Understanding perspectives for product design on personal data privacy in internet of things (IoT): A systematic literature review (SLR)

Abstract

As the number of Internet users grows, the increase in smart devices interconnected through the Internet of Things (IoT) have contributed to improvements in the functionality of everyday products and enhancement of user experience. Yet, they affect user privacy and render personal data more vulnerable. To foster a digital future fully aware of user privacy requirements, a line of design research emerges that focuses on balancing product innovation with user data protection. This matter relates to sociocultural, economic, and technological aspects, and its core is a human-centered design strategy. Still, there is a gap in academic research oriented towards guiding product developers on how to consider personal data privacy concerns when designing honest IoT devices. To define this gap and delve deeper into this relevant topic, this paper presents a systematic literature review of recent academic research using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) method. This review focuses on prevalent research topics such as data privacy, personal data, data surveillance, and user behaviour in IoT. The result is a state-of-the-art compilation of 45 scientific studies mapping the most relevant concepts and approaches for product development in the last ten years of research, aligned with some central research questions. The Discussion and Conclusion sections provide a deep understanding of the complexity of the fast-changing landscape of privacy and personal data management using IoT products. Finally, this study proposes future academic research directions devoted to providing product designer specific, specialised help from different (yet interconnected) scientific approaches.