International Journal of E-Business Research, 8(2), 15-32, April-June 2012 15

User Interface Design

and E-Commerce
Security Perception:
An Empirical Study
Faouzi Kamoun, University of Dubai, UAE
Mohanad Halaweh, University of Dubai, UAE

ABSTRACT
In this study, the authors investigate the relationship between human computer interface design and users’
security perception. The authors hypothesize that effective human computer interface design has a positive
impact on security perception. To test this hypothesis, they use the seven design elements of the customer
interface (7Cs) as a basis of the reference framework for effective interface design. Hypothesis testing was
examined through an empirical study involving 247 subjects. Research reveals that human computer inter-
face design significantly affects the perceived security of e-commerce portals. Further analysis of the results
highlights that the top HCI factors that influence security perception are permanent working links, demos
and online help tools, information accuracy, and easy website navigation. Therefore, this study suggests that
applying good user interface design guidelines at the storefront can be an effective technique for enhancing
user security perception and increasing trust and purchase intention.

Keywords: E-Commerce Portals, E-Commerce Security, Electronic Commerce, Human Computer

Interaction, Human Computer Interface, Security Perception

INTRODUCTION AND predicts that e-commerce sales in the U.S.

RESEARCH BACKGROUND will keep growing at a 10 percent compound
annual growth rate, reaching nearly $250 bil-
The emergence of e-commerce as the catalyst lion in 2014, up from $155 billion in 2009
for online sales has changed the way consum- (Schonfeld, 2010). Unfortunately, this growth
ers shop for goods and services. At the same in e-commerce has been accompanied by an
time, e-commerce provides unprecedented increase in the number and sophistication of
opportunities for many firms to enlarge their fraudulent web practices; thus raising consumer
customer base and establish competitive busi- concerns about online security (VeriSign, 2009).
ness models. A recent Forester research report Recent studies (Abrazhevich, 2004; Kurnia &
Benjamin, 2007; Özkan et al., 2010; Dolatabadi
& Ebrahimi, 2010; Yulihasri et al., 2011) have
DOI: 10.4018/jebr.2012040102

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16 International Journal of E-Business Research, 8(2), 15-32, April-June 2012

shown that low perceived security and trust in are pre-purchase knowledge, interface proper-
e-commerce and e-payment systems negatively ties, and information content.
affects consumers’ intention to purchase on- Pre-purchase knowledge captures those
line. Further, a Gartner study (Gartner, 2006) external factors that can influence consumer’s
reported that US retailers lost near $2 Billion in initial trust before any online interaction takes
e-commerce sales because of the security fears place. Among these factors, are the vendor’s
of online shoppers. In particular, about half of brand name and reputation, user’s previous
the $2 Billion losses were due to consumers online or offline experience with the vendor,
who avoided sites that they perceived to be user’s disposition of trust, and input from
less secure, while the remaining losses were trusted third parties (including word-of-mouth,
attributed to people who, in the first place, were media reports). In particular, Radke et al. (2010)
afraid to engage in e-commerce transactions. conducted a qualitative research that showed
For most retailers, however, the agony is that that the brand reputation of the company whose
the main deriver of consumers’ reluctance to buy website users thought they are browsing is a key
online mostly comes from their perception of perceived intangible security feature. This find-
e-commerce security, rather than from the real ing was also confirmed by the earlier empirical
lack of security per se. As a result, customers’ work of Turner et al. (2001) and Halaweh and
positive perception of security is an essential Fidler (2008). Bhattacherjee’s (2005) model of
pre-requisite to their willingness to engage in trust recognizes that familiarity (knowledge of
online transactions with a site (Turner, 2003; the trustee based on prior interactions or experi-
Zhao-Fu et al., 2010; Fogg et al., 2001). Here ences) can lead to willingness to transact either
we adopt Salisbury (2001) definition of security directly or via the mediation of trust.
perception as “the extent to which one believes Interface properties shape two constructs,
that the web is secure for transmitting sensitive namely familiarity and attitude. Familiarity
information” (p. 166). refers to the system’s usability (ease-of-use), in-
Understanding the nature of end users’ cluding learnability, consistency, flexibility and
perception of security and the factors that in- reliability. Ease-of-use is generally perceived as
fluence this perception has been the subject of a strong indicator that the company cares for its
extensive research during the past few years. customers. When first-time visitors access a site
Most of the earlier contributions have focused for the first time, ease of use, smooth website
on the impact of website security and privacy navigation and pleasurable online experience
features on users’ security perception and trust can potentially affect how much they feel in
(see e.g., Xiaoyan & Zhiying, 2010; Ally & control of the site (Araujo & Araujo, 2003).
Toleman, 2005; Yousafzai et al., 2005; Chel- To this effect, Church and Whitten (2009)
lappa & Pavlou, 2002). argued that the purpose of computer security
Online trust is a multi-faceted and context- is about giving people control over comput-
dependent construct that involves cognitive, ers and information and this shares one of the
behavioral, psychological, cultural, uncertainty goals of Human Computer Interaction. Singh
and risk factors, among others. Perceived trust (2002) argued that guided navigation reduces
can be built and reshaped before, during and perceived risk for customers originating from
after the online transaction (Wang, 2009). The high uncertainty avoidance cultures.
concept can perhaps be better understood by Attitude reflects the appeal and first impres-
invoking Egger’s (2000) Model of Trust for sion the system makes on its users in terms of
Electronic Commerce (MoTEC). MoTEC rec- the visual appearance created by graphic and
ognizes three main trust- Informational content visual designs, as well as other superficial cues
inducing factors (aka filters) that can potentially about navigation and reliability of the e-com-
convert users into e-commerce customers. These merce application (Egger, 2001). Wang (2009)
found that what consumers see through the HCI

