Bhutan NDI
Empowering Digital Trust with Security, Privacy, and Consent for every Bhutanese
Project Overview
Design Challenge
How might we design a secure, inclusive, and scalable digital identity platform that empowers Bhutanese citizens to seamlessly access services while ensuring trust, privacy, and accessibility for all?
Project Goal
To create a user-centered, secure, and scalable digital identity solution that empowers Bhutanese citizens to take control of their identities while enabling seamless access to digital services and fostering trust in emerging technologies.
Project Timeline
Project Inception - End of 2019
Project Launch - Oct 13, 2023
Team Size: 15 Members
Tools Used
My Role (UI/UX Lead)
Sole designer for the project.
Led end-to-end design process
Defined the design vision and strategy
Facilitated design ideation sessions with cross-functional teams
Led secondary & primary research
Used valuable insights from the research data
Designed low-fidelity wireframes to define core user flows and interactions
Developed rapid high-fidelity prototypes for usability testing
Led the iteration process
Led user testing initiatives for integrating partners
conducted design audit for integrating partners’ platformsContributed to the brand identity
Designed custom illustrations that aligned with the brand designed marketing materials and merchandise for promotional campaigns
Collaborated with business and government stakeholders to align design decisions
Worked closely with developers to ensure design feasibility
Provided design support post-launch, refining the user experience based on live user feedback.
Project Context
In 2023, Bhutan became the first country in the world to roll out a Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI)-based decentralized digital identity system, marking a significant milestone in digital transformation. With Bhutan NDI’s biometrics-enabled digital wallet, citizens can authenticate, store, and share verified credentials seamlessly, removing the hassle of in-person verification at banks, government offices, and other institutions. It’s built to enhance accessibility, security, and trust—all while future-proofing the country’s digital landscape.
Why Bhutan Took a Different Path
Bhutan is a small Himalayan nation with less than 800,000 people, scattered across remote mountainous regions. Unlike traditional centralized identity systems, Bhutan NDI is a pioneering initiative Guided by His Majesty The King’s personal vision to provide every citizen with the right to privacy, data ownership, and digital empowerment.
Rooted in the philosophy of SSI, Bhutan NDI is a gift from the King to his people.
From Vision to Reality
The journey started late 2019, when the team began conceptualizing a Digital Identity system. With digital services expanding—banking, e-governance, and KYC processes—it became clear that a trusted, seamless, and secure identity solution was essential. This vision became reality in July 2023, when the NDI Act received Royal Assent, providing the legal foundation for a privacy-first, citizen-controlled digital identity.
His Royal Highness Crown Prince Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck became the first digital citizen, marking a historic moment in Bhutan’s digital transformation.
This isn’t just about technology—it’s about empowering every Bhutanese citizen with a secure, user-centric, and consent-based digital identity.
Awards
2024
2024
117,430
Foundational ID’s Issued
14
G2C Services Integrated
10+
Integrations Underway
The Problem
What was the problem?
Bhutanese citizens struggle with inefficient and time-consuming identity verification processes due to the lack of a trusted digital identity. People must physically visit government offices, banks, and institutions to authenticate themselves and submit documents, leading to delays, accessibility barriers, and high costs.
Why was it important?
A decentralized digital identity solution was critical for Bhutan’s digital transformation. Simplifying decentralized identity verification could increase financial inclusion, improve access to services, reduce fraud, and enhance user convenience while ensuring security and privacy.
The Solution
Bhutan NDI simplifies how Bhutanese citizens access services by providing a secure, digital identity. It removes the need for in-person verification, speeds up KYC processes, and offers a single platform for managing verified credentials. The system allows users full control over their data.
This solution is scalable and cost-effective, helping both users and service providers save time and resources. Bhutan NDI offers easy access to services and ensures data can be securely backed up and recovered. With these features, Bhutan NDI solves key challenges and sets a new standard for digital identity in Bhutan.
Key Features
Get your Foundational ID
Securely obtain a government-issued digital identity that serves as the foundation for accessing various online and offline services.
Issuance of Verifiable Credentials
Receive and store official digital credentials—such as national IDs, employment records, and academic certificates—that can be instantly shared for verification.
Passwordless Login
Authenticate yourself seamlessly using biometrics or cryptographic keys, eliminating the need for passwords while ensuring security.
Verified e-KYC & Customer Identification
Instantly verify your identity with service providers, streamlining customer onboarding for banks, telecom, and other institutions.
Access Management
Securely manage and control access to digital systems and services. Organizations can grant or revoke login permissions using Bhutan NDI, ensuring only authorized personnel can access sensitive platforms and resources.
