NYS Digital ID

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Reimagining the ID

Nowadays, the average person is carrying a smartphone on them everywhere they go. They also have to carry around something else... their little, inconvenient, plastic identification card/license. What if we change the way we handle our IDs and have them accessible right on our smartphones? Let's do it!

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Problems To Solve

The conventional physical forms of personal identification present numerous challenges. They are cumbersome to carry and use, prone to misplacement or damage, harbor security vulnerabilities, and their layout tends to be overwhelming and visually cluttered.

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Competitive Analysis

The current solutions are not innovative and are unexciting.

I explored various Digital ID apps but discovered that most merely digitized IDs without offering innovative solutions. Furthermore, apps such as LA Wallet and ADOT Mobile ID were plagued by bugs and lacked creativity, essentially mimicking physical cards in digital format.

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LA Wallet, Louisiana's Legal Digital Driver's License

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IDEMIA Group ID Application

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Design Inspiration

Gathering visual inspiration is a highlight of my project creation process, for me! Here, I looked into drawing inspiration from New York City, initially sparked by its iconic Statue of Liberty. However, as I delved deeper, I discovered the wealth of awesome design throughout NYC, fueling this project even further.

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Sketches

Utilizing quick, free-hand sketching allowed me to initiate the conceptualization of the app's visual aesthetics and user experience. As I explored functionality considerations, I started to recognize certain limitations within the design. For example, accommodating longer names within the given format posed challenges. Ensuring images fit with the background and surrounding elements would've been difficult given this format, too.

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Iterating

Throughout the iterative process, I thoroughly explored various design decisions, making numerous adjustments to each direction. At times, I pivoted my overall approach when certain aspects were not yielding desired results. With each iteration, the design evolved, and I gained valuable insights and knowledge along the way.

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Visual Direction #1

Inspired by NYC's nighttime lights and the Statue of Liberty, my initial direction aimed for boldness, using thick text. However, issues like unclear mood, visual style, and typography hierarchy led me to reconsider.

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Visual Direction #2

In the second approach, I aimed for a clean and functional design, incorporating NY's creative aspect. Using a blue palette for a professional vibe, the layout improved, but the color choice made the app seem dull and similar to existing ones.

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Visual Direction #3

In the third direction, I pursued a high-contrast, clean look for the app. However, I found it still lacking in representing the essence of New York. I then experimented with a more creative and energetic style while maintaining a similar structure to the original composition.

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Final Compositions - Visual Direction #4

In this final composition, my stylistic approach clicked into place, drawing inspiration from abstract and playful elements in my mood boards. Considering the creative environment in NYC and other cities in New York State, the development of a clearer "brand" identity at this project stage brought everything together.

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Final Prototype

Created in Figma.

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Takeaways

Lots of iteration is key

Through iterative processes, I identified key design elements and seamlessly integrated them into the final product, resulting in a successful and functional design.

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Feedback and ideation

Through feedback from peers and Professor Hye-Jin, I dissected unsuccessful design elements, generating valuable solutions and ideas to enhance my project significantly.

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Mood as a top priority

A major challenge was defining the app's mood/style. Starting with a specific mood would have provided more focused exploration.

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There's a bit more!

Take a look at the Process Doc here 🔗 (PDF | 13 MB)

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