Making of: Singapore’s Digital IC
I was sitting for PSLE when Singpass launched in 2003. Maybe there was much fanfare surrounding it, but there was nary interest, nor did it register on my radar. The first time I accessed Singpass was to register for National Service, and it was to be years before I returned to access CPF’s services to check my first contributions.
Fast forward a decade and I’ve been lucky to be part of Singpass’ evolution from an authentication mechanism to a platform rich with digital services for both the average consumer and enterprise. It is a stalwart of the National Digital Identity (NDI) program and continues to define and pave the way to a Smart Nation. The team has rolled out many features (e.g. e-service shortcuts, facial verification) over the last three years, but none were as visually groundbreaking or announced our arrival as a comprehensive and trusted government platform until the display of the Digital IC in the Singpass app homepage.
A quiet launch
We launched the first version of the Digital IC back in May 2020 in the still of the night. The app was minimalist and spotlighted the Profile categories while we worked tirelessly to enrich the app with fresh services and security. Taken from Myinfo, the Profile neatly categorises and displays your personal information for easy access. Need to know your home loan balance? Open the ‘Property’ tab. Registering for a library card and forgot your dependent’s date of birth? Head over to the ‘Family’ tab. Profile was (and still remains) a popular feature, especially when people realised that basic and frequently used personal information like your name, NRIC, and address could be found within the ‘Personal’ tab itself.
We started to hear rumblings from the online community that it would be “good” or “cool” to have a digital version of the NRIC in the Singpass app. Informal feedback from networks and user tests echoed the same sentiments and it made sense to showcase a digital version of the NRIC considering Singpass’ ambition of an interoperable and connected digital identity. Furthermore, since we were already displaying it in free form text, why not make it a card?
So, we did.
Important considerations for responsible solutioning
A digital version of the IC should be pretty straightforward on paper (no pun intended). Most do not realise the concerted effort across Government to make it happen — from procuring the photo to ensuring that the card gives users the same assurance and trust as its physical counterpart (if not higher). We emphasised the need to prevent spoofing and identity theft, and underwent several iterations before landing on a design that optimised user experience without compromising security.
Security: The Digital IC has a holographic animated lion crest overlay on the photo to discourage image tampering and spoofing. Depending on the device model, the overlay will also disappear during screen recordings. With data breaches and impersonation rampant in the digital age, we learned how highly our users placed privacy as a requirement. It was less a question of should, but must.
Legitimacy: We also recognised that the NRIC had established itself as the de-facto identity document and just sighting it lends credence to parties relying on information within the card. We wanted to build on the existing trust by maintaining a sense of familiarity for users, but also explore interactions and displays previously limited or infeasible in the physical world to demonstrate the spirit of innovation and digitalisation.
Sometimes extenuating circumstances work in your favour
Online chatter surrounding the first release of the Digital IC indicated a largely positive response. After many iterations, we managed to strike a delicate balance between security and user attraction. Accessing the card would need authentication on the user’s end, spotlighting our promise on safety and reliability, yet familiar enough that users didn’t feel alienated or uncomfortable when showing the card in lieu of their physical copy. Our Monthly Active User (MAU) count also registered a significant jump as more users accessed the Singpass app to open their Digital IC.
The pandemic also played a significant role in user discoverability. As contact tracing affixed itself as a daily activity alongside masks, we rolled out the SafeEntry feature to support the nation’s evolving COVID requirements. Alongside TraceTogether, Singpass app users could check-in and “favourite” places they visited via QR or geolocation, and maintain a history of their whereabouts. The byproduct of SafeEntry was that more users navigated and explored the app, bringing attention to lesser-known features like the Inbox and the Digital IC.
If your first release is perfect, the product is imperfect
Online mentions and word of mouth surrounding the Digital IC grew, and more users began using it as an alternative to their physical copy. User feedback on convenience also started to trickle in as more had the opportunity to transact with the Digital IC. Some questioned why there were “so many user taps” to access it, and we echoed the sentiment of making the digital experience as seamless and less cumbersome than taking your NRIC out from your wallet.
The only hitch was that organisations were not ready to accept a digital version of the identity document they had grown accustomed to handling, sighting and trusting. Frustrations grew (verified from personal experience) as accounts of users having their applications or transactions rejected for using their Digital IC burgeoned, with many questioning why the “affirmative government source” was not accepted, seemingly at odds with the Smart Nation vision.
Not a one person show
The physical IC is a mandatory document that has been issued by the authority and legislated as a credential. It contains security features to distinguish itself from fake ICs, and is the most reliable (and common) means to verify someone’s identity. Making a digital version of it would require more than a product or design decision — we needed policies to be enhanced or written.
For the Digital IC to offer a similar level of credibility, we worked with our legal counsels to determine its legislative requirements e.g. implementing security features to prevent tampering, displaying a verified photo. We also uncovered situations or use cases where the presentation of the Digital IC would be insufficient, such as for marriage registrations or hotel check-ins. Due to its nascent and disruptive nature, removing the policy and legislative blockers to allow for the use of the Digital IC in these common situations would be key to driving adoption and gaining user trust.
