OpenGov Asia has recognised GovTech for expanding the use of digital technology in the public sector. By implementing the Notαrise system, the agency has not only improved the efficiency of government operations but is opening up new frontiers.
This initiative is a vital component of GovTech’s continuous endeavours to guarantee the credibility of digitally verified Pre-Departure Test (PDT) HealthCerts and issued Vaccination or Recovery HealthCerts by ensuring that they remain unaltered and trustworthy.
Singapore’s Ministry of Health (MOH) has been able to authenticate and verify the HealthCerts of its citizens through this dedicated platform. The new system allows MOH to digitally endorse local certificates, ensuring their acceptance at airports and overseas for people travelling out of the country.
Initially, travellers had to upload their digital PDT certificates obtained from clinics. At present, COVID-19 PDT HealthCerts are automatically issued and shared with users via email and the Singpass app by the clinic or the relevant issuer.
Notαrise allows immigration authorities to immediately authenticate any HealthCert to ensure compliance with COVID-19 safety regulations for safe travel. In addition, travellers can easily share their certificates with relevant local and international authorities, simplifying the process of inspection and verification.
Notαrise for a trusted health system in Singapore
The Notαrise platform employs the OpenAttestation (OA) architecture, which is a critical component of Singapore’s Smart Nation programme. OA uses an open-source framework and blockchain technology to simplify the authentication and endorsement of documents.
The roots of the OpenAttestation (OA) framework, which underlies the Notαrise platform, can be traced back to the need for tamper-resistant documents during a period of rampant public and international document fraud. This led to the creation of OpenCerts, a system that aimed to endorse training and educational certificates against fraud.
The pandemic drove the urgent need for the safe resumption of travel and the demonstration of COVID or vaccination status. This prompted the team at Notαrise to explore an open-source solution that could verify health certificates.
Notαrise provides an interoperable standard for Pre-Departure Test (PDT) results, such as swab test results and is also involved in the creation of vaccination or recovery certificates to enable safe travel. The certificates are digitally authenticated and endorsed, making them simple to share, while also providing additional assurance to authorities.
To facilitate faster delivery while ensuring security, the Notαrise team has implemented a technology stack that primarily relies on GovTech’s SHIP-HATS solution. This is supplemented by the open-source frontend and backend frameworks, hosting infrastructure, and serverless backend service.
SHIP (Secure Hybrid Integration Pipeline) – HATS (Hive Agile Testing Solutions) – is the Continuous Integration Continuous Delivery (CI/CD) platform for adopting DevSecOps practices within the Singapore Government Tech Stack.
As an open-source framework, OA offers transparency through online resources such as base codes and guides. Blockchain technology allows private tech issuers to issue PDTs for clinics and authorities can independently verify these certificates without relying on a centralised system.
This open-source approach also allows other nations to adopt the codes and guidelines for their own solutions. The team verified HealthCerts using the computing service Lambda, which allowed them to run code without having to maintain servers, saving time and effort on infrastructure management.
Despite the advantages Lambda computing services offer, the Notαrise team encountered situations where HealthCerts verifications took longer to complete. This was due to the “cold start” phenomenon, where Lambda requires time to set up the environment and code before executing the request after a period of inactivity.
To resolve this issue and reduce the verification time, the team ensured that at least one execution environment was always initialised, allowing Lambda to respond rapidly to subsequent requests for verification. Commonly referred to as a “warm start”, this tactic helped reduce the time taken for verifications.
Maintaining constant communication within the team and ecosystem, including with integrators such as Singpass, private technological providers who support the issuance, and the public can help clarify any tasks or obstacles and prevent them from causing a spillover effect or becoming more severe.
Additionally, having a multi-skilled group of individuals involved in the process can be advantageous, as they can bring unique experiences and viewpoints to the table, leading to more innovative solutions.
Autoscaling is a useful feature that ensures users do not experience any performance issues when the number of portal users increases. This is achieved by automatically adjusting the computing capacity of the portal to accommodate sudden influxes of users, such as those who are visiting the portal to generate their HealthCert. It can prevent any crashes, errors or “freezes” that may occur during the process of users obtaining their HealthCert.
