Co-design approach to development of electronic identity
June 05, 2019
The Canton of Schaffhausen is the pioneering region in Switzerland when it comes to offering its citizens a digital identity to facilitate transactions with the Canton’s departments. Generis AG was closely involved in the co-design of the ground-breaking approach.
Thanks to the so-called eID+, citizens of Schaffhausen can now deal with a number of interactions and transactions with the cantonal authorities quickly and easily online. Generis AG worked alongside KSD, the IT provider to the municipal and cantonal administrations, and Swiss start-up business Procivis during the roll-out and further development of the online identity system. As part of its role in leading and managing economic development within the Canton of Schaffhausen, Generis also worked with the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) on a study which tracked the co-design approach to this project. Co-design brings together users and service providers to develop a product based on the experiences of each. Test-users and developers share their experiences and translate these into practical user-centered product design and development.
Generis has accompanied this approach successfully in a number of projects and acquired significant expertise in the implementation of projects rooted in co-design. Following completion of the ZHAW study on the progress of the co-design approach to Schaffhausen‘s eID+ facility, the findings of the ZHAW and Generis were published in a specialist article. The publication contains 13 practical recommendations on how to secure the best possible outcome when adopting a co-design process to project development.
Reflecting its economic development credentials and remit on behalf of the Canton of Schaffhausen, Generis AG was invited to present public service innovation at cantonal level to an international audience using the co-design approach of the Schaffhausen eID+ as an example.
