Digital credentials have been the new buzzword across all organizations. The demand for digital credentials has been ever-growing and hence, the need to incorporate the same is crucial. But the question remains, “ How do we incorporate Digital Credentials?” or “How do we make the right decision about Digital Credentials?”

To answer these questions best, it is crucial to understand the core requirements the digital credentials system needs to fulfil.

Core requirements for Digital Credentials:

When it comes to digital credentials, often companies or organizations have to decide between buying an in-built digital credential feature through a platform or building the feature that suits best for requirements. In both cases, to make the right decision we need to first understand what system requirements and features one needs to consider:

Privacy and Trust:

For a learner or an employee to opt for the digital credential, the organization needs to be completely transparent with their privacy policies and build trust amongst them. This could be done as follows:

Prioritize consent of the learner/employee before issuing the credential The credentials used by the learner/employee must be issued with privacy features that won’t alter or exploit their credentials. These privacy features must be incorporated into the system to avoid third-party or unauthorized access The system must provide hassle-free verification of the credentials acquired. The process for the verification must be authentic, trustworthy and seamless Apart from hassle-free verification, the learner must be able to recover their lost credentials from the respective authority The digital credentials system must be built in a way limiting tracking, unauthorized access and the complete disclosure of the learner to ensure the privacy of the learner/employee

Managing the Credential:

The learner/employee may or will require to share, manage and store their credentials. To do so the digital credential system must feature:

A wallet to stores and features the credentials acquired A personalized learners portal to access, manage and share the digital credentials across all digital platforms and websites Standard tools that enable sharing by verifying the authenticity of both the issuer and receiver

Authority:

When opting for an in-built digital credential system, there often lacks authority over the platform. Meaning:

The system bought from comes under a different brand name misleading the trust of the users The system may lack features that that were required best Lack of authority over the platform

It’s crucial to have a platform that:

Enables full control over the platform Allows access to customize, manage its features and tools

Once, the above requirements are considered along with the cost and budget required for digital credentials, the organization can then choose between either buying or building the digital credentials platform.

In Conclusion:

Digital credentials are the future of learning and are crucial to making the most of it. Digital credentials platforms must be secured, easily accessible and shareable.