Onfido’s AI-powered identity verification solution brings inclusiveness with accessible conscious SDK
Onfido, the global identity verification and re-authentication provider, announced new accessibility features to its Software Development Kit (SDK), focused on enabling people with disability and impairments to connect to more businesses and services remotely with secure digital access.
Designed with accessibility and inclusion in mind, the enhancements enable Onfido customers to verify more users during registration, identity verification and re-authentication, improving the digital customer journey with the highest level of fraud protection.
One in four US adults and one in five UK adults have a disability. That doesn’t take into account people affected by a temporary disability, such as a broken arm, or a situational disability, such as nearby loud noises affecting a person’s hearing.
In the era of digital transformation, most digital companies are behind when it comes to designing products and services with accessibility in mind. This increases the risk of leaving a large group of people behind with poor user experience to essential services, and sometimes, excluding them from access altogether.
Onfido’s SDK is a readily available drop-in set of screens and tools for Android, iOS and web applications that make the user verification portion of applications more accessible and inclusive.
During usability testing, Onfido used Cambridge Simulation Glasses to simulate sight loss, and other techniques to simulate mobility challenges such as arthritis to better understand how the interface can be optimised.
Onfido also worked with the Digital Accessibility Centre (DAC) and the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) to audit and test the more accessible SDK.
New SDKs accessibility features include:
- Haptic vibrations to complement the screen reader to provide user feedback when the action is complete
- Optimised specifications for the screen reader voice, to ensure readout instructions give the right context and are in a logical, specified order
- Reduced cognitive load on users by redesigning user interface and further simplifying layouts
- Optimised user interface elements and overall layouts making the SDK fully usable under different device font size settings
“With a rapid amount of services moving online, it is critical people living with a disability or impairments can remain independent and carry out everyday tasks with confidence,” said Gavin Evans, Director of Operations at DAC.
“The accessibility enhancements that optimise digital environments were designed with inclusion in mind and are a practical solution to some of the challenges faced. It is key that users with disabilities, or who may use assistive technologies on a daily basis, are involved in any auditing or assessment.”
“Enterprises face a challenge of scaling at large while keeping digital operations accessible to all users,” said Husayn Kassai, CEO and Co-founder at Onfido.
“At the heart of accessibility is the idea of inclusion. If a person has a permanent, temporary, or situational disability or impairment, they should still have access to online products and services.
“At Onfido, we’re heralding in a safer, more inclusive way to connect trusted users to businesses, continuing to create an open world where digital identity is the key to access.”