Report on the Design-A-Thon: Designing Effective and Accessible Approaches for Digital Product Cybersecurity Education and Awareness

Published

September 3, 2025

Author(s)

Michael Fagan, Julie Haney, Daniel Eliot, Barbara Cuthill, Kristina Rigopoulos

Abstract

This report documents the first SOUPS Design-A-Thon, which was held on August 11th, 2024, and focused on Designing Effective and Accessible Approaches for Digital Product Cybersecurity Education and Awareness. In total, eight individuals participated in the event, forming three teams. The teams each selected a mock product based on a selection of five Product Data Cards developed by the NIST team. Participants used the information on the Product Data Cards to develop a strategy for cybersecurity education and awareness for the product. Teams were successful in planning strategies that utilize novel techniques and sound best practices. From the participant teams' designs, the NIST team identified highlights and takeaways that are further elaborated in this report.

Citation

NIST Interagency/Internal Report (NISTIR) - 8558

Report Number

8558

NIST Pub Series

NIST Interagency/Internal Report (NISTIR)

Pub Type

NIST Pubs

Download Paper

https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.IR.8558

Local Download

Keywords

cybersecurity, Internet of Things, Design-A-Thon, usability, human factors, education and awareness

Citation

Fagan, M. , Haney, J. , Eliot, D. , Cuthill, B. and Rigopoulos, K. (2025), Report on the Design-A-Thon: Designing Effective and Accessible Approaches for Digital Product Cybersecurity Education and Awareness, NIST Interagency/Internal Report (NISTIR), National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, [online], https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.IR.8558, https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=960163 (Accessed September 10, 2025)