Ducking Passports

I designed, prototyped, tested, and presented an app geared towards people with dual-citizenship or anchors in more than one country, helping them manage their passports.

Background

It is estimated that 3% of American adults are dual-citizens*. This population is so small that it has nearly no representation. However there still are dual-citizens. And I am one of them. Ducking Passports was born from the desire to make an app that fills a need that I desperately have.

Description of the problem space:

  • I am a French-American dual citizen

  • I do not live in the country I was born in

  • My children were born in the US

  • The closest French consulate is over 6h away

  • Applying for second passports can be a process that takes years

  • If your passport expires, you have to start all over again in order to prove citizenship

  • Dual-citizens are quite rare and have no representation within governmental policies

  • Dealing with bureaucracy is tedious

Our Users:

  • People who own a passport

  • People who own more than one passport: parents, dual-citizens, immigrants, expats, military…

  • People who want reminders of their passport’s expiration dates

  • People who travel and want to safeguard their information in case of loss or theft

  • People who want to find out “Fun Facts” about the country they just moved to that are obvious for locals but unknown for newcomers

User Journey / Map

Methodologies

  • Deep dive

  • Journey map / User journey

  • User evaluation

  • Synthesis

  • User testing

  • Prototyping - Low fidelity and High fidelity

  • Presentation - 5 minute pitch with slide deck

Solutions

Introducing Ducking Passports, a passport manager app that helps people keep track of their passports, get renewal reminders, safeguard documents for travel, access government links, and read “Fun Facts” about living in a new country.

During the initial user evaluation, responses were polarized. While a small percentage of users didn’t see the point, many others strongly needed and wanted the app.

My goal with Ducking Passport was to create a trustworthy, clear app that also reflects my personality. I aimed to build an app that’s not only reliable and helpful but also visually appealing and fun to use. The organization of information is my primary focus for this project.

User testing of the final prototype revealed that 100% of participants found value in Ducking Passport, whether they were dual citizens or not. However, the app's value was especially significant for the targeted users of course. It was well-received by a diverse audience during a final presentation.

Appendix: Presentation Artifacts

Presentation Notes

Presentation Slide Deck

Outcome

I created a prototype for an app that I have a real need for. Creatively speaking, my goal was to organize information in an intelligent and interesting way by giving a serious but attractive tone to the app, and sprinkling in my personality.

* Source Pew Research Center, a DC think-tank