Understanding User Data Privacy in Mobile UX Design

Safat Sadnan Snehal Meghna Basu Casey Tai

B00842334 B00880593 B00862170
Qijie Yue Name5 Name6
B00872796 BannerID BannerID

Abstract devices manage our data. "Watching [and Hearing] You"

This paper examines the tracking of personal information contributes to the broader conversation about digital ethics
through mobile and wearable devices, highlighting the gap and privacy, offering solutions to make users more aware
in user awareness regarding privacy. We investigated the and in control of their personal information. Through this
types of data collected by these devices, user awareness project, we hope to improve our understanding of digital
levels, and designed user-centric features to enhance privacy and encourage a more secure use of technology.
privacy control. Through research, user feedback, and Background
testing, we developed features enabling granular privacy Our project occupies a crucial intersection between
settings, transparent data usage pop-ups during app technology and privacy, drawing inspiration from
installations, and visualization tools for tracking personal significant previous research that focuses on how people
data leakage. Our findings suggest that these interventions interact with their digital devices and how these interactions
can significantly improve users’ awareness and control over affect their privacy.
personal data.
The first key piece of research we've built upon comes from
Author Keywords Wisniewski and colleagues in 2015. They explored how
Digital Privacy; Security Awareness; Privacy Controls; people balance their privacy with the social benefits they
Data Tracking. get from using social networks. Interestingly, they found
that it's possible for users to find a sweet spot—a "Privacy
Introduction Fit"—where they feel satisfied with their privacy settings
In today’s world, mobile phones and wearable devices like on these platforms [1]. This idea is very much in line with
smartwatches have become essential, helping us with our project's goal: to give users the tools to adjust their
everything from finding directions to tracking our exercise. privacy settings in the way that suits them best.
While these devices are incredibly useful, they also raise
concerns about privacy. Our project, "Watching [and Next, we look at the study by Watson and Zheng in 2017
Hearing] You b) Tracking Digital Information," that delves into how aware people are of the security
investigates how these gadgets track, store, and use our recommendations for their mobile devices and how well
personal information, often without us knowing fully what's they follow these recommendations [2]. They found a
happening. We focused on understanding what information significant gap in awareness and action, especially among
these devices collect, how open they are about this process, those who aren't very tech-savvy. This lack of awareness is
and the risks that come with mishandling our data. Despite a big concern and something our project seeks to address by
how much we rely on these technologies, many of us aren't creating features that help educate users on how to manage
aware of how much of our data is tracked and how it's used, their privacy better.
which can lead to potential privacy issues. Lastly, the study by Fiona Carroll's work from 2021, which
To tackle these issues, we went through several steps, focuses on making online security warnings not only more
including gathering research, creating scenarios to visually appealing but also easier to understand and act
understand user interactions, and developing new features upon. This is important because if warnings about online
to help users control their privacy better. We introduced risks are clear and engaging, people are more likely to pay
three key features: adjustable privacy settings to control attention and protect themselves online [3]. This insight has
location tracking, pop-up notifications to inform users about been a guiding light for our project as we aim to design
data usage when installing new apps, and tools to show how alerts and notifications about privacy in a way that grabs
apps might be leaking personal information. These features users' attention and encourages them to act.
were created in response to user feedback, which pointed In summary, our project is deeply influenced by these
out that many users find privacy settings difficult to studies, which highlight the importance of understanding
understand and navigate, mainly because the icons are user privacy preferences, engaging users with intuitive
unclear and there is a lack of detailed information. design, and educating them on security practices. Our goal
Our project aims to focus on the less noticed aspects of is to blend these insights into practical solutions that
digital privacy, specifically how mobile and wearable
empower users to navigate their digital lives with interviews to gather information on key topics of interest, or
confidence and control over their privacy. themes, which would later guide our analysis and design
choices.
The Objectives
Our project, "Tracking Digital Information", aims to The interview process was deliberately crafted to gain
investigate how mobile phones and wearable gadgets like comprehensive insights. We began by identifying what
fitness trackers collect and use our personal information. information we wanted to learn. This included users’
We all use technology for various tasks every day, but understanding of privacy settings, their reactions to data
many of us aren't fully aware of what information these security prompts, and their behavior when opting in or out
devices are collecting about us or what happens to this of data collection features. We selected themes that would
information. Our goal is to make people more aware of help us focus on these areas, such as the transparency of
these issues and to help them have more control over their privacy policies, the complexity of privacy settings, and the
personal data. trade-off between privacy and convenience.
Firstly, we start by trying to understand exactly what kind Our participants were a reflection of the broad spectrum of
of information these devices and apps collect, how they do tech users as they were randomly selected by our lab
it, and what they use it for. For example, some apps might teachers. Before each interview, we explained our study's
track where we go to show us ads for nearby stores. Next, purpose and assured confidentiality, which helped in
we want to find out if people know how much of their establishing an environment of trust. This trust was key to
information is being collected and if they know the encouraging openness during our discussions.
potential risks of sharing their data.
Each interview unfolded around a series of realistic
From the insights gathered, our project will focus on scenarios designed to stimulate thoughtful reactions and
designing and implementing new user interface features. responses. For instance, we asked users how they would
These features would let users decide more about what manage privacy settings when downloading a new app or
information they are comfortable sharing and what they signing up for an online service. These scenarios were
would rather keep private. crucial as they placed users in the context of actual
We also want to help people become more knowledgeable decision-making situations. They weren't just talking about
about digital privacy. If privacy settings are easier to use abstract concepts; they were walking us through what they
and understand, we hope that people will start to think more would do, which provided us with valuable, action-based
carefully about which apps they allow to collect their data. information.

