how might we develop a comprehensive framework for understanding sensitive privacy moments?

  • Client: S&P5 firm with hardware and software offerings

  • Responsibilities: UX Research

  • Team: Self (UXR), 1PM, 1 Presentation Designer

  • Topic: Privacy Triggers (moments that break or build trust in device manufacturers)

    • What are the characteristics of what makes a PSS trigger moment?

    • What elements contribute to a PSS trigger moment’s intensity and longevity?

    • What is the relationship between PSS trigger moments and brand trust, if any?

    • What differences, if any, are there between markets, and why?

  • Methods:

    • 7-day diary study using dscout (conducted by two researchers in parallel)

      • 92 participants (~30 participants per region - US, India, Germany)

    • 1:1 follow-up individual interviews (conducted by two researchers in parallel)

      • 29 participants (~10 participants per region), 60 mins in duration

  • Notes:

    • This study was segmented along multiple parameters (eg. PSS vs trust questions, and existing vs. switching [mobile device] users

    • Switching participants were delivered client mobile devices to be used over the duration of the study (to be kept after successful completion)

Context

The client requested we develop a holistic framework for understanding ‘privacy trigger moments,’ (positive or negative moments that prompt users to think about privacy, safety, and security (PSS) topic. This was a multi-national study encompassing three regions.

The team developed a set of journey maps for existing vs. switching users, noting where regional differences emerged, and provided a breakdown of key characteristics that influence participants’ impressions of brand trust.

 We also identified principles encompassing positive vs. negative PSS moments, as well as a generalized intervention framework for helping interrupt negative PSS moments.

As part of this study, we developed a set of quick heuristic principles for determining the severity of PSS moments and how to address them, distilling these down to a quick-reference table.

This research served as a foundation for further validation studies; the principles codified in this research served as the jumping-off point for multiple points of intervention related to PSS moments on the mobile device’s PSS teams.

Commentary

This was a uniquely challenging foundational study, since it was both logistically difficult and required coordinating multiple researchers, while analyzing large quantities of data on-the-fly. We developed tag-team systems for taking notes and synthesizing findings both at the end of each research fielding day and at the end of each phase of the work.

The client team was extremely hands-on in this research, and we used multiple touchpoints over the course of the engagement to make sure the final report gave them what they needed to socialize their findings with their stakeholders. This ended up being used to develop more graceful and trust-preserving interventions for privacy trigger moments.

Redacted sample deck excerpts available upon request.