Master's Thesis Anxhela Maloku

A Pattern Catalog for Privacy-preserving UI/UX Design

Abstract

There is an evident lack of legal understanding of UX/UI designers. Their approach relies mainly on user research and design intuition. Awareness of the effects of new legal privacy-protecting frameworks such as GDPR and ease of friction in applying this knowledge to their design decisions can reduce the complexity of communicating privacy topics. Our work seeks to promote a responsible and privacy-friendly approach to user interface design.

This research aims to establish a pattern catalog that integrates privacy-preserving principles into design practices. Steps taken to achieve this goal will be collecting existing privacy-enhancing (bright patterns) and deceptive (dark) patterns, as well as offering recommendations for designers to protect user privacy and avoid unethical practices in the catalog. Interviews with designers and developers will ensure that both perspectives are gained and that this catalog's usability, effectiveness, and comprehensiveness are better evaluated. The data collection will be based on a literature review to identify privacy considerations in UI/UX design, barriers, challenges, and best practices so that we can easily offer practical solutions. 

Research Questions

1. What are the key privacy considerations for UI/UX design, and how can they be effectively addressed?
2. What are the key factors influencing UI/UX designers in addressing privacy considerations?
3. What strategies or approaches can be adopted to better incorporate privacy into UI/UX design, avoiding deceptive practices?