To make sure our new privacy features are helpful and easy Throughout the interview process, we carefully took notes,
to use, we'll be asking for feedback from people through capturing not only the participants' words but also the
tests. This way, we can make any changes needed to ensure context and subtleties of their responses. This attention to
these features work well for everyone. detail ensured that we could revisit the insights of each
interview during our analysis phase. Each member of our
To ensure the effectiveness and user-friendliness of these team had a clear role during the interviews, whether leading
proposed features, we plan to engage directly with users. the discussion or taking notes. This structured approach
Through a series of contextual inquiries, cognitive allowed us to collect rich data while maintaining a
walkthroughs, and feedback sessions, we can make any comfortable atmosphere for our participants.
changes needed to ensure these features work well for
everyone. The design of our inquiry reflected our commitment to
understanding the user experience fully. We weren't just
THE DESIGN PROCESS – CONTEXTUAL INQUIRY looking for quick answers; we sought to comprehend the
PROCESS AND RESULTS narratives behind users' interactions with privacy and
The design process delves into the comprehensive account security settings. This comprehensive approach underlined
of our project's development, detailing the thought behind the main area of our study, combining a respect for our
our design decisions and the insights we gathered through participants with a need for meaningful data.
our contextual inquiry. It's divided into two segments: 'The
Process,' which outlines our methodological approach to the Results And Discussions
interviews, and 'Results and Discussion,' which interprets Through the data generated from our contextual inquiry and
the findings from our affinity diagramming and how these the affinity diagramming process, we identified key themes
findings influenced our feature development. that directly influenced the design of our low-fidelity
prototype features. These themes surfaced as distinct
The Process patterns in user behavior and preferences, guiding our
Our project set out to deeply understand the choices users decisions to enhance user experience over privacy settings.
make when they navigate digital privacy and security
settings. The goal of our interviews was to learn what users One pronounced theme was the user’s desire for more
know, how they feel, and what they do when faced with control over their data, particularly the ability to restrict
decisions about their digital privacy. We designed our data usage on a need-only basis. This preference was
especially pertinent to location data, which many apps tend specific user needs and preferences, we aim to increase user
to access indiscriminately. The resulting feature, toggleable satisfaction and trust in digital platforms. These
privacy settings with granular options, addresses this issue improvements represent a step towards more transparent
head-on. It allows users to selectively permit app access to and user-friendly digital experiences, where users can feel
their location data, satisfying their need for more granular confident in their interactions with technology.
control. This was conceptualized after observing that users
The development of these features was not only driven by
often improvised their own solutions to limit app
user feedback but also by the underlying ethos of
permissions, signifying a gap in the current app
empowering users to make informed decisions about their
functionality that needed to be bridged.
digital privacy. Each feature contains a specific aspect of
Another significant finding was the user’s split attitude user concern, offering solutions that are both practical and
towards data usage information during app installation. attuned to the evolving landscape of digital privacy.
Some users showed a preference to experiment with the app
The Design Process
first and adjust settings later, while others advocated for In designing our prototype, we put our persona, Abby, at
upfront control. Our optional popup on data usage during the center of all our decisions in the design process. As a
the installation of apps is a balanced response to this 4th-year student who also maintains an active social life, we
problem. It provides a high-level overview of data usage for can assume that their available time to learn and understand
users who value briefness and allows for deeper inspection our new features is limited. This, in addition to their
and control for those who prefer in depth details. This hesitancy in learning new technology, our focus in
feature elegantly encapsulates the varying degrees of user designing our features was intended to enhance the usability
engagement with privacy information, offering a quick of our app by making it as quick and easy to learn as
installation process for some and detailed control for others. possible. We catered our tasks to reflect what we imagined
The third feature, allowing users to track and visualize Abby's typical experience would be, hoping to craft a
personal information leakage, was born out of the concern system that finds a balance between their privacy and its
for managing privacy across numerous apps. Users found it ease-of-use.
challenging to navigate the multitude of privacy settings Toggleable Privacy Settings with Granular Options
