4:20:01 PM
Tuesday, Jul 16
The NPOI app simplifies document retrieval in India, reducing inconveniences and bureaucratic delays. It provides secure and efficient access to vital documents through smartphones, including convenient features.
Type: Self-initiated
Duration: Feb-March 2023
Design tools: Figma
Role: UX/UI Designer
NPOI (National Portal of India) aimed to offer an efficient, secure, and user-friendly interface for citizens to access government documents by simplifying the process . Users currently faces bureaucratic delays and the long process when visiting government offices/service providers to acquire essential documents.
Overview
What’s the process now?
In India, government-verified service providers assist citizens in obtaining documents. People apply directly through these portals, but the current process involves obtaining forms, doing paperwork, finding government officers for signatures, and then uploading applications online. However, these service providers often charge more than government fees, leading to inefficiencies, delays, bureaucracy, and corruption risks.
Obtain form
Get an application form from any service provider.
Paperwork & attach docs
Complete the form and attach photocopies of required documents.
3.Get signature of officials
Certain applications need government officials' signatures for verification.
Application upload
Submit the form to the service provider, who uploads it online.
5.Pay fees
Pay application fees (often higher than government-fixed fees).
Wait
Wait for the verification process to finish, and you will then receive your document.
To better understand how this system works, I surveyed and talked to people who use these services. This helped me learn about the process, what works well, and where there are problems. It's clear that there are challenges for citizens when they use service providers to get documents, and there's room for making things better for everyone. I received responses from 23 survey participants and engaged in discussions with approximately 4-5 individuals at these service provider offices.
What people think?
Arjun, 17-year-old student, hails from a humble background His primary objective is to secure government scholarships to enable the continuation of his studies. His parents can't help with the forms and documents so Arjun have to take care of that himself.
Persona 1
Age: 17 years old
Occupation: Student
Frustrations
The scholarship application process is complex with confusing forms and extensive verifications.
Feels lost and frustrated due to a lack of guidance and support in navigating the process.
Goals
Secure government scholarships for high school and college education.
Gather all necessary documents to prove eligibility.
Sanjana, 21-year-old graduated this year from university in Delhi, is applying for foreign studies. However, she hasn't received her degree yet, and the applications for further studies have already started. To ensure she doesn't miss out, she must travel to her university for certificates.
Persona 2
Age: 21 years old
Occupation: Student
Frustrations
Traveling from Mumbai to Delhi for document collection is highly inconvenient.
Long processes and delays may impact timely foreign university applications.
Goals
obtain necessary provisional Certificates from her college to apply for master's programs abroad.
Lalit, 59-year-old retiree, recently moved to a new address due to family issues. and he wants to update his Gas connection address, Aadhar card address and many more documents.
Persona 3
Age: 59 years old
Occupation: Retired
Frustrations
frequent visits to govt. offices are physically taxing, considering his advancing age.
the bureaucratic processes and the absence of elderly-friendly services compound his frustration
Goals
To update his address and personal details with government authorities for accurate contact information.
Key Problems
No other option
The sole method for document issuance is currently offline.
Awareness
leaving people with limited information about fee collection and the overall process
Bribes
As a result, people frequently turn to bribery to obtain there documents faster
Political Influence
Sometimes, political connections are necessary to navigate bureaucracy, disadvantaging those without such affiliations.
Inadequate Infrastructure
Insufficient resources in government offices result in long wait times and delays due to high request volumes.
Legal Complexities
Certain government documents, like land records or property deeds, involve intricate legal processes that can pose challenges for citizens to navigate.
Caste and Class Discrimination
Marginalized communities can encounter discrimination and reluctance from government officials, impacting their access to government documents.
Lack of Transparency
Government departments frequently lack transparency in their processes, leading to challenges for citizens in understanding document requirements and procedures.
User Flow
Design
Onboarding
The onboarding process includes a seamless Aadhar ID/mobile (linked to Aadhar) login for identity verification. Users will find an introductory section to learn more about the app's features.
