I never considered the importance of app accessibility until I found myself struggling to zoom into every app I used. Whether I was reading the fine print in my banking app or verifying my identity for a flight, the lack of accessible design was a constant frustration.

This personal experience reassured me of the critical nature of user interface and user experience. I started investigating how we could improve our customer journeys during the identity verification process.

cellular applications now allow users to check in for a flight, access a bank account, apply for a visa and much more. of user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) determine the smoothness of these processes.

Although UI and UX are essential, they still need improvement, especially in identity verification. Improving these aspects is essential for businesses aiming to optimize user experience and operational efficiency.

Remote identity verification (IDV) process. it now serves as the starting point for many critical activities, making it essential that these systems – from completing financial transactions to interacting with government services – are accessible to everyone.

Remote home verification helps people with special needs stay involved in many activities. However, this is only achievable if the interface and design of IDV systems are truly comprehensive. What does it mean in practice?

Related: How to navigate the digital identity landscape

Dealing with customer frustration

A poor proof-of-identity experience can escalate significantly customer disappointmentleading to abandonment. It's intuitive: lengthy and complex verification processes that require extensive user engagement are more likely to discourage participation.

This is reflected in both business and customer expectations of IDV processes. According to Regula survey28% of respondents representing digital nomads, people who deal with perhaps the most versatile range of different ID verification procedures, experience frustration due to poorly designed user interfaces. At the same time, every third company participating in the survey prioritizes a user-friendly interface and clear instructions in the IDV workflow.

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What can be done now

Everything from the logic and usability of the UI to the speed of the response, as well as the choice of fonts and colors, significantly affects the user's perception and their willingness to continue using the solution.

As an IDV vendor, we've tried different approaches to create a comprehensive interface. Over time, as we received feedback from our customers and began to better understand the use cases, we managed to identify the main principles that we adhere to in our solutions:

• Keep to minimal clutter. Keep the interface clean and straightforward and don't add too many elements, long instructions, small icons, etc. Nothing should overwhelm or confuse users.
• Consider color perception. People see colors differently, and some can't tell them apart at all. So, it is vital to ensure that essential signs do not depend on color alone. Use geometric shapes or other cues in addition to colors to convey information.
• Rely on other sense organs as well. Enable tactile feedback, such as vibrations, or auditory cues, such as sounds, to confirm user actions. This is essential to ensure security and guide users through the process.
• Don't prioritize text over visuals and vice versa. There are always those who prefer text instructions and those who prefer images. The split is about 50-50, as we got from our experience. Therefore, it is important to incorporate both text and visual support.
• Make the interface adapt to user settings. Always. For example, if a person has increased the font size in their phone settings, the IDV app should automatically display the text in the same larger size.

Ideally, IDV solutions should not need any instructions at all. The interface should be intuitive and clear, and each step of the identity verification process should be smooth, logical and instantly recognizable. However, if an instruction is required and it is quite elaborate, it is better to split it into several consecutive screens rather than putting everything on one screen with a small font.

Ultimately, implementing automation in the ID verification process significantly enhances the user experience by simplifying complex steps and reducing the need for manual input. For example, automated document scanning and optical character recognition (OCR) simplify data extraction from identity documents, reducing the need for manual input. Facial recognition technology further improves the process by matching a user's face to their ID photo. Automated error detection and real time feedback help prevent and correct errors, while integration with existing databases enables quick validation of information. Together, these advances make the ID verification process more accessible and less intimidating for those who may not be as tech-savvy.

Related: Why business leaders should learn about digital IDs

Business benefits

A billion people, or 15% of the world's populationexperience some form of disability. Making digital services, including IDV, accessible to them becomes a legal and ethical obligation for companies and there are already policies governing WEBSITE OR mobile accessibility.

However, the focus on accessibility in IDV also expands market opportunities for businesses and improves the user experience for everyone. Designed to include users with diverse needs, from visual impairments to cognitive disabilities, online IDV systems offer numerous benefits that extend beyond accessibility.

First and foremost, such well-planned, inclusive interfaces broaden the audience by creating equal access to IDV for all. Consequently, businesses benefit from greater market differentiation, attracting new customers.

Second, simplifying navigation, providing clear instructions and being able to adjust settings with ease creates a more direct, frictionless and pleasant user experiencewith minimal frustrations and errors during critical IDV steps. As a result, users tend to demonstrate higher brand trust and loyalty as they feel that their needs and preferences are taken into account.

Finally, by focusing on designing accessible and user-centered interfaces, businesses are inevitably encouraged to drive continuous improvement and innovation. Such companies become more agile in adapting to user feedback and evolving needs, which results in better products and services.

Comprehensive on-brand UI

Let's not forget that IDV solutions are rarely used independently (unless it's the case of border crossing, of course). Now that so many services are done digitally, IDV has become an integral part of a wide range of scenarios, from banking to flight check-in to e-marketplaces and so on. In terms of interface, this means that an IDV vendor must make an effort to match the UI requirements of a business using their solution.

IDV vendors must be flexible about modifying graphics and text and incorporating customer branding within the camera view interface used for ID verification, while maintaining consistency with their brand identity and increasing brand recognition. users. For those who prefer a default interface, there should be options to customize basic elements like colors and fonts.

Additionally, a solution that supports multi-language localization simplifies global deployment, making identity verification more accessible and convenient for users around the world. As technology and user expectations evolve, continuous refinement of these solutions can ensure that identity verification remains efficient and reliable across a variety of applications.