scattered across different apps. By introducing a centralized We envisioned Abby encountering situations where she
data information display, we aim to alleviate this problem, feels their privacy is compromised, such as discovering
offering users a unified view of their privacy settings and excessive location tracking by their favorite social media
any potential information leakage. This responds to the app. This scenario sparked the inspiration for the
problem of disperse settings management and makes the development of our Toggleable Privacy Settings with
oversight of personal data more approachable for the Granular Options feature, allowing Abby to have more
average user. control over their app's permissions, aligning with their
The process of translating these themes into tangible desire for selective location tracking only during specific
features involved evaluating the impact of the identified activities like uploading photos. Our design was aimed to
problems. For example, the granular privacy settings provide them with a solution that felt intuitive and
feature was a direct response to the observation that users customizable, allowing them to exert control over their
often felt their choices were too limiting. By enabling users privacy without adding unnecessary complexity. We
to have nuanced control over their privacy settings, we achieved this by maintaining a familiar look to existing UI
address a widespread and fundamental user need. on mobile devices such as iOS, Apple’s operating system
for mobile devices.
Similarly, the data usage popup feature reflects the user’s
need for more accessible information about what data an Optional Popup on Data Usage During Installation
app will access. This was a compromise between the two Abby's cautious approach to learning new software guided
user groups—those who want to use the app quickly and our design decisions in our design for the optional popup on
those who wish to know more before using it. This feature data usage during installation. Abby, being wary of dense
aligns with the observed concern for transparency and user terms of service agreements, would appreciate a clear
control, providing a streamlined yet informative installation overview of an application's data usage before installation,
experience. while still enhancing their awareness of her digital privacy.
As with the first feature, we utilized the familiarity of
Lastly, the visualization of personal information leakage existing App Store UI for our design decisions. For the
represents a proactive approach to privacy management. It aspects of our design that did not have existing designs the
provides a way for users to see what data has been accessed user could pull from, such as the modal popup before the
by apps, addressing the problem of hidden data practices, installation of an application, we kept the design as simple
and giving users a tool to monitor and secure their personal as possible by only including the essential items needed
information actively. such as a short list of icons representing the types of data
These features embody our commitment to enhancing user usage and a button to continue with the installation.
privacy in practical, user-driven ways. By addressing
Tracking and Visualizing Personal Information Leakage
We recognized Abby's need for an efficient way to manage
her digital footprint without conflicting with her busy
lifestyle. This led to the development of the Tracking and
Visualizing Personal Information Leakage feature. By
providing Abby with a centralized dashboard to monitor
and manage privacy settings across all her installed apps,
we aimed to simplify the process of ensuring her data
security, empowering her to make informed decisions
without investing excessive time and effort.
The Prototype
As our features heavily utilized the use of existing mobile
design philosophies for familiarity and ease of learnability
for our user, we opted to use Figma which has powerful
tools for designing modern mobile interfaces, as well as
having a vast library of existing components—such as in in
Figure 2 Familiar IOS Design
Figure 1—which we were able to learn from to create our
own. Repetition
The adoption of reusable components not only streamlined
the development of our features but also aided in
reinforcing repetition, a fundamental design principle
crucial for enhancing learnability. By incorporating
reusable elements, we enforced a consistent design
throughout our system, enabling users to quickly grasp and
navigate its functionalities.
In figure 3, we showcase the UI elements designed to
facilitate granular control over location tracking
permissions, prominently feature our iOS inspired menu
designs. Using Figma's component creation capabilities, we
Figure 1 IOS UI Kit for Figma ensured consistency in the appearance and functionality of
Familiarity toggle switches and dropdown menus across the app.
The ideal result of our features is for them to be “invisible”
to the end user. That is, they are intended to feel as familiar
to the user as possible without impeding on their intended
goals.
We did this by pulling designs and concepts from Figma’s
component library and our existing preconceptions in what
to expect. In figure 2, we display two screens which are
very similar to an IOS app store and settings. We found that
trying to innovate on these aspects of our features made it
more difficult to learn as a first-time user.

