Accessing citizen services in Germany often involves long wait times, in-person appointments, and paper-based processes. Even digital applications require physical verification or are printed for processing, slowing procedures and frustrating both citizens and institutions. Our challenge was to address the structural barriers preventing truly digital public services.

We began with desk research to understand the broader context, analyzing policy papers, media coverage, social discourse, and best-practice examples from countries such as Estonia and the UK. Our aim was to identify structural challenges and opportunity areas within digital public services, as well as public sentiment toward the topic.

We identified structural issues such as media discontinuity, fragmented IT infrastructure, and outdated verification processes. A remark in the Berliner Morgenpost captured this frustration succinctly:

To validate and expand our findings, we conducted a field research in Potsdam’s city center. We designed and distributed a survey and set up a small stand near a Christmas market on the first Sunday of Advent.

Visitors were invited for gingerbread and mulled wine while we gathered insights into their experiences with local citizen services and expectations for digital administration.

To ground our concept in administrative realities, we conducted a two-hour interview and ideation workshop with the head of the Citizen Services Office in Berlin Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg.

The session provided direct insights into internal workflows, technical constraints, and regulatory timelines such as the OZG. It validated several of our assumptions while challenging others.

We began the design phase by analyzing existing analog and digital user flows for address registration. We mapped all required steps and documents, integrating user needs derived from interviews, the expert workshop, and international best practices. Based on this synthesis, we explored alternative flow structures and aligned on a solution optimized for clarity and efficiency.

We structured the user flow into logical sections and translated them into individual screens.  Based on that, we sketched an initial paper prototype. We then refined the concept by mapping each flow element to its corresponding wireframe.

The following section highlights key features and walks through an exemplary user flow: Registering a new address

The initial login combines NFC-based ID registration and video identification with a later ongoing biometric access for subsequent use. Security and data protection were recurring themes in our research, making a robust but low-friction authentication flow essential.

The service overview uses a structured list layout to organize the wide range of citizen services clearly and accessibly for mobile use.

When a landlord submits a new tenancy, the relevant details are already available digitally. There's nothing left for the user to type in from scratch. They simply review the pre-filled information, choose whether the address is a primary or secondary residence, and confirm.

This screen is what that process looks like from the outside: a single notification confirming that the new address has been registered. Behind it, the registration has already been recorded, and the user's digital ID is automatically updated to reflect the change. Turning what used to require a trip to the registration office into a few taps.

After completing the registration, users are presented with an action sheet offering relevant follow-up services and local information. These include options such as daycare availability, job search support, leisure activities, and vehicle registration, helping ease the transition into a new place of residence.

The integrated eID further simplifies the process. Instead of updating a physical ID card, the new address is reflected digitally and can be synchronized with the user’s smartphone wallet. This allows immediate identification with the updated residence.