The design and evaluation of a personal data store application

Although personal data stores (PDS) offer users greater transparency and control over personal data, adoption remains limited. This study explores user perceptions of PDS to uncover barriers to adoption, evaluating four use cases: HR: PDS helps career platforms match job seekers with positions by sharing qualifications and interests, allowing companies to contact suitable candidates. Media: PDS enables sharing of media preferences across platforms, enhancing personalized recommendations. Finance: PDS consolidates financial data, offering insights into income, expenses, and assets. Health: PDS stores medical, fitness and wearable data which can be shared with a doctor for more personalized health monitoring. A survey (n=2500) in which participant rated the four use cases based on a textual description revealed a significantly higher behavioral intention for the Health use case, with intent decreasing across use cases by participant age. Following the survey, a mock-up prototype was designed for each use case and reviewed by experts (n=9), leading a second iteration of the prototype. This refined prototype is now undergoing usability testing with potential end users (n=15) to assess its effectiveness and user perceptions.