Design and Development of a Rendering System for Digital Credentials

Abstract

Verifiable Credentials (VCs) are becoming increasingly important as a secure and efficient means of managing and sharing personal data. However, while computers can interpret and verify credential data, human involvement is necessary at various stages of a credential's lifecycle. These human actors require the information contained in credentials to be presented in a format that is easily understandable. While enterprise systems can generate employee sheets from credential information, there are many scenarios where standardized visualization of credentials is lacking. A comprehensive solution for credential visualization has yet to be developed.

This thesis aims to address this gap by exploring existing digital credential visualization methods and categorizing them.

The research questions:

1. How can existing digital credential visualization methods be surveyed and categorized?
2. What technical considerations need to be taken into account when generating visualizations from credential data, and how can these visualizations be presented to users in a clear and meaningful way?
3. When and where should a credential visualization be created?
4. How can a credential visualization system be implemented, and what practical considerations need to be made?

The expected outcomes of this research include a comparative classification of existing credential visualizations, which will provide insights into the current state of credential visualization solutions and their varying use cases. This classification will be presented using means of presentation such as a feature matrix or a taxonomy. Additionally, a credential rendering implementation will be developed to enable the creation of customizable credential templates that can be attached to credentials. This system will allow for the production of detailed credential visualizations, akin to traditional paper credentials like university diplomas, for human review outside of specialized corporate software.

By addressing these research questions and developing the expected artifacts, this thesis aims to contribute to the advancement of credential visualization practices, ensuring that data is presented in a clear and meaningful way for human understanding, as intended by the issuers.