M3: Matching Mental Models

Visual Narrative Risk Communication

Tools: Flash, Actionscript, the Sims 2, Photoshop, Audacity

Usability and security have been traditionally seen as incompatible; human behavior has been considered the "weakest link" in maintaining system security. I am interested in how human nature can be used to enhance system security.

Objective   My goal was to find a way to align usability and security.  Specifically, I wanted to help users become informed about how to accomplish their computing goals, while remaining safe from cybercrime.

 

Concept   M3 is based on narrative metaphors that communicate computer risks with physical world concepts.   Each narrative tells a story that educates the user about the risks involved with certain computing activities.  More importantly, it teaches the user how to take advantage of the power of their computer without compromising security.

 

Method  Based on previous card-sorting studies, which identified the mental model of computer security of non-expert users,  I chose to explore the physical and criminal models of security.  The physical and criminal models were most commonly associated with computer risks by this group.  Based on previous work in risk communication and risk perception, I chose to

present the information as a combination of text

and images.  This research also convinced me that

the information had to be engaging in order to be compelling enough to have an effect on risk perception.  Therefore, I chose to use a visual narrative to ensure that the information would make sense to the user in non-expert terms.  Also, the information as a visual narrative would be experienced in a real and lasting way.

 

Design  I designed M3 as a Flash application that allows  users to progress through the screens of the story at their own pace, like a physical book.  Some of the screens are static and some are animated, depending on the intended message of the screen.  I use the metaphor of an apartment complex with a strange landlady to communicate risks associated with administrative system access.  All of the elements of the narrative were created with the Sims 2: Open for Business machinima.

 

Test  To test the M3, I recruited 6 non-experts participants, as indicated by a pre-test questionnaire. 

I asked the participants:

1. to sign in to the test computer
2. to read through the narrative
3. to sign in again in order to fill out a questionnaire

In reality, the second sign in task was designed to see if the narrative had an effect on sign in preference.   All six participants initially signed in with "full" access and then signed in with "restricted" access after reading the narrative.   This test suggest that the narrative did affect an immediate behavioral change.  These findings merit further studies with visual narrative risk communication.  Ideally, replicating the results with a larger number of participants will prove a strong positive correlation between matching mental models, narrative exposure, and behavioral change.

 

Please feel free to contact me to view the first M3 visual narrative and read my research paper:

:: technosugar@gmail.com