfalls have also been identified in UX design of security and privacy in smart cameras [13].…”

A Case Study on How Brazilian Companies Deal with the User Experience in IoT Projects

“…Chalhoub et al [6] state that the necessity of adopting a usercentered approach has been overlooked in many smart home designs. Also, the relationship between UX and the challenge of security and privacy in the context of smart homes is neither wellunderstood nor well-researched [7].…”

“…Law et al [11] surveyed the definitions of UX; it is dynamic, subjective, and depends on the context; it is individual and comprises aspects that are related not only to the object's utility but also with emotions and values [14]. Usability and accessibility are also essential criteria for providing quality of use, but UX is broader and involves more significant conceptualizations [6].…”