The Great Balancing Act Security, UX and Identity by Domanic SmithJones
Domanic Smith Jones is a Solution Engineer at Auth0. In this article, he discusses striking a balance between Security, UX, and Identity.
The four main digital government trends are –
- Multi-channel engagement – Phones, Smart TVs, laptops, and other digital devices.
- Build once, Use many – Do not rebuild or reinvent the wheel.
- Data sharing – You should be able to share that data with people qualified to access it, who are authorized and authenticated.
- Remote working
When people digitize a platform, are they digitizing it or just putting analog forms onto the internet? For most people, convenience and ease of access were the most important thing. But when people are transacting online, they need security and privacy.
So, customer expectations come in three flavors –
- Security
- Privacy
- Convenience
Security
Some examples of security are –
- Strong passwords – Long passwords, special characters, numbers, and complicated combinations. It makes it harder to crack.
- Intelligent Protections – Biometrics,
- Multi-factor authentication
When security is appropriately implemented,
- Consumers are protected from attack
- Businesses are confident in their compliance
- Employees gain productivity
Privacy
Privacy is the responsible control of data. It is sharing data that the consumer has agreed to share with people with the correct authorization to receive it. This is done by seeking permissions and restricting third-party cookies. There is legislation in place on sharing data.
When consumers have confidence in the implementation of privacy,
- Consumers feel comfortable sharing more
- Businesses get a better view of their users
- Employees can provide better service because they have more data to analyze and act on
Convenience
Convenience is when things are quick and easy, and you do not have to repeat effort, etc. It wraps into the ease of access for what it is that you’re providing.
- Accessibility – If someone’s blind, will a screen reader work? If some service is to run where the internet service is not very strong, we cannot have anything that is internet intensive.
- Device agnosticism – Does it work on iPhone, Apple Watch, or Android? Does it work on simple CRT monitors?
When things are convenient,
- Consumers keep coming back.
- Businesses improve repeat business and conversion
- Employees can build better relationships
With earlier technologies providing all three, privacy, security, and convenience was not always possible. We could have one and not the other or compromise on a few points or some features. But now, with advanced technologies, providing all three is getting more and more possible.