Passport App
Topic: bringing international travel into the future with UX
Setting: in a thought experiment
Opportunity
As technology moves forward so do the opportunities for integration into existing facets of life. What if we could revolutionize the international travel space? Certain States in the USA are experimenting with digital drivers licenses with aims of increased information privacy, ease of use, and better artifact security. This thought experiment aims to take these goals further and to also address some of the most stressful parts of border crossing.
Ideation
Ease of access for your passport document would be the most important component of this application. However, I think it could be taken even further. Beyond the passport itself, what else could become part of this revolution?
For the sake of this case example, the user scenario is for a United States of America citizen.
Traditionally, a the citizen traveling abroad has to independently check through several touch-points with the Department of State for destination country travel advisories, general travel tips, and the available United States embassies and consulates in their destination country. The last piece of information stands out beyond ease of use. In the instance of an emergency while abroad, you would want the fastest way possible to find your relevant government officials for help. Removing barriers to making this happen would be paramount.
Taking a different perspective on the international travel experience, another feature users might not want to lose out on is the collection of border crossing stamps. A sense of pride for some travelers, the Department of State currently allows passport renewal applicants to request to keep their old passport filled with the memories and documentation of leaving the country.
With the digitized passport come the opportunities to not only include the lighthearted commemoration of international travel, but also the to address the painpoints that come with current Department of State interactions.
Prototyping
Testing for proof of concept, the first prototype was a minimal wireframe of the application. Components included in this first iteration were the identifying traveler information, registered visa information, a “pages” feature for border crossing stamps, travel recommendations, and quick access to information for embassies and consulates.
Testers expressed questions on more parts of border crossing than was initially considered. Reflecting on the this feedback, another key feature was identified to include. If border crossings are allowing digitized passports, then the entire process should be streamlined.
How many times has someone nervously, hastily filled out a customs and declarations form as the details on the destination country’s expectations fled their mind? The Passport App could not only alleviate this painpoint, but potentially could lead to more efficient border crossings.
Based on interactions, efforts were also made in the second iteration cleaner and more intuitive.
Insights
Overall, tester feedback was positive for the idea, but also expressed some hesitation for such a sensitive document to be stored digitally in our personal devices. Perhaps such a matter is a double-edged sword.
Our personal devices offer a layer of protection that carrying physical passports cannot – storing the details behind a passcode. Should your passport be stolen, that individual now has immediate access to all of your identifying information. Should someone steal your phone, there is at least one layer of protection through your phone passcode and potentially further within the application itself.
However, this digital information would encounter the same vulnerabilities as any technology system. There is currently wavering trust in such systems as breaches and leaks seem to be occurring more frequently.
There also exists the concern of how much information you are handing over to a foreign government with a potentially unlocked phone. The opportunity to discriminate based on travel history or to make records of your personal information are concerning, to say the least.
Evident from all the raised concerns, there is certainly more thought to be put into the interface, processes, and resulting systems to make the Passport App into reality.
As the even concept of digital drivers licenses is only in its infancy in the United States, the prospect of such a digitized passport system seems beyond our reach. The level of international coordination between governments would be almost unprecedented. That being said, it could one day be the future of travel.
Please note the high-fidelity prototype exists solely for the purpose of this thought experiment and does not reflect the U.S. government.
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