Climbing towers or looking at flowers: Exploring Young Adults’ Needs for Effective Cybersecurity Education Through Design Thinking and LEGO Serious Play

Despite the wide range of cybersecurity education available online, young adults (18-30 years) often struggle to protect themselves online. This situation underscores the need for rethinking cybersecurity education aimed at this demographic. In this study, we employed a condensed Design Thinking process alongside LEGO Serious Play to actively engage young adults (n = 16) in exploring their needs for effective cybersecurity education. We identified not only needs for the format and design of educational resources, but also needs for the educational environment and structure (especially social aspects), as well as psychological aspects, including the resolution of cognitive dissonance and integration of cybersecurity-related emotions. Finally, we provide recommendations for future research and practitioners.