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851-0391-00L 3 Credits DS , DR D-GESS

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Focus on the Human: Human-Centered Security and Privacy Lab

Lecturers & Examiners: Prof. Dr. Verena Zimmermann, Lorin Schöni

The course is particularly suitable for all students who have already completed the course “Human-centered IT Security and Privacy” as some of the concepts introduced will practically be applied in this course. However, the relevant literature and necessary material will be provided to all students and basic concepts will be briefly summarized so that all interested students can participate.

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Last Updated: 2026-02-05 16:15:53

Abstract

After an introduction on usable security as the intersection of computer science and psychology, students will form teams and work on exemplary security- or privacy-related research questions. The teams will develop and evaluate a concept for a human-centered solution. Through input sessions and milestone presentations the human perspective will be incorporated and reflected upon.

Objective

The course makes students experience an exemplary human-centered design process. They will learn about and practically apply human-centered design and evaluation methods that will allow them to view their solution from the human perspective, e.g., the user, developer or website owner perspective. By taking part in the evaluation of other teams, they will also take the user perspective themselves.

Content

At the beginning of the course, the students will receive an introduction to usable IT security and privacy and relevant concepts. Afterwards, a selection of current research questions from that area will be presented. The students form teams and select one of the proposed research questions. This question will accompany the students throughout the semester. They will design and evaluate a concept for a human-centered solution to that question. To be able to do so, they will receive input on human-centered design and evaluation tools. Their progress and the inclusion of the human perspective will be subject to feedback in milestone presentations. The students’ human-centered solution can take the form of a concept (e.g., a concept for a product or app), interface (e.g., a visual or tangible interface), or prototype (e.g., sketches, a click-dummy or a built prototype). The solution will then be subject to evaluations. The solutions will be user-tested by members of other teams that thereby take the perspective of a user themselves. In addition, the solutions will be analyzed from different stakeholders’ perspectives, such as developers or website owners. Finally, the students will reflect on potential changes that results from the evaluations and their consequences.

Resources

Literature

Literature Recommendations: Adams, A., & Sasse, M. A. (1999). Users are not the enemy. Communications of the ACM, 42(12), 40-46. Cranor, L. F., & Garfinkel, S. (2005). Security and usability: designing secure systems that people can use. " O'Reilly Media, Inc.". Diefenbach, S., & Hassenzahl, M. (2017). Psychologie in der nutzerzentrierten Produktgestaltung: Mensch-Technik-Interaktion-Erlebnis. Springer-Verlag. Diefenbach, S., & Hassenzahl, M. (2010). Handbuch zur Fun-ni Toolbox–User Experience Evaluation auf drei Ebenen. Dix, A., & Finlay, J., Abowd, G., Beale, R. (2004). Human-computer interaction. Pearson - PRENTICE HALL. Garfinkel, S., & Lipford, H. R. (2014). Usable security: History, themes, and challenges. Synthesis Lectures on Information Security, Privacy, and Trust, 5(2), 1-124. Nielsen, J. (1999). Designing web usability: The practice of simplicity. New Riders Publishing. Norman, D. (2013). The design of everyday things: Revised and expanded edition. Basic Books (AZ). Reuter, C. (2018). Sicherheitskritische Mensch-Computer-Interaktion. Wiesbaden: Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden. Sarodnick, F., & Brau, H. (2006). Methoden der Usability Evaluation. Verlag Hans Huber.

General Information

Language: English
Levels: DS , DR
Frequency: Yearly recurring

Examination

Type: graded semester performance

Each group willa) present their progress within milestone presentations andb) hand in a report at the end of the semester detailing the design process, the developed human-centered concept, and reflect on related human-related aspects.The final grade will be derived based on both the presentations and the report.

Registration & Places

Max Places: 30

Course Components

Type	Title	Time & Place	Hours
seminar	Focus on the Human: Human-Centered Security and Privacy Lab	Thu 10:15-12:00 (IFW B 42)	2 h weekly

Offered In

Science in Perspective (In “Science in Perspective”-courses students learn to reflect on ETH’s STEM subjects from the perspective of humanities, political and social sciences. Only the courses listed below will be recognized as "Science in Perspective" courses.)
- Type A: Enhancement of Reflection Competence (SiP courses are recommended for bachelor students after their first-year examination and for all master- or doctoral students. All SiP courses are listed in Type A. Courses listed under Type B are only recommendations for enrollment for specific departments.)
  - Psychology, Pedagogics
- Type B: Reflection About Subject-Specific Methods and Contents (Subject-specific courses. Particularly relevant for students interested in those subjects. All these courses are also listed under the category “Typ A”, and every student can enroll in these courses.)
  - D-INFK
  - D-ITET
  - D-MTEC
  - D-HEST
  - D-MAVT
Doctorate Humanities, Social and Political Sciences (More Information at: )
- Subject Specialisation