The platform offers a round-the-clock customer support service with a one-day response time. If helpdesk officers are unable to resolve user errors or issues, the team analyses them and translates them into tasks for the UX or development teams.
The team has also realised the utility of an electronic wallet and has taken steps to promote its adoption. They have developed a reference implementation for e-wallets that allows technical solution providers to create e-wallets that can store OA-compatible documents. This makes it easier for users to conveniently store and access their OA documents.
A few instances of user data protection measures are:
- An authentication method is offered by the Singpass integration
- Alternative login: For users without Singpass, the Notαrise team makes sure the user’s identity is confirmed by comparing multiple pieces of information, such as their passport number and the type and date of their vaccinations, with pertinent Singapore government databases.
The Notαrise team has carefully reviewed feedback from various sources such as usability testing, social media, and their contact support channels. They are delighted to find that the platform has been well-received, with most users complimenting its simple and user-friendly experience.
Using feedback, they have improved the accessibility of the platform, simplified the process of issuing Polymerase Chain Reaction Test (PCR) HealthCerts and enhanced the user interface of the portal and FAQ section to enable users to find answers more easily.
A wonderful example is of a visually impaired user who shared positive feedback and a suggestion based on his experience obtaining his HealthCert before travel. The team took this feedback seriously and incorporated alternative text and system-recognisable sections into its issuance email content. This experience also inspired the team to consider an accessibility-first design approach in their work, ensuring that all users can have a seamless experience.
As with many products, a minimum viable product (MVP) is released first, especially in a time-sensitive situation. The Notαrise team would have inevitably encountered bugs and identified areas for improvement as they worked through their sprints iteratively. During this process, the team would have prioritised critical needs over other tasks to ensure that the platform was functional and met the essential requirements.
After a three-month development period, the Notαrise team was able to release the initial version of their product that allowed for the generation of PDT or Vaccination HealthCerts. The team identified areas for improvement over time, including code base refinement and process streamlining. One example of this was the automation of certain tasks, such as the manual uploading of PCR certificates, which was eventually automated to further streamline the process.
The team also introduced “Recovery Certificates” to fill the gap in health certificates for people who could not or did not participate in a vaccination programme but were naturally vaccinated against post-COVID.
The Notαrise team has been continuously working on enhancing both the backend and front end, as well as exploring more use cases for tamper-resistant digital certificates. Having a solid tech stack or framework in place can improve delivery time and allow for more time dedicated to experimentation and research.
About the team
The Notαrise team actively seeks out individuals who exemplify the GovTech values of being Agile, Brave and Collaborative. They are eager to work with those who demonstrate adaptability, creativity and the courage to challenge the status quo. Above all, they value those who can effectively collaborate with a diverse range of stakeholders and colleagues.
Effective communication and a team composed of individuals with diverse skill sets are essential for finding innovative ways to achieve goals.
By leveraging their diverse set of skills and maintaining effective communication, the team was able to discover innovative ways to achieve their objectives and find solutions in the incredibly fluid pandemic environment. The team’s ability to adapt enabled them to respond to the evolving needs caused by the unpredictability of the global situation during the pandemic.
Maintaining high levels of team engagement and ensuring that each member feels they are making a meaningful contribution to the public good have been crucial factors in keeping the team motivated. Additionally, the team’s cohesion and compatibility with one another have enabled them to complete tasks efficiently and effectively.
The Notαrise project involves collaboration among various teams within GovTech, as well as the Ministry of Health, the Smart Nation and Digital Government Office, airlines, and other government agencies worldwide.
Internal collaboration is facilitated by organising chat groups to facilitate effective information exchange and to promote transparency across the entire team. This approach encourages discussion and helps maintain a willingness to view things from a variety of angles.
The Notαrise team utilises the Scrum framework to promote self-organisation and collaboration towards a common objective. They conduct sprint reviews and retrospective sessions every two weeks to gather feedback. Collaborative digital tools are also utilised to promote information sharing and communication among team members.