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 International Journal of E-Business Research, 8(2), 15-32, April-June 2012 17

design can affect feelings of trust towards the of trust and that they positively influence the
online merchant that the e-commerce interface purchase intention and reduce perceived risk.
represents. This finding was also confirmed by The concept of Security HCI (HCI-S) has
earier studies (see e.g., Johnston et al., 2003; been proposed by Johnston et al. (2003) to reflect
Lumsden & MacKay, 2006; Riegelsberger et the need to explore ways to enhance security
al., 2003) that showed that it is through the throughout the User Interface (UI) development
user interface that consumers get exposed to life cycle. For this purpose, HCI design criteria
the various signs of security mechanisms and such as visibility of system status, aesthetic
develop their security and trust perceptions. and minimalistic design, satisfaction, features’
Kim and Moon (1998) showed, via an empiri- conveying, learnability and trust have been
cal study, that the visual features of the user proposed to achieve trust (Muñoz et al., 2008).
interface can be manipulated to induce feelings D’Hertefelt (2000) identified four additional
of trustworthiness. Karvonen (2000) showed factors related to HCI-S, namely presentation,
that aesthetic beauty and the appeal of a website navigation, fulfillment, and seals of approval.
positively affect trust. As a result, and to properly communicate
According to Egger (2001), these surface trustworthiness during the online interaction,
cues are important for the re-assessment of the traditional scope of HCI must be expanded
the initial trust, when a prospective customer beyond the traditional theme of “a user interact-
explores and assesses the trustworthiness of ing with a system” to encompass the wider scope
a new e-commerce site for the first time. In of “a customer interacting with a company”
fact, since the first contact and response of a (Egger, 2001). This also suggests that that trust
prospective customer with a site is often emo- should be an integral part of any e-commerce
tional, the presentation and appeal of the user website design; rather than an aftermath thought
interface can significantly shape the percep- (Marsh & Meech, 2000).
tion of a site’s credibility and trustworthiness Information content consists of three
(Egger, 2001). On the other hand, the lack of components that are risk, transparency and
professionalism in the user interface’s design, cooperation. Risk refers to the information the
as reflected for instance in outdated content, vendor provides about financial risks and guar-
broken links, or typographical errors has been antees. Transparency reflects the vendor’s open-
reported as an inhibitor to a site’s credibility ness with respect to privacy policy. Cooperation
and trustworthiness (Nielson Norman Group, refers to the facilitating effect of vendor-buyer
2000; Fogg et al., 2001, as cited in Egger, and interaction on trust information.
2001). Further, website aesthetics and good Egger also suggests that that online trust
user interface design have been considered as develops in three stages: (1) rapid initial trust
important factors to build user trust (Agarwal based on superficial interface properties, (2)
& Venkatesh, 2002; Karvonen, 2000; Cyr et more reasoned trust based on the analysis of
al., 2008; Johnston et al., 2003; Hoque & information content, and (3) long-term trust
Lohse, 1999). Other interface-related factors decisions based on direct experience and his-
that positively impact users’ willingness to tory of transactions. The “interface properties”
purchase on line include the website virtual component of the MoTEC model provides a
experience (Jiang & Benbasat, 2003; Rosen strong basis for linking HCI design with security
& Purinton, 2004), personalization (Li & Yeh, perception, as Human Computer Interaction
2010), perceived site quality (McKnight et al., (HCI) is concerned with the design aspects of
2004), perceived usefulness, ease of use and these interfaces. Recently, the nexus of HCI and
security control (Koufaris & Hampton-Sosa, security perception has emerged as a prominent
2004). Recently, Ganguly et al. (2010) showed, research topic (Karat et al., 2005). Therefore,
via an empirical study, that website information, in this paper we propose that HCI design fac-
visual and navigation design factors are drivers tors affect perceived security. Based on earlier