Home Naviagtion
The homepage of the app displays the user's acquired documents, a notification icon, and a verification tool for document validation. Users can report any counterfeit documents through the app. Additionally, there are sections available for searching new and issued documents.
If a user applies for a document through NPOI, the app displays the next steps and current Status on the homepage.
Issued Documents page
"Issued" page shows document information and status, including expiration and updates. Users can download and share their documents from this section.
Applications page
The "Application" page enables users to access details about their applied documents, including the next steps in the application process and essential user information.
It also provides users with comprehensive information about the documents required for verification and outlines the subsequent steps. This prepares users for the next stages of the process.
Search documents page
The "Search" page enables users to search for documents by selecting their state from a dropdown menu. Users can also search documents by category, simplifying access through category and sub-category browsing.
Application filling page
The "Search" page enables users to search for documents by selecting their state from a dropdown menu. Users can also search documents by category, simplifying access through category and sub-category browsing.
Payment & scheduling Appointment
Users have the convenience of selecting from various payment methods, and the app provides a user-friendly way to display available appointment dates along with the days left for the appointment.
verify documents
Family account
In India, one-device households are common, making the Family Account feature valuable for storing all family documents in one place. This feature benefits parents by allowing them to organize their children's and elder parents' documents efficiently.
further use cases
For additional use cases, I've introduced two options: accessing your documents through a smartwatch and using a widget for quick access.
Smart watch use case
For instance, while traveling on your bike, if a police officer requests document verification, you can utilize the watch feature to access the document QR codes and unique ID. This allows you to easily share the information with the officer for quick verification by scanning the code with their device.
Widget use case
In the same scenario as mentioned earlier, if you're in a rush, you can access the widget with your biometrics or preferred security system. This enables you to quickly access your documents which include basic information and QR codes, streamlining the user verification process.
The creation of a mobile app for issuing government documents to citizens brings numerous advantages, such as convenience, transparency, reduced paper usage, and accessibility. Nevertheless, it's essential to address potential drawbacks like technological barriers and security concerns. In summary, this app presents a more efficient and user-friendly means for citizens to access vital government documents.
Key findings/scope
The NPOI app simplifies document retrieval in India, reducing inconveniences and bureaucratic delays. It provides secure and efficient access to vital documents through smartphones, including convenient features.
Type: Self-initiated
Duration: Feb-March 2023
Design tools: Figma
Role: UX/UI Designer
NPOI (National Portal of India) aimed to offer an efficient, secure, and user-friendly interface for citizens to access government documents by simplifying the process . Users currently faces bureaucratic delays and the long process when visiting government offices/service providers to acquire essential documents.
Overview
What’s the process now?
In India, government-verified service providers assist citizens in obtaining documents. People apply directly through these portals, but the current process involves obtaining forms, doing paperwork, finding government officers for signatures, and then uploading applications online. However, these service providers often charge more than government fees, leading to inefficiencies, delays, bureaucracy, and corruption risks.
Obtain form
Get an application form from any service provider.
Paperwork & attach docs
Complete the form and attach photocopies of required documents.
3.Get signature of officials
Certain applications need government officials' signatures for verification.
Application upload
Submit the form to the service provider, who uploads it online.
5.Pay fees
Pay application fees (often higher than government-fixed fees).
Wait
Wait for the verification process to finish, and you will then receive your document.
To better understand how this system works, I surveyed and talked to people who use these services. This helped me learn about the process, what works well, and where there are problems. It's clear that there are challenges for citizens when they use service providers to get documents, and there's room for making things better for everyone. I received responses from 23 survey participants and engaged in discussions with approximately 4-5 individuals at these service provider offices.
What people think?
Arjun, 17-year-old student, hails from a humble background His primary objective is to secure government scholarships to enable the continuation of his studies. His parents can't help with the forms and documents so Arjun have to take care of that himself.
Persona 1
Age: 17 years old
Occupation: Student
Frustrations
The scholarship application process is complex with confusing forms and extensive verifications.
Feels lost and frustrated due to a lack of guidance and support in navigating the process.
Goals
Secure government scholarships for high school and college education.