Figure 3 Utilizing Repetition in Feature 1

Contrast
Utilizing contrast in our prototype design was instrumental
in enhancing the clarity and effectiveness of the user
interface, particularly in highlighting key elements and
guiding user interactions.
Interactive elements, such as buttons or toggles, were
designed with high-contrast colors to make them stand out
from static elements. In figure 4, there are two main actions
we intend the user to do; Select their privacy settings and
continue with their download. Using high contrast colors
with the background, we were able to make these actions
stand out to the user. This helped users easily distinguish
between actionable and non-actionable items, facilitating  Navigating optional pop-ups detailing app data
smoother navigation and interaction within the prototype. usage during installation.
 Utilizing features to track and visualize personal
data leakage.
These tasks were chosen based on their relevance to our
application's core value proposition: offering users easy
control and transparency over their privacy settings.
Scenarios were meticulously crafted to guide evaluators
through each task, simulating real-world usage scenarios
that "Abby" might encounter.
The CW unfolded in a structured manner, with evaluators
independently navigating through the predefined tasks in
the application. At each step of a task, evaluators were
prompted to answer three key questions:
 Would a typical user know what to do next?
 Could a typical user see how to perform the
action?
 Would a typical user understand if the action was
performed correctly?
These questions were designed to dissect the usability of
each task critically, focusing on the ease of understanding
and executing actions within the app.
The primary tool used in our CW was a detailed prototype
Figure 4 Utilizing Contrast in Feature 2 of our application created in Figma. This tool allowed
evaluators to interact with the app's interface as if it were
Evaluation Process – Cognitive Walkthrough
fully functional, providing a realistic experience of
The Cognitive Walkthrough (CW) we conducted was an
navigating through the application. Additionally, cognitive
important element in our project's design phase, specifically
walkthrough sheets were employed to document evaluators'
aimed at refining the user experience related to privacy
responses, ensuring a structured and consistent evaluation
settings in our digital application. This evaluation was
process.
methodically planned and executed to uncover any usability
issues that could potentially hinder user interaction with our Results And Discussions
app, focusing on intuitiveness and ease of navigation. Following our comprehensive Cognitive Walkthrough
(CW), we meticulously analyzed the results, aligning them
The CW, a methodological approach grounded in user- with the insights derived from our cost-importance table.
centered design principles, was selected for its robust This approach not only highlighted usability issues but also
framework in assessing the intuitiveness of user interfaces. offered a structured method for prioritizing these issues
The objective was to simulate typical user interactions based on their impact on the user experience and the
within our application, specifically targeting our newly feasibility of implementing solutions.
introduced privacy management features. This evaluation
aimed to uncover any usability issues from a user's The CW illuminated several critical areas within our
perspective, ensuring that the application's design was both application that posed potential usability challenges.
intuitive and efficient. Foremost among these was the navigation through privacy
settings. Users, as represented by our evaluators, expressed
Our CW was carried out by a diverse group of evaluators, difficulty in locating and adjusting the settings app,
comprising team members across multiple project teams. indicating a need for a more intuitive interface especially
This diversity ensured a comprehensive evaluation from for the home screen. The optional popup detailing data
various perspectives, closely mirroring a wide user usage during app installation, while conceptually
demographic. The evaluators were briefed on embodying appreciated for its commitment to transparency, was also
the role of a typical user, focusing on the persona "Abby," found to be potentially confusing, suggesting a need for
to provide consistent and focused feedback on the user more clear and user-friendly information presentation.
experience.
The cost-importance table served as a pivotal tool in
The tasks selected for the CW centered around critical translating these insights into actionable design
interactions a user would have with our application, improvements. High-priority issues identified included the
specifically: complexity of navigating privacy settings and the
 Adjusting privacy settings with granularity. information density of the data usage pop-up. Each problem
was assigned an important value, reflecting its impact on With all the insights gained from the CW and the structured
the user experience, and a cost rating, indicating the effort prioritization provided by the cost-importance table, we are
required for resolution. dedicated to refining our application's design. The identified
improvements will guide our next iteration, focusing on
Based on the CW findings and the cost-importance table
enhancing the user experience through intuitive design,
analysis, several general suggestions for improving the
clear information presentation, and meaningful privacy
existing LFP emerged:
controls. Our commitment to these principles is
Navigation Clarity for Settings unwavering, as we aim to create an application that not only