Its utility and effectiveness would also be dependent on its universal acceptance as a proof of identity by relevant services. To that end, we needed to be clear that the Digital IC is meant as an alternative to the physical IC (not a replacement), and users would never be forced to use their Digital IC exclusively.
Good support leads to great outcomes
We recognised the importance and position of the Government as the “first-mover” to achieve universal acceptance of the Digital IC. Practically, this meant ensuring that all agencies accept the Digital IC as an alternative means of identity proofing when citizens transact with their services.
We first polled agencies for comments and use cases requiring identity verification as the situations and processes tend to be varied and unpredictable, with many still requiring photocopies of the physical IC. The feedback also guided us on which data items in the NRIC were mission-critical — information we used to design a product befitting their needs.
Having conceptualised a Minimum Viable Product, we socialised the idea of a mandate for Digital IC acceptance in early 2021 at relevant Government forums and channels like ServiceSG. Agency feedback and concerns surrounding change management were high, with some requesting exemption from the mandate. We went through several rounds of co-solutioning to help affected agencies find alternatives to enable and support the use of the Digital IC. For instance, agencies who request and maintain photocopies of the physical IC were asked to reconsider the need to do so, and to integrate with other NDI solutions for digital recordkeeping like Verify or Myinfo.
We continued to respond to agency queries and worked with them on every exemption request after the mandate was announced in Oct 2021. The change management effort is still ongoing and comms efforts with partner agencies have helped drive awareness and traffic to the Digital IC. As expected, the Government’s position as the “first mover” has encouraged businesses to move towards acceptance of the Digital IC, who are now cascading and promoting the message to our users.
If you’re going to change something, make it worthwhile
We rebranded Singpass in early 2021 to reflect our greater ambition and dreams for the platform. We were no longer just the authentication gateway but had stakes in both the frontend (Singpass app) and backend (NDI APIs) user experiences. To that end, the app deserved a refreshed UI in line with its new positioning as a platform for government transactions.
Part of the refresh involved revisiting how we want users to access the Digital IC or other digital cards of partner agencies. We needed to translate this requirement into a user experience that was harmonious whilst abiding by our principle considerations. Underpinning this was user emphasis on security and accessibility as our MAU count continued on a steady upward trend. Integrating user feedback and requests were key to the revamp, and we conducted months of research synthesis and usability tests before settling on the second iteration of the Digital IC in October 2021.
Apart from an overhaul of the app’s information architecture, users experienced a reskin and better accessibility to the available services. The Profile and e-service shortcuts were rearranged, but the most noticeable difference was the siting of the Digital IC. Users no longer needed to click on the Profile’s “Personal” tab, but would be able to present their Digital IC from the home screen itself.
We maintained our security posture by ensuring that authentication would be required to unlock and view the full details of the card, but fewer taps needed to open and use the barcode, which we found was the most common reason users reach for their NRIC. In essence, the experience was no worse than searching for and presenting your NRIC from your wallet. The only difference was reconditioning users to a more secure digital alternative, while freeing up space in your physical assets.
There’s always room for improvement
While we did extensive research and testing to arrive at the design, we understand that preferences vary from person to person and there is rarely an all-encompassing solution. Many welcomed the convenience and likened the shift to a slimmer wallet with a bigger padlock, and would prefer using the Digital IC in lieu of the physical one. The recently published mandate also reinforced our vision of a Smart Nation, and ameliorates the unpleasant experiences when users attempted to use the Digital IC before.
Some users expressed privacy concerns and shared worries of losing their phone or having someone else access their mobile devices, either by intent or deceit. Worse still, if a malicious actor “shoulder surfing” sighted their credentials or personal information and exploited them for malignant use.
User feedback is important to us
We build and design with our users in mind, often walking the line of product principles and over-solutioning. We are glad that majority of our users are welcoming and supportive of the changes we made to improve accessibility and user convenience while maintaining our security posture, but recognise that some prioritise privacy above all else.
In that spirit, we have been exploring solutions and conducting user research to roll out improvements that will address the concerns of affected users. Among these changes would be allowing users to hide the cards section by default, or to decide when they might want to show it. Other than being “Digital First”, we emphasise the importance of building the app “by users, for users”.
Change is the only constant
The NRIC is the first digital identity card we launched due to its importance and how treasured it is by our users, but we continue to work with partner agencies to bring more digital identities into the app. We have one of the highest smartphone penetration rates in the world and are more likely to reach for our phone than our wallet these days. Most of our daily transactions (e.g. payments, shopping, entry validations) are done online and moving trusted Government credentials cards to a digital form means fewer cards in your wallet yet more information in a smaller form factor (a bulky wallet vs a single phone).
We pay close attention to public and internal feedback and always ensure that product, policy, and design decisions align with the eventual end product. Apart from implementing security controls and data management measures to prevent identity theft, we are always considering our users’ suggestions when deciding the release roadmap and backlog.
Singpass has come a long way from its time as an authentication gateway when I was taking my PSLE and like me, has matured to become something different. Better. I’m proud to be part of its journey towards a National Digital Identity, and know that there are only greater things to come.
This article is part 1 of our 3-part series about the Singpass app redesign in 2021. The series covers the evolution of the Digital IC, the redesign effort and its Singapore-inspired illustration system.
