Integrating user experience into cybersecurity: challenges, opportunities and actionable recommendations from a case study

Purpose - The paper studies the integration of UX into a cybersecurity project using longitudinal mixed-method approach, how introducing UX influences design, management decisions and security-relevant outcomes, formalises these mechanisms in a four-phase framework, and derives recommendations.

Design/Methodology/Approach - An exploratory case study follows a multi-year cybersecurity project (2022–2025) with multiple rounds of participant observation, survey and interviews.

Findings - UX integration facilitates consensus-building, fosters a human-centred mindset, and serves as the backbone of the project.

Originality/Value -  Presents a phase-based framework showing how UX practices reshape security decisions across four stages (recognition, anchoring, translation, operationalisation), alongside replicable UX methods and ten actionable recommendations for development and management teams.

Research Limitations/Implications - Single-case design, small homogeneous sample and context-specific setting prevent statistical generalisation.

Practical implications - Recommendations and framework support safer, more inclusive systems by aligning design with diverse user needs.