This guide is designed to provide an expert view on what a Trust Framework to enable Smart Digital ID should look like, by detailing its salient components: the principles, content, roles and responsibilities.

OIX provides comprehensive, practitioner informed descriptions along with real-world examples of all the potential components in a trust framework by defining it within the following context:

• Principles and Trustmarks
• Trust rules (e.g. Proofing, Authentication, Identity Assurance)
• User services (e.g. Consent, Multiplicity, ID creation)
• Organizational services (e.g. User access, ID Assurance, Liability, SLAs)
• General and Legal rules (e.g. Data Management, Record Keeping, Fraud Controls)
• Security and Technical Requirements (e.g. Schemas, Chain of Trust)
• Governance (e.g. Certification, Enrolment, Operations)
• Interoperability

Additionally, it defines and details the roles and responsibilities within a framework, outlining the functions, input and outputs of each party within the framework. This is critical for potential new entrants to determine how they can participate, contribute to, or derive the most benefit from a trust framework.

Importantly the guide identifies why 'Smart' Digital IDs are vital if digital ID is going to work for users and organizations alike. 

It must be able to accept ‘the rules’ for a transaction and work out how to fulfil those rules on behalf of the user. If that means getting a credential the user does not currently have, the Smart Digital ID should assist the user to get it. If it means combining information from several credentials to meet data minimised needs, the Smart Digital ID must do that safely and with the user’s consent.

Users cannot be expected to need to understand ‘the rules’ – the rules are too complicated! Try working out the rules for a ‘covid safe’ status for instance? The user’s Smart Digital ID must be their assistant to help them through the process.

The Smart Digital ID is a service the user depends on to ensure they can prove who they are and what they are eligible to do as they go about their day to day lives. The Smart Digital ID must seamlessly provide trust in who the user is and what they can do.

How is the guide being evolved

This guide links to further, more detailed, reference guides on the previously mentioned topics. These reference guides will detail what needs to be accomplished in order to deliver the high-level contents and what considerations need to be given to ensure the success and interoperability of any resulting trust framework or scheme.

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