Participant Information

Developing a cybersecurity training needs assessment system for organisations

You are being invited to take part in a research study. Before you decide, it is important for you to understand why the research is being done and what it will involve. Please take time to read the following information carefully and discuss it with others if you wish. Ask us if there is anything that is not clear or if you would like more information. Take time to decide whether or not you wish to take part.

What is the purpose of the study?

The purpose of this study is to develop a system that an organisation would use with their employees to identify gaps in their cybersecurity knowledge. This would allow recommendations of a tailored training body of knowledge to address these gaps to be given to the individual employees, whilst considering an employee’s pre-existing knowledge and role profile.

Why have I been chosen?

Based on your current role it is anticipated that you will be able to inform the study in terms of helping define the base level of cybersecurity awareness within organisations.

Do I have to take part?

It is up to you to decide whether or not to take part. If you decide to take part, you will be given this information sheet to keep and be asked to sign a consent form. If you decide to take part, you are still free to withdraw at any time and without giving a reason. A decision to withdraw at any time, or a decision not to take part, will not affect you in any way.

What will happen to me if I take part?

You will be asked to fill in a short pre-assessment questionnaire and then take an online assessment that is designed to gauge your cyber awareness level in the context to your role. You will then be provided with an outcome identifying gaps in your knowledge where training may be recommended. You will be asked to provide feedback on the assessment and your result to help improve the systems model. You may be asked to repeat the assessment and provide feedback a number of times after modifications have been made. No-one nor your place of work will be identifiable in the final report.

What are the possible disadvantages and risks of taking part?

As the prototype system will be providing feedback on your answers and it is in early stages of development it could output inaccurate results. This may lead to a drop in confidence if the outcome is unexpected, however you should not worry as it is still under development and your feedback will help improve the system.

What are the possible benefits of taking part?

By taking part, you will be contributing to the development of a tool that can be potentially used to identify and create tailored cyber awareness training courses for employees within organisations.

What if something goes wrong?

If you wish to complain or have any concerns about any aspect of the way you have been approached or treated during the course of this study, please contact the Acting Dean of the Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Chester.

Will my taking part in the study be kept confidential?

All information which is collected about you during the course of the research will be kept strictly confidential so that only the researcher carrying out the research will have access to such information.

What will happen to the results of the research study?

The results will be written up into a dissertation for my final project of my MSc. Individuals who participate will not be identified in the MSc project report or any subsequent report or publication.

Who is organising the research?

The research is conducted as part of a MSc in Cybersecurity within the Department of Computer Science at the University of Chester. The study is organised with supervision from the department, by Neil Hawker, an MSc student.

Who may I contact for further information?

If you would like more information about the research before you decide whether or not you would be willing to take part, please contact:

Charlotte Morton. 0818685@chester.ac.uk.

Retention and publication of participant’s data

Participants should note that data collected from this project may be retained and published in an anonymised form. By agreeing to participate in this project, you are consenting to the retention and publication of data.

Participant consent

1. I confirm that I have read and understand the information sheet for the above study and have had the opportunity to ask questions.
2. I understand that my participation is voluntary and that I am free to withdraw at any time, without giving any reason and without my legal rights being affected.
3. I agree to take part in the above study.

Thank you for your interest in this research.