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18 International Journal of E-Business Research, 8(2), 15-32, April-June 2012

empirical studies (see for example Özkan et (Lee & Benbasat, 2003). These characteristics
al., 2010; Tsiakis & Sthephanides, 2005; Abra- are summarized in Table 1.
zhevich, 20004; Jarvenpaa et al., 2000; Gefen, For the purpose of this study, only the first
2000) that confirmed the mediating role of five design elements are considered as they
perceived security and online trust in relation have direct relevance to end user security per-
to risk perception and purchase intension, we ception. These five constructs integrate the key
can then conceptualize that HCI design factors concepts of user interface design and represent
affect perceived security and perceived security the five variable constructs of our research
affects trust (Chellappa, 2002; Pousttchi, 2003), model. Figure 1 illustrates our high-level re-
which in turn increases willingness to purchase search model, which has context, content,
and reduces perceived risk. communication, connection and commerce as
Drawing from these and other earlier independent variables, and overall security
contributions, we expect that in the context of perception as a dependent variable. Accord-
business to consumer (B2C) e-commerce, the ingly, five hypotheses will be examined as
quality of human computer interface design follows:
would impact the users’ perception of security.
Thus, this study develops the following main Hypothesis 1 (H1): The context aspect of the
hypothesis: Good human computer interface user interface has a significant effect on
design has a significant impact on end-user the overall security perception.
security perception. Hypothesis 2 (H2): The content aspect of the
Accordingly, two main research questions user interface has a significant effect on
guided this contribution: the overall security perception.
Hypothesis 3 (H3): The communication aspect
(1) Is there enough evidence to confirm that of the user interface has a significant effect
good HCI design has strong positive influ- on the overall security perception.
ence on consumers’ security perception? Hypothesis 4 (H4): The connection aspect of
(2) If so, then which aspects of HCI design the user interface has a significant effect
have strongest positive impact on perceived on the overall security perception.
website security, and which ones have the Hypothesis 5 (H5): The commerce aspect of
least impact? the user interface has a significant effect
on the overall security perception.
As a first step to assess the above hypoth-
esis, we conducted reviews of previous stud- Our work differs from earlier contributions
ies related to the design elements of the user in at least two aspects.
interface. In alignment with Lee and Benbasat First, our approach adopts a comprehensive
(2003), we chose the seven design elements set of relevant dependant variables (five Cs) that
of the customer interface (7Cs) because they cohesively capture the design elements of the
provide a comprehensive framework for analyz- user interface. Earlier studies, on the other hand,
ing e-commerce interface (Rayport & Jaworski, mainly focused on design aesthetics (Schultz,
2001). Lee and Benbasat (2003) have used this 2005; Tractinsky, 2004) or website content
reference framework to identify those interface (Park & Kim, 2003) and how these influence
design aspects that could inhibit the widespread consumer e-trust and purchase behavior by af-
adoption of m-commerce. According to the fecting perceived usefulness and ease of use.
7Cs, a customer interface in e-commerce is Our research, on the other hand, recognizes that
characterized by seven design elements, namely: user interface design is a multi-dimensional
context, content, community, customization, construct that integrates design aesthetics with
communication, connection, and commerce other relevant HCI constructs. Thus, this study
contributes to the existing body of knowledge

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 International Journal of E-Business Research, 8(2), 15-32, April-June 2012 19

Table 1. Description of the 7 Cs (adapted from Lee & Benbasat, 2003)

