With or Without U(sers): A Journey to Integrate UX Activities in Cybersecurity.

Integrating human factors into cybersecurity system development is crucial if users are to make these technologies their own. This case study reports our introduction of UX activities in a cybersecurity project focused on creating cyber range scenarios. Research objectives include assessing non-UX stakeholders’ UX literacy, examining the impact of user involvement on non-UX stakeholders’ UX literacy, and identifying barriers and opportunities for UX integration. Data was collected at three key points, using a mixed method approach of survey, interview and observation. The findings reveal that although introducing UX methods progressively did not uniformly improve UX literacy, it reduced barriers to UX integration and increased confidence in conducting UX activities. Further, it facilitated effective communication within a multidisciplinary team, fostering consensus on development priorities.