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We conducted a remote workshop based on the [Lightning Decision Jam][1] format to first look at the stakeholder concerns with browsers, the address bar in browsers in particular and P2P. Secondly, we used the workshop to prioritise these issues and concerns to look at possible directions to focus on with future research and design.
All the browsers surveyed (as listed below) shared commonalities as do many of the other more specialist or experimental browsers currently in release. The common elements, often referred to in the interview with experts and non-experts are outlined above.
We started with this survey to establish the commonalities and baselines between the current browser stack. From this we could continue into exploring in detail through user research what works and what doesn’t with that as is outlined with the non-expert and expert research.
This common language as established by the current browser use and as explored through talking to users and experts will go on to set the context both for the use cases, design patterns and visual treatments developed in the design phase. Also, this common browser use language will be useful in orienting people in future explorations and presentations.
| Browser | URL display | Padlock | Padlock options | Unsecured connection | Bookmark | Privacy (shield) | Page action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Firefox 70.0.1 | After domain, displayed in lighter font colour | Yes | Show connection details, Clear cookies and options | Padlock icon crossed out with red, Clear cookies and options | Yes | Yes | Bookmark this Page, Save Page to Pocket, Pin Tab, Copy Link, Email link…, Send Tab to Device (menu), Share (menu), Take a screenshot, Add Search Engine |
| Safari 3.0.3 | Protocol not shown unless selected, after domain appears to be displayed in slightly different font weight | Yes | “Safari is using an encrypted connection to…”, and Show Certificate option | “Not Secure” shown, no options | Yes | No | No |
| Chrome 78.0.3904.97 | Protocol not shown unless selected, “://“ and after domain displayed in lighter font colour | Yes | “Connection is secure” and Learn more, Certificate (valid/not), Cookies (number in use), Site settings (opens tab) | “i” icon, “Your connection to this site isn’t secure”, Cookies (number), Site settings (opens tab), | Yes | No | No |
| Edge 79.0.309.18 | “://“ and after domain displayed in lighter font colour | Yes | “Connection is secure”, Certificate (valid/not), Cookies (number in use), Site permissions (opens tab), “Tracking prevention” and “Manage”, On/off, Trackers (menu) | “i” icon, “Your connection to this site isn’t secure”, Cookies (number), Site permissions (opens tab), “Tracking prevention” and “Manage”, On/off, Trackers (menu) | Yes | No | No |
URL- The most common and absolute basic that the browsers show, although there is some talk about getting rid of it, is the URL. This is the actual web address showing the protocol, for instance HTTP, and the domain as well as any subdomain and files and folders and other structures pointing to an IP address on the Internet. While not largely understood amongst users, and changing in length and complexity as web technologies have drastically evolved, it is almost synonymous with the internet and it can be used as location understanding fallback and generally agreed that should remain in some form. While almost always displayed as a flat list of letters and numbers there is some opportunity in how it can be displayed as well as providing additional user controls and alerts as to what is going on there.
Padlock - The URL bar has largely been consistent throughout the years except for the recent inclusion of the “padlock” icon which indicates a secure connection. However, what this secure connection entails and what the user can gather from it or be educated about differs from browser to browser. The padlock has a dubious future with some vendors such as Google talking about getting rid of it and making all websites follow HTTPS, but it provides additional sense of security and some controls for the user.
Bookmark - All the browsers, with the exception of Safari, show a star icon for bookmarks. In all these cases the user clicking the star will bookmark the website in a directory in the browser application.
There is currently quite a bit of opportunity with how people use browsers on the Internet and that goes for the URL bar as well. With exploring P2P integration in particular it would likely need to happen here for the user, both as it relates to and displays the security of the connection and then the authenticity of the connection displayed there. There should be a lot of additional exploration in communicating the implications of P2P as well as subtle and available controls to being involved in a P2P network in terms of content, connectivity and security.
There are only two mobile browsers covered within this survey which are Safari mobile iOS and Chrome mobile (iOS). For the purposes of this body of research, and due to the nature and maturity of the web security model in mobile browsers, other's are left out of investigation.
Description of research interviews and what hoped to accomplish
Aleks is an academic and social scientist and uses a browser non-stop for accessing and working on data for research and administration.
Basil is an entrepreneur in the sports and entertainment sector and very interested in data. He has a wide and varied experience with many browsers and the Internet in many countries.
Charlotte has background and training in public sector work and is thus fairly versed as well as highly concerned about tracking and malicious actors on the Web.
Dom works in personal and business finance and almost all of his professional practice work is in a browser. He is interested in seeing context around what he is finding and where he is on the Web.
Jon is a writer who works on many collaborative platforms throughout the day and constantly uses speciality writing websites as a power user. He is interested in the Web primarily for getting work done and for entertainment.
Matthew is a designer familiar and comfortable with working on and working to put things on the Web. He has many concerns about privacy and doing the right thing with his web browsing but like many, sometimes forgets or lets it fall by the wayside.
Nina Nina is a woman with a family concerned about privacy but confused and not sure where to start.
- URLs may not be greatly understood but they provide a level of comfort knowing they are there and can be referred to make sure you’re in the right place
- There is general, albeit very vague, understanding of the padlock and encrypted websites and most understood what HTTPS was and why they should look for it
- There is interest in P2P but concern about how it would be accessed
- P2P is generally thought of something to do with trading and pirating files (Napster, Kazaa and LimeWire were all referred to). There is however the understanding with more people contributing the better and it will go faster
Ed is an experienced developer working on archival systems for cultural heritage institutions and museums and very involved in working with P2P protocols and file stores. While working heavily in the sector Ed is very skeptical about user uptake for P2P technologies and think efforts should be instead concentrated on the academic and scientific sectors.
Stephen is a principal designer at a large and longstanding software company and been working on browsers for the past ten years. He is wary of how p2p will be accepted and keen for it to be well thought out in terms of context and use.
James works as a browser design for a new and innovative software company focused on privacy and new web business models. He feels that security around where you are with whom you’re connected on the web is generally not well understood by most users but there are also new opportunities for designing around data control.
T is working on cryptography and protocol level development.
Yiannis is a lecturer and research advisor to Protocol Labs
Tiff is a UX manager at a large and very long standing internet software company
- There has actually been a lot of work to date around the URL bar and communicating to users that they are at a location on the web and there is or isn’t a secure or encrypted connection
- The consensus is that there needs to be firm use cases for P2P for users and that it needs to be made ‘cool’ beyond the technical
- P2P should just work for the user, and they may not care where files are coming from necessarily, but there should be perhaps a distinct non-HTTP feel to what the user is doing