Design elements of the customer Description

interface (7 Cs)
1. Context Focal Point How a Web site is delivered
Aesthetic and functional look and feel
Interface Implemen- Color and visual themes
tation Layout (linking structure, display space, section breakdown, and
navigation tools)
Performance dimensions (speed, reliability, and usability)
2. Content Focal Point What a Web site presents to users
Text, audio, pictures and video that sites contain
Interface Implemen- (a) Offering mix (the mix of product/service information), (b) appeal
tation mix (the mix of promotional messages), (c) multimedia mix (the
choice of media), and (d) content type (the degree of time-sensitivity)
3. Communica- Focal Point The dialogue between the sites and their users
tion
Interface Implemen- (a) Broadcast (one-way information exchange), (b) interactive (two-
tation way communication), and (c) hybrid (a combination of the two)
4. Connection Focal Point Formal linkages between sites
Interface Implemen- Outsourced content, percent of home site content, and pathways of
tation connection
5. Commerce Focal Point The shopping tools that support sales of goods and product services
Interface Implemen- Shopping cart, security, order tracking and delivery options
tation
6. Community Focal Point Interaction between users
Interface Implemen- (a) Interactive (chat, instant messaging, message boards) and (b) non-
tation interactive communication (public member pages)
7. Customiza- Focal Point The site’s ability to tailor itself or to be tailored by each user
tion
Interface Implemen- (a) Personalization (log-in registration, personalized email account),
tation (b) tailoring (based on past user behavior)

on e-commerce security by suggesting that HCI main findings of the paper. We then outline the
design principles (related to Context, Content, implications of this study on researchers and
Communication, Connection, and Commerce) practitioners. Finally, we provide a summary
could play an important role in influencing us- of the key limitations of this study and outline
ers’ security perception. some suggestions for future research.
Second, this study contributes towards
identifying those HCI design elements that have
most significant impact on end-users’ security RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
perception. Therefore it provides directions
Participants
on how HCI design can be vectored towards
enhancing security perception. To test the research hypothesis, we distributed
The remaining of this paper is organized a paper-based survey to a random sample of
as follows: the next section presents our re- Internet users in UAE. Participants were asked
search methodology. The following section to respond to items related to their perceptions
outlines the research results and discusses the

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20 International Journal of E-Business Research, 8(2), 15-32, April-June 2012

Figure 1. Research model

of security and interfaces designs of e-commerce Hypothesis Testing

websites. Prior to that, we conducted a pilot
study to solicit feedback on early drafts of the The second part of the questionnaire was de-
survey questions in order to further refine the signed to test the hypotheses corresponding to
data collection instruments. Validity measures the five constructs. For this purpose, we have
the degree to which items on the research developed, for each of the 5 constructs, a set
instrument actually relate to the content of the of corresponding determinants or measure-
area or issue under investigation (Hair et al., ment items. The results are shown in Table
1998). Hair et al. (1998) suggest that the best 3. These items were adapted from previously
way to ensure content validity is to subject the validated studies on HCI design, perceived
instrument to judgmental validation by experts security, and perceived trust (e.g., Hawkins et
in the area. In our case, the experts were two al., 2000; Turner et al., 2001; Johnston et al.,
academicians from the college of Information 2003; Nielson, 2000; D’hertefelt, 2000). This
Technology and the college of Business Admin- process of generating the constructs enables us
istration. Their feedback helped in shaping the to confirm the “content validity” of the question-
final version of the questionnaire. Accordingly, naire items, and that these are representative
the questionnaires were reworded and revised and comprehensive (Straub, 1989).
twice before they were distributed. A total of For each measurement item, respondents
260 questionnaires were distributed, among were to rate the extent to which they agree with
which 247 were returned. The response rate for each statement on a Likert scale from 1 to 5,
the survey was very good (95%). The majority with “1” being strongly disagree and “5” being
of the participants had past online shopping strongly agree. A rating of 3 represents a neutral
experience (167 participants). (midpoint) value stance. Drawing from Ling
The distributed questionnaire (shown in (2003), a mean threshold test value of 3.5 was
the Appendix) consisted of two parts. The first used to ascertain whether there is enough evi-
part was designed to capture the participants’ dence at a 5% significance level that a given
demographic data and their previous experience HCI measurement item has influence on secu-
with purchasing online. The corresponding rity perception
descriptive statistics of the respondents’ de- For each of the 18 HCI items, listed in Table
mographic characteristics were analyzed and 3, the null hypothesis to be tested with a t-test
are shown in Table 2.

