Usability Resources Inc honors the privacy of its clients, prospective clients, study participants, students in our training classes and visitors to our Web site. Here are the general measures we take to protect the privacy and anonymity of the individuals we work with while running our business
Clients and prospective clients – We disclose the name of a client in a case study or a blog posting only with the client’s written consent. We do not disclose the identify of any prospective clients.
Research study participants – Before they are admitted to a study, all participants in our research studies sign an informed consent document which details the nature of the study, the type of information being collected, whether our session will be recorded, how the information we gather will be collected and how it is used. We record sessions only with the participant’s permission. In most cases we anonymize participant data. We use the participant’s name only if it is necessary for the research and with the participant’s written permission. All study data and recordings are stored in password-protected files on an encrypted cloud-based server.
Students in our training classes – We do not store or disclose the names or information of any student who takes part in our training classes
Web site visitors – We do not store or disclose the names or information of Web site visitors, nor do we place tracking cookies on a Web site visitor’s browser or device.
Usability Resources Inc complies with HIPAA, GDPR, CCPA, and the privacy policies and ethical standards of the Qualitative Research Consultants Association (QRCA) and Market Research Society of the UK (MRS), of which we are members.
PARTICIPANT DATA WE COLLECT
While carrying out qualitative research services we, or the field service agency that we have contracted, will collect a participant’s name, e-mail address, phone number, street address (for tax purposes), employer, job title, length of service, specialized skills, and other information needed specifically for the research study. This data is kept in a password-protected spreadsheet on an encrypted cloud-based server and shared only with the researcher. We do not share the names or PII of study participants with our clients. Once the study is completed, all personally identifiable information (PII) such as name and e-mail address are removed, unless the participant gives us permission to retain it for future studies. We store participant PII only when it is required by the study and the participant has given us their written consent.
DATA SECURITY
As stated, all data containing PII is kept in password-protected files on an encrypted server and is typically retained for a period of one year, which can vary by the research project. We value your privacy and have put in place physical safeguards and procedures to ensure that the data we collect is safe, secure, and accessible only to authorized individuals. If you have any questions about Usability Resources Inc privacy policy, or would like more information on the data we have collected on you, please contact us at Kay at UsabilityResources.net or by phone at 781-275-3020.
CHANGES TO OUR PRIVACY POLICY
We reserve the right to change our policy at any time by providing updated information on this page. This policy was last modified on February 15, 2022.