Service NSW – NSW Photo Card – Verifiable credentials

NSW Photo Card launch as first Verifiable Credential in Australia

Executive Summary

Project Overview:

The Service NSW Photo Card (Verifiable Credentials) project focuses on developing and implementing digital credentials that can be securely verified. This initiative aims to empower NSW citizens with greater control over their identity information, reduce reliance on physical documents, and enhance the security and efficiency of various transactions.

As the Principal Product Designer, my role in this project involved representing design across the entire ecosystem, including strategy, user flows for credential issuance and holding, the creation of wallet interfaces, and ensuring accessibility for all users.

Goals:

  • Enable secure and efficient verification of credentials.
  • Empower citizens with control over their digital credentials.
  • Reduce the risk of fraud and identity theft.
  • Support interoperability with other systems and jurisdictions.
  • Improve the user experience of accessing services that require credential verification.

Constraints:

  • Adherence to strict privacy regulations and security standards.
  • Integration with existing Service NSW systems.
  • Ensuring accessibility for all users, including those with limited digital literacy.
  • Navigating the evolving landscape of digital credential standards.

Accomplishments

Successful Launch of a Secure and User-Friendly Verifiable Credential

The project successfully developed and launched a verifiable digital credential version of the NSW Photo Card for 100,000 users. This included creating a user-friendly mobile application (digital credential wallet) for secure storage and management, directly addressing the pain points of relying on physical documents, enhancing security by reducing fraud, and improving the efficiency of various transactions.

Human-Centered Design with a Strong Focus on Privacy and Trust

The project’s deep dive into user research was pivotal in understanding citizen needs, particularly regarding control and privacy. The design process meticulously translated these insights into an intuitive interface with clear language, strong accessibility, and robust privacy controls. This commitment to user-centered design, coupled with adherence to international standards, built essential trust in a sensitive area of digital identity and verifiable credentials.

Pioneering Interoperability and Driving Digital Transformation and Innovation

A significant achievement was establishing a secure mechanism for service providers to verify credentials while adhering to international standards for interoperability. This not only streamlined access to services within NSW but also laid foundational groundwork for broader interoperability across different systems and jurisdictions, positioning Service NSW as an innovator in the verifiable digital identity space.

1. Discovery & Research

Research Goals:

  • Understand user needs and expectations regarding digital credentials.
  • Identify key use cases for verifiable credentials in NSW.
  • Evaluate the usability of different approaches to credential issuance and verification.
  • Explore user preferences for managing and sharing their digital credentials.

The Problem

  • Reliance on Physical Documents: Citizens often rely on physical documents (e.g., driver’s licenses, certificates) for identity verification, which can be easily lost, damaged, or forged.
  • Privacy Risks: Sharing physical documents often involves revealing more personal information than necessary, posing privacy risks.
  • Inefficient Verification Processes: Manual verification of physical documents is time-consuming, costly, and prone to errors.
  • Lack of Interoperability: Difficulty in verifying credentials across different systems and jurisdictions creates friction and limits the usability of digital services.

Research Methods:

  • User Interviews: Conducted interviews with citizens, service providers, and government agencies to gather insights on their needs and pain points.
  • Contextual Inquiry: Observed users in real-world scenarios where they need to present credentials (e.g., accessing services, proving identity) to understand the challenges they face.
  • Usability Testing: Tested prototypes of digital credential wallets and verification processes with users to evaluate their usability and identify areas for improvement.
  • Stakeholder Workshops: Facilitated workshops with stakeholders to align on project goals, identify requirements, and explore potential solutions.

Research Findings:

  • Desire for Control: Users want to be in control of their credentials and decide who can access them.
  • Privacy Concerns: Users are concerned about the privacy of their data and want assurance that their credentials will be handled securely.
  • Ease of Use: Users expect a simple and intuitive way to manage and present their digital credentials.
  • Wide Acceptance: Users want their digital credentials to be widely accepted across different services and jurisdictions.
  • Value-Added Services: Users see the potential for digital credentials to enable new value-added services, such as streamlined applications and personalised experiences.

2. Design Process

Ideation: Brainstormed various design solutions for issuing, storing, and verifying verifiable credentials, focusing on user needs, security, and interoperability.

User Flows: Developed user flows to map out the steps involved in different credential-related scenarios, such as:

  • Issuance of a credential by a government agency
  • Storage and management of credentials in a digital wallet
  • Presentation of a credential to a service provider for verification

Prototyping: Created wireframes and interactive prototypes to visualise the user interface and user experience of the digital credential solution.

Visual Design: Developed a visual design system that aligns with the Service NSW brand and promotes trust, security, and ease of use. Key considerations included:

  • Clear and concise language
  • Intuitive navigation and interactions
  • Accessible design for users with disabilities
  • Visual cues to enhance security and build trust

3. Testing & Iteration

Usability Testing: Conducted usability testing sessions with target users to evaluate the design of the digital credential solution.

Testing Objectives:

  • Assess the ease of use of the digital wallet for storing and managing credentials.
  • Evaluate the clarity and effectiveness of the credential presentation process.
  • Identify any pain points or usability issues in the user flow.
  • Gather feedback on the visual design and overall user experience.

Iteration: Iterated on the design based on user feedback and testing results. This involved:

  • Simplifying the credential presentation flow
  • Improving the clarity of information and error messages
  • Enhancing the security features and providing clear explanations of how they work
  • Optimising the design for different screen sizes and devices
  • Ensuring the solution meets accessibility standards

4. The Solution

Key Features:

  • Digital Credential Wallet: A user-friendly mobile application that allows citizens to securely store and manage their verifiable credentials.
  • Credential Issuance: Integration with government agencies and other credential issuers to enable seamless issuance of digital credentials.
  • Credential Verification: A secure and efficient mechanism for service providers to verify the authenticity and validity of digital credentials.
  • Privacy Controls: Robust privacy settings that allow users to control what information they share and with whom.
  • Standards Compliance: Adherence to relevant international standards for verifiable credentials to ensure interoperability.

How the Solution Works:

  • A citizen applies for a credential (e.g., a digital license) through a participating agency.
  • The agency issues a verifiable credential to the citizen’s digital wallet.
  • The citizen stores the credential securely in their wallet.
  • When the citizen needs to present the credential (e.g., to prove their age), they select it from their wallet and share it with the relying party.
  • The relying party verifies the credential’s authenticity and validity using a secure verification process.

5. Impact & Results  

In April 2025, the NSW Photo Card was launched to 100,000 users, allowing them to upgrade to a verifiable credential version. The launch was supported by advertising in commercial news outlets across Australia, as well as in Service NSW centres and around the state.

The implementation of verifiable credentials in NSW has the potential to:

  • Empower Citizens: Give citizens greater control over their identity information and how it is shared.
  • Enhance Security: Reduce the risk of fraud and identity theft by enabling secure and verifiable credential exchange.
  • Improve Efficiency: Streamline processes for accessing services that require credential verification, saving time and resources for both citizens and service providers.
  • Drive Innovation: Enable the development of new value-added services and applications that leverage verifiable credentials.
  • Promote Interoperability: Support seamless verification of credentials across different systems and jurisdictions, facilitating greater mobility and access to services.

6. Lessons Learned

  • The importance of user-centered design in developing digital credential solutions that meet the needs of both citizens and service providers.
  • The critical role of privacy and security in building trust and driving adoption of verifiable credentials.
  • The need for collaboration and interoperability to ensure that digital credentials can be used seamlessly across different systems and jurisdictions.
  • The value of iterative design and testing to refine the user experience and address any usability issues.