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 International Journal of E-Business Research, 8(2), 15-32, April-June 2012 21

Table 2. Descriptive statistics

Measure Items Frequency

Male 177
Gender
Female 70
Total 247
18-30 140
31-45 38
Age
46-60 22
> 60 2
Total 247
UAE 120
Nationality Other 125
Not mentioned 2
Total 247
YES 167
Past on-line shopping experience?
NO 80
Total 247

and the corresponding alternative hypothesis HCI measurement item were computed. From
is formulated as follows: these, a ranking of the mean ratings of the items
was performed, as shown in Table 4.
Ho: µ≤ 3.5 Null hypothesis, reject if p <0.05 As may be seen, the top four ranked items
HA: µ> 3.5 Alternative hypothesis in decreasing order of importance were (1)
At α = 0.05(significance threshold) permanent working links, (2) demos and on-line
help tools, (3) information accuracy, and (4)
Where μ denotes the population mean score easy website navigation. In other words, re-
for each questionnaire item. spondents evaluated these HCI factors very
In our case, Ho is rejected if the p-value highly when expressing their perceived secu-
of the t-test p < 0.05 which means that there is rity. On the other hand, the least ranked items
enough statistical evidence to infer that a given in decreasing order of importance were (1) UI
item has significant influence on perceived se- background color, (2) usage of simple technical
curity. If, on the other hand, p ≥ 0.05, we infer terms, (3) not being overwhelmed with secu-
that there is no enough evidence to justify the rity information, and (4) presence of live chat
alternative hypothesis. window. These items do not seem to play a
Next, in congruence with our research mod- decisive role in shaping the respondents’ e-
el, depicted in Figure 1, we aggregated related commerce security perception.
items of each construct and hypothesized that According to Table 4, the perception of per-
each of the five constructs (Context, Content, manent working links (CONC-2) was deemed
Communication, Connection, and Commerce) an important security indicator. This finding
had a significant effect on security perception. confirms earlier claims (see e.g., Egger, 2001)
that technology reliability reduces perceived
vulnerability risks and is an antecedent to trust.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Our contribution, on the other hand, established
a strong linkage between technology reliability
Based on the data collected from the surveys, and perceived security, as opposed to trust. To
the mean score and standard deviation of each this regards, we note that one might trust a

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22 International Journal of E-Business Research, 8(2), 15-32, April-June 2012

Table 3. Factors and their measurement items

Context
CONX-1 Using inappropriate colors for the interface background makes me feel unsecure to purchase online
CONX-2 Invisible images of products or logos over the website make me feel unsecure to purchase online
CONX-3 Consistent interfaces (formatted text and images, layout) make me feel secure to purchase online
CONX-4 Being overwhelmed with too much (unnecessary) security information and options makes me feel unsecure
to purchase online.
Content
CONT-1 The presence of visual and/or audio alerts to notify about errors or detected threats makes me feel secure
to purchase online.
CONT-2 Inaccuracy of time, date, contents makes me feel unsecure to purchase online
CONT-3 The usage of complex technical terms makes me feel unsecure to purchase online.
Communication
COM-1 Demos & online help that shows how to use the functions and features of the website make me feel secure
to purchase online
COM-2 Live chat window on e-commerce website makes me feel secure to purchase online
COM-3 Requesting registration/fill in personal information before seeing product catalogue makes me feel unsecure.
COM-4 Notifications about the status of the system security (such as when a security feature is activated, being used,
or no longer available) makes me feel secure to purchase online.
Connection
CONC-1 Clear position of logout button makes me feel secure to purchase online
CONC-2 Non-working links make me feel unsecure to purchase online
CONC-3 Easy website navigation (moving from one page to another and from section to another easily)
CONC-4 The presence of undo and exit path options to recover from users’ mistakes makes me feel secure to pur-
chase online.
Commerce
COMC-1 Displaying visible numbers when I enter credit card details makes me feel unsecure to purchase online
COMC-2 The usage of clear pictures or real-world metaphors (i.e., logo depicting a lock and chain in an attractive and
eye-catching image or logo shows 100% secure) to convey security features makes me feel secure to purchase online.
COMC-3 Keeping the checkbox of the “remember my username and/or my password” option ticked by default,
makes me feel unsecure to purchase online

website without necessarily believing that it is security. From our point of view, these indicators
secure. The finding also suggests that in addition of good customer responsiveness, caring and
to graphic design aspects of the user interface, goodwill; might eventually lead to enhanced
user experience design plays an important role security perception. These tools are likely to
as well. In our views, permanent working links be better perceived by novice users, with lim-
are signs of system’s reliability and credibility. ited online shopping experience. For instance,
They can make end-users feel in control of the demos and help tools that show users how to
site and make online shoppers perceive the navigate through the system, or that provide
system as being dependable and trustworthy. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section for
Demos and online help tools (COM-1) speedy answers to common inquiries replace
were deemed important indicators of perceived the information and customer services functions

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 International Journal of E-Business Research, 8(2), 15-32, April-June 2012 23

