Experimentally prototyping towards a Digital Euro
J.R.B. van Baar (TU Delft - Industrial Design Engineering)
G.J. Pasman – Mentor (TU Delft - Human Technology Relations)
Caiseal Beardow – Mentor (TU Delft - Human Technology Relations)
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Abstract
Currently in our payment system, the usage of cash is declining and our card payments are dependent on American payment companies. For these reasons, the ECB is researching to issue a Digital Euro, a European payment system offered by a public institution, often explained as digital cash. I argue that instead of distinguishing itself on increased convenience or usability, Digital Euro rather provides indirect benefits, which have to align with people's values.
As a scope, this project investigates how to communicate the value of privacy in the Digital Euro during in-store payments. As an approach, first various tensions around (the perception of) privacy are mapped out, namely:
1. Do users want to access Digital Euro through a public or private party?
2. Do users want to pay fully anonymously or identify towards a trusted intermediary?
3. Do users want to have complete choice over which data to share or have a determined standard of information sharing?
Then, these tensions were translated into speculative prototypes used for research. These are meant to present dilemmas around privacy and let participants relfect on their values.
User research was conducted through in-depth interviews and and in-context evaluation to enact payments. The user research showed that:
1. Familiarity is deemed more important in selecting an intermediary than that party being public or private.
2. Few users are interested in cash-like anonymity, especially when this would increase the risk of losing money.
3. All users appreciate having the choice beforehand of which data to share with which parties.
Other insights are communicated in the form of a vocabulary on the way participants reasoned about their values, personas that reason based on long term values or direct benefits, and detailed insights per prototype page. Finally, design recommendations are given for communicating privacy.