GDPR Compliance in UX Design?
Every company is taking steps forward to becoming compliant with EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) law. But, only a few of them are pondering about the user experience (UX) design aspect of the GDPR compliance, which is quite important to gain a competitive edge over rival firms. With a robust UX design accompanied with GDPR compliance, organizations can differentiate their service in the market by using personal data privacy as a means. As a result, they can attract more customers and retain the existing ones. Hence, considering privacy as an important element of your UX design is key to successful business.
General Data Protect Regulation is a strict data protection law which is endowed to European Union citizens and put high penalties on defaulters. While this regulation is easier to understand, it may be harder to implement. You need to precisely translate the rules in this regulation into proper front-end experience for your customers and users. Below are some essential points that you need to consider while creating a GPDR compliant UX design.
Types of data collected
First of all, companies need to clearly explain about what type of data they want to collect. For this, your customers or users should have a clear understanding of what they are consenting to. For instance, certain features of your product or service require a specific data like a person’s email address, it should be clearly stated to the customer or user. Provide complete information to user or customer which is needed, like how and why a particular information is collected.
How the data is utilized?
Be transparent and inform your customers or users clearly about how certain data collected from them is utilized.
Allow users/customers to decide to opt-in
Users/customers should be allowed to choose whether they want to opt-in to let their data collect, utilize and store. You must not include any pre-ticked checkboxes in your app. While UX designers’ job is to lead customers in the desired direction by offering call-to-action buttons, but GDPR compliance requires that users/customers take the informed decisions. The buttons and other user elements of your app should be in a way that they provide correct information and options.
Separate consent for activities from terms and conditions
Accepting the terms and conditions of your service is different from consenting to a certain feature or activity in your app. Make sure terms and conditions are separated from consent and they are easily distinguishable. They should provide individual options for opting-in the activities. Let your customers or users give their consent separately for varied data processing and collection activities.
Make an easy opt-out procedure
Users or customers have right to withdraw from their consent of data collection, processing and storing. It’s your responsibility to define a simple and precise way of allowing them to opt-out of their consent any time. Lay down an easy and clear process for this and you can also separate withdrawal procedure for different activities.
Transparency
You should be completely transparent about your methods of handling personal data. Clearly mention your company and any third-party organization which depend on user’s consent. For instance, if there is any third-party relying on and utilizing your customers’ or users’ data, it won’t be enough to mention “third-party” you must clearly name the concerned party.
Keep the language easy to understand
It may not seem important for GDPR compliance, but it is, and you should make sure that you keep the language as simple as possible when communicating your data policies and request consent from users. Easy language should be preferred when you want to communicate with your users or customers for any reason. Do not use complicated phrases when explaining reasons for a consent, make it explicit.
Get help from GDPR compliance solution provider
If you are still puzzled on how to deal with the new data protection law in context of your business, you can shake hand with a GDPR compliance consulting service. These services offer complete solution and guide to comply with this regulation. Find a dependable solution provider and they will help you handle this legislation.
Conclusion
The dimensions of online business are changing and General Data Protection Regulation has brought about a great change. Thus, to survive in this highly competitive world, you need to differentiate your product. Introduction of this new law has created both opportunity and threat for organizations, but you can turn it into profits by implementing the rules of this regulation in your UX design. Take a step forward to make your business app adhering to this rule.
Author Bio:
Tom Hardy has hands-on experience as a digital marketing consultant. He currently works at Sparx IT Solutions: GDPR Compliance Solution Provider and offers exceptional website auditing services to prepare a business for GDPR readiness. Also, he writes informative blogs to let users know how much it is important to comply with GDPR for websites to get better data security.
