DIGITAL ID LIFECYCLE
There are four main stages to implementing a new digital ID program at scale. By understanding which stage you are operating in as a civil society organization, you will be well-placed to ensure residents can meaningfully participate in the process. Each tool in this toolkit is tagged for use within one or more of these stages.

1. SCOPE | Policy
In this phase, governments or ID issuing entities determine a roadmap for the roll-out of their system, develop the basic value proposition, and establish legal frameworks that will govern the ID.
In this moment, CSOs should consider how the digital ID system will affect your interest groups, who will benefit most from the system, and who might be left behind in its implementation. You can begin establishing relationships with key stakeholders within and outside of the government to advocate and prepare for public participation in the next phase: Define.

2. DEFINE | Legislation
The architecture and protocols of a digital ID system are created during this phase. For governments, this means determining which ministries will maintain and interact with the ID, and working with partners to define the parameters and infrastructure of the digital ID system. For residents, this is when they will first learn the specifics of the ID.
At this stage, CSOs should be working to facilitate the public comment process, sensitize residents, and continue building a collaborative relationship with the government and other civil society organizations.

3. IMPLEMENT | Procurement & Registration
Implementation is when a government either asks residents to register for the ID or uses previous forms of ID to create the new digital ID. In this phase, the government should be running awareness and outreach campaigns to communicate when and how the public can register and/or receive their ID. This is the first time when residents will tangibly interact with the ID system.
The CSO role at this stage is to monitor government transparency and accountability, support the onboarding of the public, and ensure marginalized groups are properly reached.

4. OPERATE | Governance
In this phase, IDs have been issued to residents and are being accepting as valid identification across the country. Maintenance and evaluation are crucial activities to ensure the success of a digital ID, so government needs clear plans for ensuring that people’s struggles with the system are addressed and that data security is maintained.
In this phase, CSOs are best-placed to surface issues, inequalities, or unintended consequences that are occurring for residents, and elevate them to government for remediation.