Table 4. Summary of the means and standard deviations of ratings of each item

Rank Variables Mean Standard Deviation

1 CONC-2 4.036 .993
2 COM-1 3.976 .831
3 CONT-2 3.960 .892
4 CONC-3 3.935 .908
5 COM-4 3.915 .794
6 COMC-1 3.874 1.046
7 CONX-2 3.842 1.053
8 CONT-1 3.842 .985
9 COM-3 3.802 1.038
10 COMC-3 3.769 .992
11 COMC-2 3.761 .895
12 CONC-1 3.741 .849
13 CONX-3 3.737 .924
14 CONC-4 3.709 .931
15 CONX-1 3.538 .918
16 CONT-3 3.482 .975
17 CONX-4 3.466 .962
18 COM-2 3.421 1.056

found in the brick and mortar stores. These tools gation is an interaction-based trust trigger that
can make users feel less vulnerable of being left can influence users’ trust, as they dynamically
alone, with no assistance. interact with the website. A well-designed user
Information accuracy (CONT-2) was the interface with easy built-in website navigation
third-rated item in terms of relevance to e- steps is also likely to minimize users’ online
commerce security perception. This factor can shopping efforts and enhance their shopping
be related to the integrity and credibility factor, experience (Hoque & Lohse, 1999; Szymanski
where information correctness and quality is & Hise, 2000). Our finding also supports earlier
believed to affect user’s trust, as reported in studies (e.g., Egger, 2001; Ofuonye et al., 2008;
previous studies (e.g., Nielson Norman Group, Holsapple & Sharath, 2005) that considered
2000; Fogg et al., 2001). This is particularly ease-of-use an important factor to build e- trust.
true for new users whose first impressions are However, we have gone one step further to show
likely to be jeopardized if they spot inaccurate that easy website navigation has also a strong
information, outdated content or typographical influence on perceived security.
errors on the web portal. Here we showed that in- On the very bottom of Table 4 (Rank 18),
formation accuracy does not only shape e-trust, the “presence of live chat window” (COM-2)
but also influences users’ security perception. was rated as the least important factor that influ-
Easy website navigation (CONC-3) was ence perceived security. This finding contradicts
also deemed an important indicator of security with the earlier study of Corbitt et al. (2003)
perception. This finding supports the argument that showed that maintaining close contact with
of Lumsden and MacKay (2006) that easy navi- customers and responding to their problems in

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24 International Journal of E-Business Research, 8(2), 15-32, April-June 2012

Table 5. Summary results for t-test of each item

Construct Variables t-value p-value Result

CONX-1 .658 .255 Do not reject H0
CONX-2 5.105 .000 Reject H0
Context CONX-3 4.030 .000 Reject H0
CONX-4 -.562 .713 Do not reject H0
CONT-1 5.457 .000 Reject H0
Content CONT-2 8.099 .000 Reject H0
CONT-3 -.294 .615 Do not reject H0
COM-1 8.997 .000 Reject H0
Communication COM-2 -1.175 .879 Do not reject H0
COM-3 4.565 .000 Reject H0
COM-4 8.211 .000 Reject H0
CONC-1 4.458 .000 Reject H0
Connection CONC-2 8.488 .000 Reject H0
CONC-3 7.530 .000 Reject H0
CONC-4 3.521 .000 Reject H0
COMC-1 5.627 .000 Reject H0
Commerce COMC-2 4.587 .000 Reject H0
COMC-3 4.267 .000 Reject H0

real-time increases the level of trust. It is not Next, and based on the collected survey
clear why the item “demos and online help data, the mean score and standard deviation for
tools” was ranked the second important factor each of the five constructs are computed, as
that influences security perception, while the shown in Table 7. The results of the t-test
presence of live chat window was rated the least analysis for each construct are also shown in
significant factor. Table 8. According to the t-test, all p-values
The results of the t-test analysis are shown were below 0.05, which indicate that the five
in Table 5. According to the t-test, there is not hypotheses (H1-H5) are supported. In other
enough statistical evidence to infer that the four words, there is strong evidence to infer that
HCI measurement items, listed in Table 6, have each of the five HCI constructs in our research
significant influence on perceived security, as model, shown in Figure 1, has a significant
the p-values of the t-test were greater than 0.05, influence on perceived security.
the significance threshold for our hypothesis
testing. In addition, according to the t-test, the
remaining 14 HCI design elements significantly CONCLUSION AND RESEARCH
influence the security perception, as the cor- IMPLICATIONS
responding p values were less than 0.05. The
The impact of a good human computer interface
results suggest that end users evaluate these
design on security perception is an important
14 design aspects very highly and thus these
research area that has not been fully explored.
design principles should be highlighted in the
This paper attempted to investigate this essential
company’s internet storefront.
research topic by applying five of the seven Cs