Research
How might we design a secure, inclusive, and scalable decentralized digital identity platform that empowers Bhutanese citizens to seamlessly access services while ensuring trust, privacy, and accessibility for all?
Guiding Questions
User research was a critical component of the Bhutan NDI project. With the platform catering to diverse user groups and their complex workflows, it was essential to map out their interactions in detail. To achieve this extensive research to gain insights into challenges faced by users and their expectations was carried out. This helped identify pain points and informed us how our solution could optimize key problem areas when designing a solution that would truly meet our user’s needs.
User Research
To understand the challenges faced by Bhutanese citizens in accessing services, the following were conducted:
Padlet, Sticky note, and Whiteboard brainstorming sessions to collect initial thoughts
User interviews with citizens, businesses, and government officials
Competitor analysis of traditional centralized systems in the initial stages before we decided to move to an SSI based solution
Usability testing and iterations with early prototypes with employees of DHI
Methodology
Research Highlights
These research sessions helped map out real-world pain points and identify opportunities for improvement. We uncovered key challenges. These insights shaped the design of Bhutan NDI, ensuring it addresses real user needs with security, simplicity, and accessibility at its core.
Key Insights
Pain Points
Project Goals
User Goals
Get verified credentials in your wallet to access platforms and services online.
Organization Goals
Streamline internal workflows to seamlessly deliver services to customers.
User Testing & Iterations
For usability testing, we conducted multiple rounds of user feedback sessions to refine the experience, focusing on onboarding, credential management, and overall usability.
These insights led to key improvements, ensuring the final design was intuitive and user-friendly.
Due to NDA restrictions, I am unable to publicly share the detailed iterations and design changes.
However, if you're interested in learning more about the process and insights gained, feel free to reach out.
Post Launch
Following the launch of Bhutan NDI, we prioritized user feedback and real-world adoption to ensure a seamless experience for all. We gathered insights from early users to refine the onboarding process and address common challenges.
To support digital literacy and accessibility, we launched an on-the-ground adoption campaign led by Dessups, who went door-to-door in rural villages, helping citizens onboard the Bhutan NDI app. These community-driven efforts focused on educating users, assisting with onboarding, and addressing concerns about security and usability.
By combining user-centered design with grassroots outreach, Bhutan NDI became more accessible, fostering digital inclusion across all regions of Bhutan.
Bridging the Digital Divide
Reflections & Learnings
Enjoy Being in the Process of Becoming
This project taught me that growth doesn’t happen overnight, it happens in the messy, uncertain, and iterative process of figuring things out. There were moments of doubt, trial and error, and countless revisions, but every challenge shaped me into a better designer. I learned to embrace the journey, not just the outcome and to find excitement in refining, improving, and evolving.
Design is never "done," and neither is learning. Looking back, I see how much I’ve grown. Not just in skill, but in mindset. This project wasn’t just about building a product; it was about becoming. Becoming more curious, resilient, and confident in my ability to solve problems and create meaningful experiences.
From Curiosity to Passion
Bhutan NDI was more than just a project, it was the beginning of my journey as a UX designer. Coming from a different background, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect, but diving headfirst into the role made me realize how much I love solving real-world problems through design. My experience at Bhutan NDI cemented my passion for designing solutions that directly impact people’s lives.
The Power of Iteration
Early usability testing showed us that even minor friction points could significantly impact the user experience. I learned that perfection isn’t the goal, continuous refinement is. Each round of user feedback helped create a more intuitive experience, proving that great design is an ongoing process of iteration and learning.
Lessons in Ownership
This project pushed me to take full ownership of my work. Without a dedicated design team to lean on, I had to trust my instincts, make confident decisions, and advocate for the user at every step. It showed me that being a designer isn’t just about creating interfaces—it’s about being a problem-solver, storyteller, and bridge between users and technology.
Wearing Many Hats
As the sole designer I had step beyond my role and worked on illustrations, branding, and marketing materials and merchandise designs. This experience helped me find my hobby in creating illustrations which I continue to enjoy.
Journey Ahead
Looking back, if there’s one thing I’d do differently, it would be to trust my instincts more and voice my ideas earlier. As a newcomer to UX, I often second-guessed myself, but this experience showed me that great design comes from listening, learning, and continuously improving. Bhutan NDI wasn’t just a project, it was the start of my journey as a UX Designer, and I’m excited for what’s ahead.
I’m grateful to have worked with such a dedicated team. We navigated challenges together, pushed through uncertainties, and built something we’re all proud of. This project was a collective effort, and it wouldn’t have been the same without the collaboration and support of everyone involved.