USABILITY TESTING COMPLETED Cisco Duo Jan - Mar 2024

Multifactor Authentication in University Settings

Sponsored by Duo Security to study authentication UX across UW users. Identified friction points and opportunities for improved experience.

Role
UX Researcher
Timeline
3 months
Team
4 researchers
Methods
Usability TestingSurveysModerated TestingThink-Aloud ProtocolUsable Privacy & Security

Research Metrics

6
User Sessions
23
Survey Respondents
87%
Task Success Rate
45s
Avg. Completion Time

Key Findings

Clear Mental Models
HIGH
Users can generally anticipate what they need to do with Duo for a typical Canvas log-in process.
2FA Misconceptions
CRITICAL
A segment of users don't understand the purpose of 2FA, expressing frustration about additional security steps.
Device Context Matters
MEDIUM
Authentication experience varies significantly between mobile and desktop contexts.

User Observations

✅ Success Patterns
  • • Prior experience with 2FA systems
  • • Clear device context understanding
  • • Consistent authentication environment
"I know what to expect now - phone notification, approve, done."
⚠️ Friction Points
  • • Device not available during authentication
  • • Network connectivity issues
  • • Confusion about authentication methods
"I don't understand why I need to do this every time."

Recommendations

Priority
Recommendation
Implementation
Impact
P1
Contextual Help - Embed help within auth flow
Engineering + Content
High
P2
Device Onboarding - Mobile vs desktop flows
Product + Engineering
Medium
P3
Error States - Better messaging + escalation
Content + QA
Low

Methodology

Participants
N=6 UW students/staff with diverse technical backgrounds and 2FA experience. Recruited via IT department.
Session Format
60-min moderated sessions: pre-task interview, task-based testing, post-task questionnaire. Screen recorded.
Quantitative
Time-on-task, success rates, error frequency, SUS scale ratings.
Qualitative
Think-aloud protocols, post-session interviews, thematic analysis.

Deliverables

Research Protocol
40-page document with task flows, metrics, analysis framework
Data Analysis Report
Statistical analysis + qualitative findings synthesis
Stakeholder Presentation
Executive summary for Cisco Duo + UW IT leadership

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