In the current digital era, where companies rely heavily on technology for their operations, customer interactions, and innovation, business analysts (BAs) are essential in bridging the gap between stakeholder requirements and technical solutions to create valuable systems. A constant challenge they encounter is finding the right balance between usability, the ease with which users can navigate a system, and security, which involves protecting data and operations from potential threats. Usability aims to provide intuitive, efficient, and satisfying user experiences (UX), whereas security focuses on implementing measures like encryption, access controls, and compliance protocols. The conflict arises because enhancing one aspect often compromises the other: strong security can make systems difficult to use, while prioritizing usability might lead to security vulnerabilities.
Usability extends beyond mere visual appeal; it focuses on helping users accomplish their objectives with minimal obstacles, whether they are customers interacting with a mobile application or employees using corporate tools. Business Analysts gather usability requirements through methods such as user interviews, creating personas, and mapping user journeys, ensuring that systems accommodate a wide range of users, from tech-savvy young individuals to those less experienced with digital technology. Prototyping tools like Figma or Balsamiq facilitate early interface design, adhering to user-centered design principles and accessibility guidelines like WCAG. Ignoring usability can result in users abandoning systems due to cumbersome interfaces, particularly when rapid projects bypass testing, leading to expensive corrections post-launch.
Security serves as the cornerstone of trust, safeguarding against unauthorized access, data breaches, and cyber threats such as ransomware and phishing. Business Analysts collaborate with cybersecurity specialists to establish security requirements, employing frameworks like NIST or OWASP to evaluate risks. Essential strategies include multi-factor authentication (MFA), encryption, role-based access control (RBAC), and adherence to regulations like GDPR or HIPAA. The challenge is to implement these measures without inconveniencing users. For instance, while complex password policies or frequent MFA prompts enhance security, they may lead users to find workarounds, such as bypassing official systems, which can create additional risks.
The primary conflict arises from differing objectives: usability aims for simplicity, while security requires complexity. Implementing MFA enhances protection but introduces additional login steps, which might discourage users. Conversely, designs that are too user-friendly, such as single-sign-on without robust verification, can lead to security gaps. Business Analysts (BAs) encounter several challenges in maintaining this balance. Aligning stakeholders is difficult, as end-users desire convenience, IT teams emphasize security, and executives are concerned with ROI. Workshops intended to harmonize these perspectives can result in scope creep or diluted requirements. Risk assessment is also challenging due to the rapid evolution of cyber threats. The transition to remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic underscored this issue, with tools like Zoom being lauded for their usability but criticized for security weaknesses such as inadequate encryption. BAs must balance the risk of breaches against user satisfaction, often navigating trade-offs between costs and benefits.
Older systems might not accommodate current security protocols, necessitating expensive redesigns of interfaces. In agile environments, business analysts operate in sprints, requiring ongoing testing, usability assessments through A/B testing, and security checks via penetration testing, which can deplete resources. Real-world examples highlight these issues. The 2017 Equifax data breach, where admin tools with excessive permissions favored usability, compromised millions of records, indicating that business analysts may have underestimated security requirements. In the healthcare sector, electronic health record systems like Epic ensure data security but often suffer from poor usability, contributing to clinician burnout and mistakes.
Cultural and ethical considerations add complexity to the situation. Business Analysts (BAs) must ensure that security measures respect privacy from the outset and that usability encourages inclusivity, all while considering global variations in technology adoption. Despite these hurdles, BAs can implement effective strategies to align usability with security. Firstly, they should adopt a "secure by design" philosophy, integrating both priorities into the initial requirements by employing threat modelling techniques like STRIDE alongside usability heuristics. Secondly, they should suggest user-friendly security solutions such as biometrics or adaptive authentication, which tailor security levels to the context, providing robust protection with minimal user effort. Thirdly, they should promote integrated testing, utilizing usability labs for user experience feedback and tools like Burp Suite for security validation, with metrics such as System Usability Scale scores to assess the balance. Fourthly, they should encourage the formation of cross-functional teams comprising UX designers, security architects, and developers. Lastly, they should educate stakeholders with case studies to demonstrate the benefits of balanced systems and keep abreast of trends like zero-trust architecture, which verifies every access request without necessarily compromising usability.
Striking a balance between usability and security is a challenging yet crucial responsibility for business analysts, demanding a blend of technical expertise, empathy, and strategic insight. By comprehending trade-offs, catering to stakeholder requirements, and adopting proactive measures, business analysts can develop systems that are both user-friendly and robust. As technologies such as AI and IoT progress, maintaining this equilibrium becomes increasingly vital, with AI-powered anomaly detection tools offering innovative ways to bolster security without compromising on usability. Successful business analysts will view this not as a zero-sum situation but as a chance to create systems that promote business success in a secure and accessible digital environment.
Author: Olatunde Olasehan
Olatunde Olasehan is an experienced IT engineer with over seven years in network infrastructure, cybersecurity, and IT operations. He has designed and secured resilient systems across several industries. He holds two master’s degrees in cybersecurity and information technology, along with certifications including CCNA, Security+, ITILv4, and ISC2 CC. Passionate about turning complex IT challenges into actionable solutions, Olatunde helps businesses improve cybersecurity and operational efficiency.