What Nijmegen learned about public services using ID wallets

What could an ID wallet mean for residents?

Applying for support, showing that you qualify for a service or acting on someone else’s behalf all require information. Residents have to gather and submit it, sometimes to several organisations. Nijmegen wanted to explore whether an ID wallet could make this easier, including for people who struggle with digital services.

A wallet lets residents receive and share information as digital credentials. In the Proeftuin ID-wallets pilot, Nijmegen explored how people use that information when dealing with municipal services. The research focused on clear steps, confidence in sharing information and the explanations and support residents need.

Explore the initiative on id-wallets.nl

Bringing together municipal expertise, design and technology

To investigate this, Nijmegen brought together municipal expertise, design and technology. The municipality led the project. Ink Social Design handled design and user research; InnoValor Advies contributed expertise in digital identity, research and responsible innovation.

Ver.iD supplied the multi-wallet platform and helped develop prototypes for receiving and sharing digital credentials. This allowed residents and staff to try the proposed services themselves.

The contributions of the project partners

Different applications, different questions to explore

This collaboration took shape through several municipal applications. The participation scheme, the discounted bus pass and the benefits check raised questions about clarity and accessibility. In the individual income supplement demo, an applicant’s partner could share data using their own wallet; the authorisation examples explored how someone could act on another person’s behalf.

The pilot also explored receiving and using data outside an online application. The City of Amsterdam contributed to applications and took part in tests with the Yivi suitcase: a mobile counter for loading identity-document data into a wallet and using it for an over-18 check.

Explore the applications from the pilot

Exploring what works with residents

To find out whether these applications were understandable and usable, the team developed prototypes that residents and staff could work through themselves. The team observed them and discussed afterwards what was clear, where they got stuck and whether they trusted the process.

People with fewer digital skills and those who support them also took part. The findings informed the next design round.

What the user tests revealed

Several lessons emerged across the applications. In the benefits check, plain language and a visible sequence of steps helped participants find their way. A fast process did not automatically inspire trust: some people felt that sharing sensitive data happened too quickly.

In the authorisation tests, participants did not always understand which role they were acting in or for whom they were sharing data. In the individual income supplement, some participants were unsure afterwards what they had sent or whether the application was complete. These examples showed the importance of an overview and confirmation, even when the steps work technically.

The research also showed how differently residents experience digital services. In the discounted bus pass research, people with stronger digital skills moved through the process more easily. The discounted bus pass research recommends providing support when using the wallet. The broader user research also recommends keeping alternatives to the wallet available.

Switching between screens and devices also needed attention. In the participation scheme, it was not always clear where to continue after scanning a QR code. In the individual income supplement tests, participants did not always understand how Ver.iD and Yivi relate to each other. InnoValor advisor Baukje Faber describes how even a small animation can influence someone’s actions.

Sharing the outcomes with other municipalities

The pilot produced working demos, documented processes and specific points to address when designing services. The examples, videos and research findings are collected on id-wallets.nl.

Divosa helped spread this knowledge. Through publications, an explainer video and a workshop, the association involved managers and staff in municipal social services in exploring the possibilities of ID wallets.

Keep testing, keep learning

For other municipalities, these experiences provide a starting point for their own trials. Each new wallet or revised process calls for further research into whether people understand the steps, feel confident about sharing information and can get appropriate support.

By continuing these trials with residents and sharing the findings on id-wallets.nl, municipalities, designers and suppliers can build on each other’s experiences.