Introduction to Identity Management
While in Austin, TX for SXSW there was one key phrase I heard over and over. It wasn’t a piece of hot gossip or a tip on the future of the web, but rather commentary on a broken system. “ I wish I didn’t have to have my id checked every time I went into a bar- it seems like such a waste of time.” In this case, ID checking created a strong piece of friction that slows down the speed at which the line moves (efficiency) and creates potentially preventable negative reactions (anger of line standers) with out adding benefit to the individual or the business. Perhaps this is a bit of a diva problem to highlight, but it’s brings to light the crux of friction created by a lack of a central identity. In short, wasted time. Wasted money. Wasted experience. Nobody wins.
Now, I am not arguing that these ID checks were useless; ID verification to ensure responsible drinking has its purpose. Rather I am drawing attention to a naturally occurring example of something I have been seeing digitally for years- a lack of fluid identity. The nonexistence of a universal self-identifier makes simple tasks complex, and it wastes time. Recently my thoughts have centered one main salient point, how important the development of this identity management system is to the next stage of technological evolution.
Currently both our online and offline lives are restrained by a lack of constant identity the bridges the gap and provides a consistent representation of who we are. The more I think about this, the more my head spins into many many nodes of awesome. I find myself sketching and jotting down notes on just how powerful a consistent identity could be- not just for the government or sales folk, but also for the consumer themselves. Imagine being able to privately pass masked banking information to your accountant, control what data is used to profile you, and define what type of advertisements (both online and within the physical world) you are exposed to. And that’s just the obvious applications.
Identity is more than just the ID in your pocket. It’s not your social security number. It’s not your full name and date of birth. Identity is the composite of every piece of data available- online and off that describes who you are. It’s where you like to shop, who your friends are, and what you do when no one is looking. Much like DNA, these data points intertwine and create a map of an individual. A strong identity system would be multi-faceted, recognizing that an individual’s actions adapt based on the surrounding stimuli. For example, how you act around your college buddies, may not be how you act around your wife. While these are technically contradicting personalities, your future identity management system should be able to rationalize the conflict.
Over the next few weeks I am going to be posting a 7 part series that outlines the current problems in existing identity structures, potential solutions, how this empowers existing data and creates new forms of profiling, thus strengthening the role of the individual and resulting in better user experiences. I hope this will inspire others to become as excited as I am about the future of identity management and we can geek out on it together. I could use some more smart minds in my identity management obsessed world.
