Gov.uk verify - Service design and research
ID verification
GOV.UK Verify enables users to verify their identity online. However, a user may struggle in verifying themselves online. 'This project aimed to explore the process behind guiding a user, who has failed to gain digital identity with GOV.UK Verify, to a Timpson shop. Alongside this, we also got to know people's understanding of the task, architecture of content . As GOV.UK becomes autonomous, it will be important to ensure that all users can achieve a digitally verified identity.
Creating an in-store verifying service
To complete the identity verification process in store, the user will be required to provide their passport, drivers licence and have an identity photo taken in store. Users are require to bring in their passport and driving licence in store. These identification documents are scanned and uploaded to an ArkHive account that is also set up in store. These documents are then verified and an email is sent to the user confirming successful identification verification and instructions on how to proceed. Users are then be able to share their verified documents with other organisations.
To run early stage usability testing and discovery research the in-store set up required digital wireframes, identity scanners, cameras and a shop colleague to deliver the service.
process
We recommended splitting the user research into two branches, allowing time for team synthesis and iteration between the two research phases. This allowed us to make changes and further gather insights after adapting and improving the user journey of the process. The two main objectives of the user research were to understand the user’s capacity to complete an application in a face-to-face environment and understand the requirements against high street colleagues to be able to offer this as an additional service.
User research
To start the user research participants received a phone call from a user research at Snook. They talked them through what the the research was about, giving them background information about the project and introduced them to GOV.UK Verify. Participants were then sent an email that confirmed dates, times, locations and included a link to the GOV.UK verify introduction video.
Participants were informed that they would receive an email informing them that they had failed the online verification service ‘Sorry we have not been able to complete your GOV.UK Verify registration with SecureIdentity’ and what to do next. Participants were told that this indicated the start of the user research. The participants then came in store and went through the service process, following this they were interviewed about their experience.
User research set up
We recruited 16 participants for the user research and invited them to attend a one-to-one research session, held in both the Arkhive store in Henley on Thames and Max Spielmann store in Newbury. We had four research days, four participants each day with follow up interviews with the colleagues after each participant. The partcipant demographic was between 18 - 59 years old, this would help gauge what the user’s capacity to understand this service for different age groups.
OUtcomes and impact
The user is comfortable with this service in a face-to-face environment.
13 out of 16 users stated that they were comfortable with providing identification documents in store. The main reasons being that they were used to providing identification documents for this type of service and that users could see their documents at all times.
This project is now moving into Alpha.
impact
Our recommendations from this discovery phase have helped to shape the development of an Alpha project further aimed at making this a comfortable, simple and easy experience for end users. This project is now in early Alpha stages and here is the OIX white paper.
KEY PROJECT ACTIVITIES
COMPANY: SNOOK
DATE: July 2016 - October 2016
PROJECT TEAM: GDS, Timpson and OIX. With support from emma parnell at snook.
MY RESPONSIBILITIES: PROJECT MANAGER,USER RESEARCHER AND SERVICE DESIGNER
USER RESEARCh in-store context across two locations
journey mapping
Digital wireframes and design iterations between stages in line with with wider government strategy and position around digital and design
report creation
usability testing
Presentation at GDS show and tell