Gather all necessary documents to prove eligibility.
Sanjana, 21-year-old graduated this year from university in Delhi, is applying for foreign studies. However, she hasn't received her degree yet, and the applications for further studies have already started. To ensure she doesn't miss out, she must travel to her university for certificates.
Persona 2
Age: 21 years old
Occupation: Student
Frustrations
Traveling from Mumbai to Delhi for document collection is highly inconvenient.
Long processes and delays may impact timely foreign university applications.
Goals
obtain necessary provisional Certificates from her college to apply for master's programs abroad.
Lalit, 59-year-old retiree, recently moved to a new address due to family issues. and he wants to update his Gas connection address, Aadhar card address and many more documents.
Persona 3
Age: 59 years old
Occupation: Retired
Frustrations
frequent visits to govt. offices are physically taxing, considering his advancing age.
the bureaucratic processes and the absence of elderly-friendly services compound his frustration
Goals
To update his address and personal details with government authorities for accurate contact information.
Key Problems
No other option
The sole method for document issuance is currently offline.
Awareness
leaving people with limited information about fee collection and the overall process
Bribes
As a result, people frequently turn to bribery to obtain there documents faster
Political Influence
Sometimes, political connections are necessary to navigate bureaucracy, disadvantaging those without such affiliations.
Inadequate Infrastructure
Insufficient resources in government offices result in long wait times and delays due to high request volumes.
Legal Complexities
Certain government documents, like land records or property deeds, involve intricate legal processes that can pose challenges for citizens to navigate.
Caste and Class Discrimination
Marginalized communities can encounter discrimination and reluctance from government officials, impacting their access to government documents.
Lack of Transparency
Government departments frequently lack transparency in their processes, leading to challenges for citizens in understanding document requirements and procedures.
User Flow
Design
Onboarding
The onboarding process includes a seamless Aadhar ID/mobile (linked to Aadhar) login for identity verification. Users will find an introductory section to learn more about the app's features.
Home Naviagtion
The homepage of the app displays the user's acquired documents, a notification icon, and a verification tool for document validation. Users can report any counterfeit documents through the app. Additionally, there are sections available for searching new and issued documents.
If a user applies for a document through NPOI, the app displays the next steps and current Status on the homepage.
Issued Documents page
"Issued" page shows document information and status, including expiration and updates. Users can download and share their documents from this section.
Applications page
The "Application" page enables users to access details about their applied documents, including the next steps in the application process and essential user information.
It also provides users with comprehensive information about the documents required for verification and outlines the subsequent steps. This prepares users for the next stages of the process.
Search documents page
The "Search" page enables users to search for documents by selecting their state from a dropdown menu. Users can also search documents by category, simplifying access through category and sub-category browsing.
Application filling page
The "Search" page enables users to search for documents by selecting their state from a dropdown menu. Users can also search documents by category, simplifying access through category and sub-category browsing.
Payment & scheduling Appointment
Users have the convenience of selecting from various payment methods, and the app provides a user-friendly way to display available appointment dates along with the days left for the appointment.
verify documents
Family account
In India, one-device households are common, making the Family Account feature valuable for storing all family documents in one place. This feature benefits parents by allowing them to organize their children's and elder parents' documents efficiently.
further use cases
For additional use cases, I've introduced two options: accessing your documents through a smartwatch and using a widget for quick access.
Smart watch use case
For instance, while traveling on your bike, if a police officer requests document verification, you can utilize the watch feature to access the document QR codes and unique ID. This allows you to easily share the information with the officer for quick verification by scanning the code with their device.
Widget use case
In the same scenario as mentioned earlier, if you're in a rush, you can access the widget with your biometrics or preferred security system. This enables you to quickly access your documents which include basic information and QR codes, streamlining the user verification process.
The creation of a mobile app for issuing government documents to citizens brings numerous advantages, such as convenience, transparency, reduced paper usage, and accessibility. Nevertheless, it's essential to address potential drawbacks like technological barriers and security concerns. In summary, this app presents a more efficient and user-friendly means for citizens to access vital government documents.
Key findings/scope