What I Talk About When I Talk About Identity
A Standalone Preface
I’m finding myself compelled to write about decentralized identity technologies, as product strategy in this emerging field doesn’t get enough public discussion. This won’t be content that’s directly applicable to all of us in product management — at least not yet. I’m planning to continue writing on more general topics as well, but this portion of my writing may have a “total addressable market” of a few hundred people at most (many of whom work in other functions outside of PM), and no worries if you’re not in that group.
Everyone is welcome to follow along, of course. But if these posts sound like gibberish, and you’re not curious to learn more, feel free to skip them — no hard feelings at all.
However, for those of you who already care about these topics, whether you work in Product or not, you probably care a lot about these topics. I’ll assume you, unlike myself at the time of this writing, are working in or adjacent to the field of decentralized identity technologies.
This post will serve as the preface for all future posts in this vein, to spare repeating the same spiel each time.
The Preface
You’re building a product (or company) in the decentralized-identity space, and I’m not. You’re already building your boat, and I’m still watching from the shoreline. You probably don’t know me, but I’m rooting for you. I have great respect and admiration for the work you’re doing, so please read my writing in the spirit it’s intended.
I want to see you, and others like you, find great success alongside one another. And I believe there’s a path for that, if the community as a whole can create conditions for the proverbial tide to rise and lift all boats.
It's impossible for me to ignore the approaching potential for a rising tide of standards-based decentralized identity technologies (often called self-sovereign identity or SSI). This tide, I believe, is indeed poised to lift all boats (your product or company included) and fundamentally reshape the way we interact in the digital and physical worlds. But for product leaders, this isn't just another wave to surf; it's a paradigm shift demanding unusual product strategies to suit unusual market dynamics. For you, navigating this tide effectively means not just staying afloat but capitalizing on unprecedented opportunities for innovation and impact in the digital identity space.
About Me
My name is Dan, and for over a decade, I've closely followed the currents of decentralized technologies. My journey has been one of passionate amateur engagement, diving deep into the identity community, learning its intricacies and recognizing the chasm between conventional product instincts and the unique demands of driving widespread decentralized identity adoption. I’ve watched for long enough, and posts that follow are an attempt to contribute to the vibrant discourse in this space. I welcome your feedback — especially your pushback and counterpoints.
For context, I’ve been in product leadership roles at a bootstrapped startup which I co-founded (event ticketing), a Fortune 100 company (e-commerce), and venture-backed startup (fintech). For a deeper dive into my background and motivations, feel free to connect with me via LinkedIn.
Topics & Terminology Used
If you're already conversant with the world of W3C Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs), Verifiable Credentials (VCs), and the transformative potential they hold, I hope you'll find these discussions particularly resonant. For those less familiar, I invite you to explore this exciting space, as its societal and commercial impact will inevitably be profound. The only question in my mind is when (not if), and the sooner the better.
In upcoming posts about identity technologies, you can read everything I say through the lens of W3C DIDs and VCs. I'll often refer to terms like “IDtech”, “decentralized IDtech”, and “wallets”. IDtech will refer to the broader field of digital identity technologies, while decentralized IDtech specifically denotes standards and protocols that empower users with control over their digital identities (i.e. DIDs, VCs, DIDComm, etc.), free from trusted third parties mediating interactions. While there are many types of digital wallets, for the purposes of my writing, the term wallets will serve as a shorthand for decentralized identity wallets, specifically. That is, digital tools that allow users (humans) to manage their digital identities and credentials securely and use them for in-person and digital interactions which leverage decentralized IDtech — which may be expressed as cloud services, mobile/desktop/Web apps, browser plugins, etc.
What to Expect
As we navigate through these topics, remember that while I present my point of view with conviction (for the sake of clarity), I am open to realizing I have this all wrong or missed some critical aspect. If you think I’ve missed or misunderstood something, please kindly reach out to help me refine my thinking.
While those with “non-business” backgrounds are not the primary audience I’m addressing, perhaps you’ll find concepts and language here to help you better advocate for a strategy you’ve intuitively known is the right approach but haven’t been able to fully explain to your partners from other functions.
As we dive into the unusual (even counterintuitive) product and growth dynamics in this space, I hope you’ll come to agree that in the realm of decentralized identity wallet development and adoption, all of us can go farther together than any of us on our own.
Why Now?
Since you’ve read this far, I’ll trust you recognize and appreciate the positive impact that decentralized IDtech can have on society — individuals, businesses, and governments alike. I’ll spare you the arguments to this effect and assume we share a vision for a future where decentralized IDtech is ubiquitous. But in case you have yet to realize this potential, I’ll recommend the book, Self-Sovereign Identity, by Alex Preukschat and Drummond Reed, for an outline of quantitative and qualitative benefits for society that are waiting to be realized, along with in-depth explanations of the technical concepts and standards that can unlock these commercial and societal benefits. If you are interested in following the space (or trying to catch up), my primary source of current-events coverage is the newsletter, Sovereign Identity Updates, from Identity Woman and Infominer.
With so many amazing voices in this community coming from backgrounds different from my own (e.g. software engineering, public policy, etc.), I’ve had the privilege of learning so much from the community that is far outside my areas of expertise. Hopefully I can start to repay that debt here by offering some relevant insight around product strategy — especially in the realm of wallets — and why conventional wisdom needs to flex a bit, to accelerate rather than impede user adoption for all players in this space.
Many of the greatest benefits of decentralized IDtech will only be realized as the technology reaches prominence or even approaches ubiquity, which is why the content to follow is absolutely critical. Typical product strategy will not get us where we’re trying to go, and I hope to explain how so, why, and what effective product strategy looks like in this space, especially as it relates to wallets.
Looking Ahead
I’ll aim to publish one post in this series per week. If you’re working in decentralized IDtech, I hope you’ll follow along, give me feedback, and share anything that may be useful to your colleagues or broader network.
If you’re interested in getting them as soon as they’re published, you can subscribe for free.