Identity principles
Section 5: Links with other standards
- Last reviewed
- 14 October 2026
- Owner
- Head of Architecture
18. Support open standards
Open standards ease the integration burden on services and enable us to move at pace for functional and security-related changes, whilst ensuring teams can easily access knowledge on integrating with and maintaining ID Systems.
Why this is important
We maintain alignment with the enterprise architecture principles.
Open standards ease the integration burden on services.
They enable us to move at pace for functional and security related changes.
The use of open standards ensures that knowledge to integrate with and maintain ID Systems is easy to come by.
How to do this
When building a new service, build it on the foundations of OpenID Standards such as OAuth, OIDC or SAML.
When buying a service, make sure it conforms to the Open Standards existing ID management software that DfE and the government adhere to.
19. Use data responsibly
Data used within identity platforms to identify users must be used appropriately and in line with our standard principles.
Why this is important
Responsible use of our users' data helps to build trust with DfE and our services.
DfE has regulatory and legislatory responsibilities to meet and demonstrate.
DfE should be transparent on how data is used.
Users should be able to update and remove their data as they see fit, controlling where it’s shared and how it is captured between systems.
How to do this
Follow our existing data principles and guidance.
20. Use data masters to enable persistence, portability and reliability
Services should agree on attributes that can be used to mirror, merge, or reference user data across many systems, enabling gaps to be easily bridged as users move between disparate systems.
Why this is important
Utilising master data sources enables consistent and joined-up user experiences as we have a better understanding of our users and their roles, and can provide appropriate services to them and manage their access appropriately.
How to do this
Follow our existing principles for data mastering and re-use.
Clearly document the attributes your service holds that future services may use to join up identities.
Work with other service and data teams to ensure the unique attributes stored within your system align with what other services are using. This can increase the likelihood of overlapping identity attributes.