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 International Journal of E-Business Research, 8(2), 15-32, April-June 2012 25

Table 6. Items that lacked evidence of significant impact on security perception

Construct Item Description

Context CONX-1: Usage of appropriate background color
CONX-4: Not being overwhelmed with security information and options
Content CONT-3: Absence of complex technical terms
Communication COM-2: Presence of live chat window

Table 7. Summary of the means, standard deviations, t-test of each construct

Constructs Mean Standard Deviation

CONTEXT 3.646 .976
CONTENT 3.761 .972
COMMUNICATION 3.778 .960
CONNECTION 3.855 .930
COMMERCE 3.802 .979

of effective interface design to e-commerce these HCI factors. For instance, though there
security perception. It is hypothesized that good was not enough evidence to infer that “live chat
human computer interface design has a positive windows” enhance security perception, these
impact on security perception. First, this study tools can be very helpful in increasing users’
showed that the top four HCI determinants of willingness to purchase online, through superior
end-users’ security perception were perma- customer responsiveness.
nent working links, demos and on-line help Overall, this empirical study revealed
tools, information accuracy and easy website that the chosen five HCI constructs (Context,
navigation. Subsequently, further analysis of Content, Communication, Connection, and
the results showed that the usage of appropriate Commerce) have significant positive impact on
background color, the presence of appropriate e-commerce security perception. These results
amount of security information and options, also confirm earlier claims and findings from
the absence of complex technical terms and the previous literature, including those reported by
presence of live chat windows do not seem to Ganguly et al. (2010), Cheskin Research (1999),
have a significant influence on perceived web- Turner et al. (2001), and Ally and Toleman
site security. However, this does not undermine (2005). A key empirical finding of this research

Table 8. Summary results for t-test of each item

Constructs t-value p-value Result

H1: CONTEXT 4.694 .000 Reject H0
H2: CONTENT 7.315 .000 Reject H0
H3: COMMUNICATION 9.109 .000 Reject H0
H4: CONNECTION 12.003 .000 Reject H0
H5: COMMERCE 8.383 .000 Reject H0

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26 International Journal of E-Business Research, 8(2), 15-32, April-June 2012

is the fact that effective website design does not attention to ensure that the interface design at
only attract customers and gain their attention their storefront conforms to best HCI design
(Cyr et al., 2008), but it also contributes towards principles so as to enhance end-users’ security
enhancing their security perception. In other perception and hence increase their trust and
words, there exists a strong relationship between willingness to purchase.
good HCI design and customer perception of
website security.
LIMITATIONS AND FUTURE
Implications for Research RESEARCH DIRECTIONS

In this contribution, we established through Like many other empirical study, this research
an empirical study a strong linkage between has several limitations. First, the findings of
good HCI design principles and consumers’ this contribution were based on surveys con-
perception of website security in the context ducted in the UAE and therefore it is not sure
of e-commerce. This study contributed first by whether these are also applicable elsewhere.
developing a framework that aimed to explore This is particularly true, given that differences
how HCI design could influence end-user per- in culture (Jarvenpaa & Tractinsky, 1999) and
ceived security. Second, this study provided new ICT adoption and usage, as well as differences
insights into the existing body of knowledge in the general attitude towards e-commerce
in the area of e-commerce security perception might influence the way users appraise the qual-
by suggesting that some HCI design principles ity of interface design and the way they trust
have more impact on perceived security percep- a website. Thus it would be useful to conduct
tion than others. This research can also serve cross-cultural studies on this topic. Second, this
as a starting point for further research, while study treated all participants as a single sample
triggering future contributions that can look at and therefore it can be made more comprehen-
refining and developing a more comprehensive sive if it includes other important factors. For
set of model constructs. instance, we recommend considering the users’
This contribution also invites other re- prior knowledge of security features, previous
searchers to experiment with the proposed online shopping experience, risk-aversion,
model and test it under different contexts, proficiency with e-commerce and personality
reflecting for instance varying cultures, ethnic- traits as additional variables in the data analysis
ity, social groups, and ICT adoption rates. We (Corbitt et al., 2003). Third, the sample size is
provide additional research directions to further relatively small, and therefore further research
explore the interplay between HCI design and may consider comparison of the results of this
security perception. study against a larger sample size. Further,
contrary to conventional wisdom, no empirical
Implications for Practice support was found to explain why some HCI
design elements did have a significant impact
This study provided meaningful insights to on security perception. Additional research is
practitioners about those HCI design factors needed to further explore this issue. It is also
that have most effect on website security per- worthwhile to investigate the relative impor-
ception. For instance, this study revealed that tance of good HCI design on perceived security,
permanent working links, demos and on-line when compared with other potential factors,
help tools, information accuracy, and easy such as individual experience, site reputation,
website navigation are the top HCI factors that visible security features, and privacy policies.
influence consumers’ security perception. A key Finally, this work can be further extended to
managerial implication of this study is that to be investigate the impact of user interface design
successful, e-business players must pay special on purchase likelihood.

