Researches highlight that most global cyber breaches happen because of human error. According to a joint 2020 IBM Security and Ponemon Institute report, 23% of data breaches are contributions of human negligence.
However, blaming users for their lack of cyber hygiene is not helping the situation improve. The product companies must also acknowledge the flaw in their product design contributing to security failures. A good User Experience (UX) design considers different user behaviors and makes an application user-friendly, appealing, and most importantly, secure for all types of users.
The following aspects determine why UX design is crucial for any platform to be more transparent and safe.
1. UX design helps determine the data transparency level
Users trust companies with their sensitive data while using digital solutions. However, that trust is deceived when the users’ data is accessed at the back-end without their knowledge or permission. It is a design deception tactic where companies create products to access users’ data unethically. And in some cases, product companies do not pay much attention to improving their product design for a safer and secure UX, as it would require additional capital investment. However, the cost-of-inaction (CoI) in this regard can cause more loss to the business, as users will eventually move away to more secure and smartly-designed products.
With increasing awareness of data security, users will easily discard products that are not empathetic towards their online security. This will eventually hit the business reputation.
2. UX Designed to inculcate cyber-hygiene practices.
The UX aspect of any digital product can help drive cyber hygiene amongst users, reducing their chances of falling prey to cyber-breach. A good UX design makes sure that the user follows mandatory but easy steps that will help strengthen the applications’ security. For example, there should be a regular request for updates of user passcodes, passwords, phone numbers, and other details required for safer access to the app.
Companies, especially in fintech, healthcare, telecom, online shopping, or other critical solutions, must ensure that security is a core value of their product design. It is also a way of conveying to the users that the solution provider is responsible and concerned about their data privacy and that their personal information is in safe hands.
In Conclusion
In a fast, digital-only era, security should no longer be treated as a marketing highlight or an additional enhancement to a product. On the contrary, it is the most crucial aspect of UX and interfaces design. Companies must therefore provide solutions to users that are user-friendly and secure, and transparent. A good understanding of the user’s security needs highlights the excellence of a good UX design, which will only help businesses improve their ROI and brand reputation.
