The digital identity space is ripe with ambitious, well-meaning projects. They pledged all the seamless, secure, user-friendly solutions but in reality, they didn’t deliver. T3 is coming into the ring with a formidable $8 million investment. To achieve that goal, they hope to build a decentralized, public-private infrastructure that promotes a more equitable talent marketplace. Yet can they possibly succeed where so many others have already tripped? Here, we explore T3’s approach, breaking down its promise and the work that still needs to be done.

T3 isn't starting from scratch. The T3 Innovation Network currently connects more than 500 public- and private-sector organizations. That intense, deep collaboration provides them an immense first mover competitive advantage in network effects and ensuing potential market adoption. This current network is extremely important because digital identity solutions are only worthwhile if they are widely trusted and adopted. T3’s strong network provides the unique support to help crack that chicken-and-egg problem. This challenge has derailed most past efforts.

The core idea behind T3 is to create a system that benefits both learners and organizations participating in the talent marketplace. For learners, it holds the potential for a truly verifiable, portable record of what they can do and where they’ve been successful. For employers, it provides a faster and fairer system to target and attract the best qualified candidates. Our authentic commitment to mutual benefit is what makes us different. This is because it fulfills a basic human desire for all sides of the talent equation.

Past Failures: Lessons Learned

Several recurring themes emerge:

Misaligned KPIs

The biggest trap of all is poorly aligned KPIs. Unfortunately, the majority of companies launch digital transformation projects. Too often these agencies do not descriptively lay out how these plans will help advance their greater organizational strategic objectives. If these KPIs don’t map back to the enterprise’s bigger picture goals, the digital identity project will quickly fizzle out. It is this misalignment that will ensure its eventual demise.

Lack of Optimization

Another frequent error is rolling out digital identity solutions without optimizing them. A one-size-fits-all approach rarely works. Regardless of the type of digital identity system, they should always be designed with the specific use case in mind and with a focus on user needs. Top-down overhauls with no unifying vision only serve to stall further advancements and leave users frustrated.

Complexity

The complexity of digital identity involved is the third and perhaps biggest barrier. People are not one-dimensional – student, homeowner, worker, etc. Figuring out how to manage these various facets of identity in a seamless and consumer-centric manner presents a large technical and design challenge. While this complexity is daunting, a system that streamlines IDs and credentials into one, convenient-to-access location can reduce this burden.

Trust

Trust is the holy grail in this digital identity universe. So, users need to be absolutely sure that their personal information isn’t susceptible and that the whole process is trustworthy. Concerns over facial recognition accuracy, implications for data privacy, and lack of transparency can contribute to eroding public trust and preventing technology adoption. Continued nudging forward to set industry standards and best practices are incumbent in continuing to build and maintaining the trust.

Change Management

Finally, change management is often overlooked. To use this new digital identity ecosystem will mean that huge behavioral shifts will need to happen for both individuals and organizations. Human beings have an inherent disposition against change. To counter this, it’s all about communications, training, and offering 24/7 user support.

T3's Potential for Success

Given these historical misfires, how does T3 measure up? Several factors suggest they have a reasonable chance of success:

  • Strong Network: The existing T3 Innovation Network provides a built-in user base and a platform for rapid adoption.
  • Clear Value Proposition: The focus on the talent marketplace addresses a specific need and offers clear benefits to both learners and organizations.
  • Decentralized Approach: By building an open, decentralized infrastructure, T3 aims to avoid the pitfalls of centralized systems, such as single points of failure and lack of transparency.

Challenges remain. Creating a truly decentralized system means thoughtful focus on governance, security, and interoperability. Beyond these elements, T3 needs to tackle the trust issue from the get-go by making sure that the system is secure, reliable and that user privacy is maintained.

Underlying T3’s $8 million investment are the human and technical resources that will allow them to better meet these challenges. Money alone is not enough. Success depends on their ability to follow through on their vision and earn the public’s trust. They need to pivot and keep pace with the changing demands of the talent marketplace.

Only time will tell if T3 can succeed where so many others have failed to crack the digital identity puzzle. Equipped with a powerful network, an articulation of the value proposition and belief in decentralization, they can definitely put up a fight.