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 International Journal of E-Business Research, 8(2), 15-32, April-June 2012 27

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30 International Journal of E-Business Research, 8(2), 15-32, April-June 2012

Faouzi Kamoun is the Dean of the College of Information Technology at the University of Dubai
(UD). He received his PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Concordia University
and his MBA in Management from McGill University. He was the recipient of UD’s best faculty
award in 2004, a 2008 IBM faculty award, and Nortel Networks CEO top talent awards in 2000
and 2001. He has published more than 50 papers in international journals, books, and confer-
ence proceedings. His main research interests are in the areas of technology management and
innovation, E-commerce security, telecommunication systems, and next generation networks.

Mohanad Halaweh is an Assistant Professor in the College of Information Technology at Univer-

sity of Dubai (UD). He obtained his PhD in Information Systems from De Montfort University,
UK. His research has appeared in journals such as Journal of Information Technology Theory
and Application, International Journal of Business Information Systems, Journal of Technol-
ogy Management and Innovation, Journal of Information Technology Management, Journal
of Information Systems and Technology Management and others. He has also published and
participated in many international conferences in IS such as ICIS, a top-tier conference in the
IS field. His research focus is on E-commerce, Security and Privacy issues in E-commerce, IT
Acceptance and Adoption, and IS Research Methods (mainly grounded theory).

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 International Journal of E-Business Research, 8(2), 15-32, April-June 2012 31

APPENDIX

Questionnaire

Age:
◦ 18-30
◦ 31-45
◦ 46-60
◦ above 60
Gender:
◦ Male
◦ Female
Nationality:
◦ UAE
◦ Other
Do you have past experience with purchasing online?
◦ Yes
◦ No

Questionnaire

No. Question Rating

1 2 3 4 5
Strongly Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly Agree
Disagree
Live chat window on e-commerce
1 website makes me feel secure to
purchase online
Using inappropriate colors for the
2 interface background makes me feel
unsecure to purchase online
Clear position of logout button makes
3
me feel secure to purchase online
Invisible images of products or logos
4 over the website make me feel unse-
cure to purchase online
Demos & online help that shows how
to use the functions and features of
5
the website make me feel secure to
purchase online
Live chat window on e-commerce
6 website makes me feel secure to
purchase online
Consistent interfaces (formatted text
7 and images, layout) make me feel
secure to purchase online
Non-working links make me feel
8
unsecure to purchase online

continued on the following page

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32 International Journal of E-Business Research, 8(2), 15-32, April-June 2012

Questionnaire continued

The presence of visual and/or audio

alerts to notify about errors or de-
9
tected threats makes me feel secure
to purchase online.
Easy website navigation (moving
from one page to another and from
section to another easily, showing
10
the path and the required stages to
complete the transaction) makes me
feel secure to purchase online
Displaying visible numbers when I
11 enter credit card details makes me feel
unsecure to purchase online
Inaccuracy of time, date, contents
12 makes me feel unsecure to purchase
online
The usage of clear pictures or real-
world metaphors (i.e., logo depicting
a lock and chain in an attractive and
13 eye-catching image or logo shows
100% secure) to convey security
features makes me feel secure to
purchase online.
Keeping the checkbox of the “re-
member my username and/or my
14 password” option ticked by default,
makes me feel unsecure to purchase
online
Requesting registration/fill in
personal information before seeing
15
product catalogue makes me feel
unsecure.
The presence of undo and exit
path options to recover from users’
16
mistakes makes me feel secure to
purchase online.
Notifications about the status of the
system security (such as when a
17 security feature is activated, being
used, or no longer available) makes
me feel secure to purchase online.
Being overwhelmed with too much
(unnecessary) security informa-
18
tion and options makes me feel
unsecure to purchase online.
The usage of complex technical
19 terms makes me feel unsecure to
purchase online.

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