Issue: Users found the process of accessing and adjusting meets but exceeds our users' expectations in managing their
privacy settings and selecting the setting app from home digital privacy.
screen unintuitive, often struggling to find the relevant
Conclusion and Future Work
options.
In conclusion, our project focused on how mobile devices
Improvement Suggestion: Redesign the home-screen track our personal information. We have worked on
interface to enhance visibility and accessibility. creating new features that allow users to have more control
Incorporating clear, descriptive labels and visually distinct over their privacy. These include toggleable privacy
navigation cues could significantly reduce user confusion
settings offering nuanced control, optional pop-ups
and improve ease of use.
detailing data usage during app installations, and tools that
Cost-Importance Analysis: Given its high impact on user enable users to visualize and manage the leakage of their
satisfaction and relatively low implementation cost, this
personal information. The insights gleaned from our
improvement was prioritized.
Cognitive Walkthrough (CW), complemented by the
Simplification of Data Usage Pop-Up structured approach of the cost-importance table,
Issue: The data usage pop-up, intended to inform users
highlighted pivotal areas for enhancement, from
about how their data is utilized by the app, was critiqued for
presenting too little information too quickly. simplifying the navigation of privacy settings to improving
the clarity of information presented to users.
Improvement Suggestion: Streamline the presentation of
data usage information to balance comprehensiveness with In the future, there is still a lot we want to do. For example -
clarity. Implementing a tiered information disclosure, where we plan to involve more people in our testing to make sure
users can opt to view more details if desired, could address our solutions work well for everyone. We also think it is
users' varied preferences for information depth.
important to see how well our privacy features work over a
Cost-Importance Analysis: This issue was deemed a high longer period. Exploring new ways to protect privacy,
priority due to its high influence on user comprehension possibly using smart technology to predict and prevent risks
and the relatively moderate effort required for its redesign.
before they happen, is another path we are interested in.
Enhancing the User Interface for Personal Data Leakage
Visualization Educating users about privacy is crucial, too. We want to
Issue: The feature allowing users to visualize personal data make sure people understand the choices they are making
leakage was found to be not very clear, making it about their data. Looking into the bigger picture of how
challenging for users to interpret the presented information improving privacy affects the way we use technology and
effectively. how it makes us feel about our devices could give us
Improvement Suggestion: Simplify the visualization valuable insights. Collaborating with experts in different
interface to make it more user-friendly. This could involve fields like psychology, law, and ethics can help make sure
clearer graphical representations and concise, actionable our solutions are not only effective but also fair and
insights into how users might protect their privacy. respectful to users.
Cost-Importance Analysis: While the redesign of this References
feature may require a significant investment of resources, [1] P. Wisniewski, A. N. Islam, B. P. Knijnenburg and S.
its critical role justifies its prioritization. Patil, "Give Social Network Users the Privacy They Want.,"
The CW was instrumental in highlighting not just specific in Proceedings of the 18th ACM Conference on Computer ,
usability issues but also broader design principles that our New York, NY, USA, 2015.
application should focus on, such as simplicity, clarity, and [2] B. Watson and J. Zheng, "On the User Awareness of
user empowerment. The process underscored the Mobile Security Recommendations.," in Proceedings of the
importance of designing with the user's perspective at the SouthEast Conference, New York, NY, US, 2017.
forefront, ensuring that features are not only functional but
also accessible and understandable. [3] F. Carroll, "Usable Security and Aesthetics: Designing
for engaging online security warnings and cautions to
optimise user security whilst affording ease of use," in
Proceedings of the 2021 European Symposium on Usable
Security (EuroUSEC '21), New York, NY, USA, 2021.
[4] Figma. (2024, April). Figma: The collaborative
interface design tool. Retrieved from
https://www.figma.com/
[5] Banks, J. (2023). iOS 16 UI Kit for Figma. Retrieved
from
https://www.figma.com/community/file/112106570125273
6567/ios-16-ui-kit-for-figma
PLAGERISM STATEMENT - PERSONAL DECLARATION
"This paper constitutes original work by done by ME and
my group (names and student numbers filled in below).
The paper consists entirely of ideas, observations,
information, and conclusions composed by the group,
except for statements contained within quotation marks
and attributed to the best of the group’s knowledge to
their proper source in footnotes or references. Direct
quotations make up a very small proportion of the text and
are appropriately cited. Material paraphrased from a
source (e.g., print sources, multimedia sources, web-based
sources, course notes or personal interviews) has been
clearly identified by a numerical reference citation (ACM).
All of the sources consulted and/or included in the report
have been listed in the Reference section of the paper. All
drawings, diagrams, photos, maps or other visual items
derived from other sources have been identified by
numerical reference citations in the caption. No part of the
document has been submitted for any other course."

