2022-2023
🤝
Collaborated with another product designer (for problem 1)
🤓
Led accessibility improvements (problem 2)
✅
Improved Face Verification success rates by ~10%
Impact
Increased ↑ Singpass Face Verification success rates by ~10% and inclusivity for visually impaired users
This showcase covers the 2 opportunities I had over the years to improve success rates of Singpass Face Verification and enhance accessibility for our nationwide users.
Context
Singpass Face Verification (SFV) enhances security for critical actions like app setup and large CPF withdrawals. However, high dropout rates and user complaints highlight usability concerns. Before expanding SFV to more high-risk transactions, design team investigated into user sentiments.
Problem 1: Step-up Face Verification had low success rates.
Research objectives
We conducted user interviews with 15 users to learn more about:
How users feel about Singpass Face Verification (SFV)
How users feel about the need for extra authentication
What is the effectiveness and timeliness of our existing designs (i.e. messaging, content, illustrations)
Age group
31-40
41-50
41-50
61 & above
Self-rated tech savviness
1
2
3
4
5
Who we spoke to
Findings
7 out of 15
Completed Singpass Face Verification
6 out of 15
Did NOT complete
2 out of 15
Did not participate
Overall experience
12 out of 15 participants expressed neutral-negative emotions.
“Surprisingly quite fast and easy.”
-P05
“Easy - just a little bit lengthy, but good because it’s 2nd layer of protection..”
-P06
“[It is] black & white, and flashing lights really put me off..”
-P14
“[I see Face Verification] I will bypass it, I will cancel the whole thing.”
-P04
Concerns about Singpass Face Verification
Inconvenience
Enable users to start scanning quickly and more easily.
Increase trust
Enable users to start scanning quickly and more easily.
Troubleshooting
Update guidance for a higher likelihood of successful scan.
Design improvements
Before
We will need to perform an additional verification with a face scan to make sure it is really you and keep your account safe.
You will also be notified of this login attempt via your Singpass app or SMS.
Contact us | Share feedback | Read FAQs
Report vulnerability | Privacy statement | Terms of use | Sitemap | Rate this website
© 2021 Government of Singapore
Last updated on 03 June 2020
1
In the next screen, click “Begin scan”.
2
Keep still as the camera locates your face.
3
The screen will flash a series of colored lights.
Click here to find out more about Singpass Face verification.
Continue
9:41
After
Extra verification for security
We will need to perform an additional verification with a face scan to make sure it is really you and keep your account safe.
You will also be notified of this login attempt via your Singpass app or SMS.
Contact us | Share feedback | Read FAQs
Report vulnerability | Privacy statement | Terms of use | Sitemap | Rate this website
© 2021 Government of Singapore
Last updated on 03 June 2020
1
In the next screen, click “Begin scan”.
2
Keep still as the camera locates your face.
3
The screen will flash a series of colored lights.
Click here to find out more about Singpass Face verification.
Continue
A Singapore Government Agency Website
9:41
Extra verification for security
We will need to perform an additional verification with a face scan to make sure it is really you and keep your account safe. You will also be notified of this login attempt via your Singpass app or SMS.
Log in with
Singpass Face Verification
Verify your identity with a face scan compared against the government’s records. No set-up or registration is required.
Read more about Singpass Face Verification here.
Start
Face Verification
A Singapore Government Agency Website
Updated GIF to be Singpass branded
Transparency: against government’s records
Before
Begin scan
Back
Here are some guidelines. Find out more here.
Look into the front camera and select “Begin scan”.
By selecting “Begin scan”, you are allowing us to match your photo with the government’s biometrics database based on the Terms of use.
Clear glasses
Keep headgear
and hair off face
Indoor lighting
Keep mouth closed
Tinted glasses
Cover your face
Smile widely
Very bright lighting
Begin scan
After
GIF communicates flashing lights
SMS OTP
Face Verification
Before you begin, ensure:
Maximise screen brightness
Well lit area
No mask
Clear glasses
Keep still
By clicking on Begin Scan, you allow us to capture your face scan and compare it against the government’s records to verify your identity, as set out in the Singpass Terms of Use.
Begin scan
Simplify do’s and don’ts to key points
Disclaimer: The updated animation was done by another designer.
Before
After
The product is still in the midst of removing filter.
In our interviews, 9 out of 15 participants shared that not seeing their face was shocking.
Participants hoped to see their face as much as possible.
“I don’t like not seeing my face, just my handdrawn profile of my face” - P03
Problem 2: Face Verification is not accessible for visually-impaired users.
Context
Visually impaired users shared negative feedback about Singpass Face Verification which is used to set up Singpass app.
As sighted users, we struggled to understand why VI users faced challenges with Face Verification despite VoiceOver/TalkBack. To gain deeper insight, I collaborated with a GovTech Accessibility colleague to organize a focus group discussion and explore usability challenges and user workarounds.
Research method
We did a 1 hour focus group discussion with 5 visually impaired users with different experience with Singpass Face Verification (where some have tried, struggled and passed successfully, while some have always failed to pass).
Key Usability Gaps:
🤷♂️ Lack of precise instructions for proper face positioning.
😵💫 Scan starts too quickly, preventing accurate alignment.
👂 Insufficient feedback—visual cues are unclear, and audio feedback is missing.
Design solution
I proposed a audio feedback diagram to provide more guidance for visually impaired users.
Next steps
The team is actively implementing these audio feedback enhancements and looks forward to launching them in Q2 this year.
Due to confidentiality of government projects, more details on impact and implementation will be shared in person—thank you!