Using design evaluation to test service redesign
When Births, Deaths and Marriages Victoria needed to add digital proof of identity to certificate applications, trust and clarity were as important as productivity gains.
The challenge
- Design digital proof of identity for a high-volume government service
- Reduce the need for in-person visits and paper-based identity checks
- Maintain public trust while introducing a third-party verification service
- Ensure people could complete the process without help
The problem to solve
Digital application forms still relied on paper-based and in-person verification steps
Physical steps compounded inequality for people with limited mobility, time or confidence
Regional and vulnerable communities were disproportionately affected by paper-based verification
Available digital verification options were controlled by financial institutions, raising trust and privacy concerns
Approach
Using service principles to design a prototype, I tested a proposed integration of a third-party verification service within the context of an existing government service:
Planned and ran moderated usability testing with representative Victorian users
Redesigned an end-to-end certificate application process with digital identity verification
Tested with representative users to measure task completion, confidence and satisfaction
Managed risks to government reputational spillover and negative sentiment
Key takeaways
- Most participants preferred online identity checks over paper or in-person
- Trust dropped sharply when users were sent to a poorly integrated third-party verification site
- Lack of transparency triggered fear, privacy concerns and abandonment risk
- Repeating questions and losing context made the service feel broken
My recommendations to government
- The entire journey must feel like a government service to maintain trust
- Progress and context must be preserved when moving between systems
- Reduce unnecessary questions by reusing information already provided