Names and Student Numbers of the group:

Meghna Basu - B00880593
Safat Sadnan Snehal - B00842334
Casey Tai - B00862170
Qijie Yue - B00872796

Date: April, 7, 2024

(Please note, filling in your name, BannerID and Date, it

means that you have read and agree that the above
statement is true).
 Final Report Work Breakdown
Fill in the below table, based on who did what components and administrative duties based on 6 or 5 member groups.
At the end of the project, your teammates will evaluate your overall performance and participation in the group project.

6 MEMBER Breakdown of responsibilities (for example, FILL IN FOR YOUR GROUP):

Name [add] Lead Reviews Add Admin Role:
• Paper Merger (PM)
• Paper Editor 1 and 2 (PE)
• Format checker (FC)
• Image cheeker (IC)
• Layout checker (LC)
M1 Abstract, Keywords, Introduction M2
(~1 page) section
M2 Conclusion, Future Work (~1 page) M1
References (~.5 pages) section
M3 Background, Objectives M4
(~1 page) section
M4 Interview/Contextual Inquiry M3
Description (including section
process/methodology and results/
discussions) (~1.5-2 pages)
M5 Prototype Description (design process M6
and prototype) (~1-1.5page) Section
M6 Cognitive Walkthrough methodology M4
and results/discussions (~1.5-2 page) Section

5 MEMBER Breakdown of responsibilities (for example, FILL IN FOR YOUR GROUP):

Name [add] Lead Reviews Add Admin Role:
• Paper Merger (PM)
• Paper Editor 1 and 2
(PE)
• Format checker (FC)
• Image cheeker (IC)
M1 Safat Sadnan Snehal Abstract, Keywords, Introduction, M2 PM
Background, Objectives (~2 page) section
M2 Qijie Yue Conclusion, Future Work (~1 page) M1 PE1/IC
References (~.5 pages) section
M3 Meghna Basu Interview/Contextual inquiry Description M4 PE2
(including process/methodology and section
results/ discussions) (~1.5-2 pages)
M4 Casey Tai Prototype Description (design process and M5 FC
prototype) (~1-1.5page) section
M5 Meghna Basu Cognitive Walkthrough (methodology, M3 PE2
results/discussion) (~1.5-2 pages) Section