Privacy Policy
Usability House ("we," "us," or "our") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website usabilityhouse.com or use our services.Please read this Privacy Policy carefully. By accessing or using our website and services, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy.
---INFORMATION WE COLLECT
We collect information that you voluntarily provide when you:
- Contact us through forms, email, or phone
- Subscribe to our newsletter (Root Cause)
- Request information about our facilities or services
- Book our services for usability testingThis information may include:
- Name
- Email address
- Phone number
- Company name and role
- Project details and study requirements
- Any other information you choose to provide
Information Collected Automatically
When you visit our website, we automatically collect certain information about your device and browsing activity, including:
- IP address
- Browser type and version
- Pages visited and time spent on pages
- Referring website
- Device information (type, operating system)
- Cookies and similar tracking technologies
---HOW WE USE YOUR INFORMATION
We use the information we collect to:
- Provide our services - Process bookings, coordinate studies, and deliver facility and recruitment services
- Communicate with you - Respond to inquiries, send confirmations, and provide customer support
- Send newsletters - Deliver Root Cause podcast episodes and insights (with your consent)
- Improve our services - Analyze website usage and understand customer needs
- Marketing - Send information about our services (you can opt out at any time)
- Legal compliance - Fulfill legal obligations and protect our rights
---LEGAL BASIS FOR PROCESSING (GDPR)
If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA), we process your personal information based on:
- Consent - You have given clear consent for us to process your personal data for a specific purpose (e.g., newsletter subscription)
- Contract - Processing is necessary to fulfill our contract with you (e.g., providing facility services)
- Legitimate interests - Processing is necessary for our legitimate business interests (e.g., improving our services, fraud prevention)
- Legal obligation - Processing is necessary to comply with the law
---HOW WE SHARE YOUR INFORMATION
We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties.
We may share your information with: Service Providers
We work with third-party service providers who assist us in operating our business, including:
- Email service providers (ConvertKit/Kit) - For newsletter delivery
- Website hosting - To maintain our website
- Recruitment partners - To source study participants (only information necessary for recruitment purposes)
- Payment processors - To process payments securelyThese service providers are contractually obligated to protect your information and use it only for the purposes we specify.
Legal Requirements
We may disclose your information if required to do so by law or in response to:
- Valid legal requests from government authorities
- Court orders or subpoenas
- Protection of our rights, property, or safety, or that of others
- Investigation of fraud or security issuesBusiness TransfersIn the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred to the acquiring entity. We will notify you of any such change and provide information about your choices regarding your personal information.
---PARTICIPANT INFORMATION (STUDY RECRUITMENT)
When we recruit participants for usability studies on behalf of our clients:
- Limited information sharing - We share only necessary screening information with study sponsors
- Confidentiality - Participant identities and study data are protected according to study protocols
- Third-party recruitment - We work with specialized recruitment partners who are bound by confidentiality agreements
- No data retention - We do not retain participant personal information beyond what is necessary for study coordination
---COOKIES AND TRACKING TECHNOLOGIES
Our website uses cookies and similar technologies to:
- Remember your preferences
- Understand how you use our site
- Improve your experienceTypes of Cookies We Use:
- Essential cookies - Required for the website to function properly
- Analytics cookies - Help us understand website usage (e.g., Google Analytics)
- Marketing cookies - Track your browsing to provide relevant contentYour Cookie Choices:
You can control cookies through your browser settings. However, disabling cookies may limit your ability to use certain features of our website.To opt out of Google Analytics, visit: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout
---THIRD-PARTY LINKS
Our website may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of these external sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.
---DATA SECURITY
We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information, including:
- Secure server infrastructure
- Encryption of data in transit (SSL/TLS)
- Access controls and authentication
- Regular security assessmentsHowever, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.
---DATA RETENTION
We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to:
- Fulfill the purposes described in this Privacy Policy
- Comply with legal obligations
- Resolve disputes and enforce agreementsNewsletter subscribers: Until you unsubscribe
Service inquiries: Up to 2 years after last contact
Client information: As required by contract and legal obligations
Website analytics: Aggregated data retained indefinitely; individual data retained per analytics provider terms
---YOUR PRIVACY RIGHTS
Depending on your location, you may have the following rights regarding your personal information:
All Users:
- Access - Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
- Correction - Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
- Deletion - Request deletion of your personal information
- Opt-out - Unsubscribe from marketing emails at any time
- Object - Object to our processing of your personal informationEEA Residents (GDPR Rights):
- Data portability - Receive your personal information in a structured, commonly used format
- Restriction - Request restriction of processing in certain circumstances
- Withdraw consent - Withdraw consent at any time where processing is based on consent
- Lodge a complaint - File a complaint with your local data protection authorityCalifornia Residents (CCPA Rights):
- Know - Know what personal information we collect and how it's used
- Delete - Request deletion of personal information
- Opt-out - Opt out of the "sale" of personal information (note: we do not sell personal information)
- Non-discrimination - Not be discriminated against for exercising privacy rights
---HOW TO EXERCISE YOUR RIGHTS
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at:
Email: privacy@usabilityhouse.com
Mail: Usability House
1619 Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis MN 55403
We will respond to your request within 30 days (or as required by applicable law).
---CHILDREN'S PRIVACY
Our services are not directed to individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a child, please contact us immediately, and we will take steps to delete such information.
---INTERNATIONAL DATA TRANSFERS
If you are located outside the United States, please be aware that information we collect will be transferred to and processed in the United States. By using our services, you consent to the transfer of your information to the United States. For EEA residents, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place for international transfers in compliance with GDPR requirements.
---CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. We will notify you of any material changes by:
- Posting the updated policy on this page
- Updating the "Last Updated" date
- Sending an email to newsletter subscribers (for significant changes)We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically.
CONTACT US
If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us:Email: privacy@usabilityhouse.com