Architectural Gap Analysis between User Perceptions and System Structures in DID Services: A Comparative Design Study

This study investigates user experience gaps in Decentralized Identifier (DID)-based mobile employee ID services through a socio-technical analysis of user reviews and service structures from two major providers. Using Correlated Topic Modeling (CTM), we identified a mix of positive and negative themes, with negative topics such as authentication failures, device-specific errors, infinite update loops, and issuance malfunctions dominating user feedback. Cross-analysis between extracted topics and actual service structures revealed three distinct types of misalignment: (1) Implementation Perception Misalignment, where technically available functions were not positively perceived due to complexity, slow response speed, and low intuitiveness; (2) Design Deficiency, where repeatedly requested features were absent from the service, indicating insufficient integration of user needs during the design stage; and (3) Operational/Policy Differences, where identical functions yielded different user experiences depending on delivery methods, procedural flows, and default settings. The findings highlight the need to prioritize reliability in issuance/authentication processes, improve mobile accessibility, and streamline user flows to enhance overall adoption and satisfaction of DID-based identity services.