Building credibility: Establishing online identity without sacrificing convenience

Shifting from familiar, paper-based approaches to identity verification can save money, but it takes creative, well thought out approaches to do it safely. By combining traditional online approaches that are familiar from e-commerce with rigorous cross-checking capabilities, an IBM team has created a successful pilot program for a European government agency. The work provided insight into the real world requirements and may provide a model for future electronic identity opportunities.

In this Executive Technology Report, Peter Andrews interviews Paul Scott, a Consultant in IBM Global Business Services, aligned to the Communications (Customer Relationship Management) area.  Paul has spent the last five years working on large systems implementations, mainly in the telecommunications industry.  In that time, he has also been involved in a fair range of cross-industry projects.

Peter Andrews  Paul, could you tell me a bit about what you and your team have been up to in the area of identity?

Paul Scott  Earlier this year, I worked on an engagement with a team here delivering an electronic channel for a European government agency. One of the key challenges facing them in their move to the electronic channel was online identification of their customer base, as all the current processes rely on paper and document based checks.

The migration to the electronic channel is being driven by a cost of service reduction and a customer experience agenda, so there is a strong need to ensure that the channel provides the easiest process possible.  The particular problem facing the agency is an interesting one, as it applies to most government agencies.  They have a pool of customers who are essentially anonymous to them when they first use an online channel.  Some of these customers will not have had contact with the agency for years (average time between transactions is more than 5 years, in many cases).

The electronic channel needed a solution which could take any individual who was applying, and somehow confirm that the individual exists (validation) and that the person entering those details actually was that individual (verification).

Using a combination of commercial state-of-the-art offerings from a credit bureau service and a series of process based controls, a solution was created which will offer the necessary level of authentication, while allowing the individual to follow a “light-touch” online process.  ([Light-touch] means that the individual can enter details which they know without having to find documents, etc., and can complete the transaction without having to mail in any additional documentation.)

To read the full report, download the PDF file at the top of this page.