Security

NASCIO 2024: MyTN Boosts Registrants and Participating State Services

The app provides identity and access management services for Tennessee’s online citizen services.

Mickey McCarter is the senior editor of StateTech Magazine.

In February 2020, Tennessee opened the doors to its MyTN application, providing its residents with integrated access to an initial eight state services through an integrated, one-stop portal.

Today, the application offers access to an estimated 78 services, and it has registered about 300,000 users to date, said Jerry Imsand, executive director of enterprise shared solutions for Tennessee’s Strategic Technology Solutions, in a recent presentation at the annual conference of the National Association of State Chief Information Officers.

Addressing NASCIO 2024, Imsand said his development team targeted high-use services to grow the number of Tennessee citizens that the app could reach for citizen use. “We want a million users by the end of 2026,” Imsand said on Oct. 1, and he expressed confidence that Tennessee would achieve that goal.

The Strategic Technology Solutions team converted previously existing stand-alone apps into MyTN services and continues to add services to the application’s portfolio. Today, the MyTN mobile application includes an identity and access management tool that authenticates users to provide access to a growing list of government services.

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Centralized Portal Boosts Identity and Access Management

The MyTN application uses a single sign-on authentication for citizens to access multiple applications with one set of credentials. MyTN requires multifactor authentication; registrants receive a code via text message, voicemail or email. The application uses Red Hat Single Sign-On as its core identity and access management system, Imsand told StateTech.

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Finally, the application has identity proofing capabilities through integration with a third-party service, LexisNexis Identity Proofing, which verifies identities through questionnaires.

“We use multifactor and biometric authentication for MyTN, and we also check whether the device is rooted. If a rooted device is detected, we block access to confidential services to ensure security,” Imsand said at the conference. “Identity proofing is an essential process we use to verify that individuals are who they claim to be. By ensuring a high level of confidence in a user’s identity, we can collaborate with different departments to enable a seamless experience, allowing you to access services without the need to log in again.”

See what Jerry Imsand, Tennessee's executive director shared at NASCIO 2024

The MyTN app and TN.gov website services use two different technology stacks at this time, Imsand added.

“While the back-end services used in the APIs are the same, the presentation layer varies. For example, younger users may be more comfortable filling out detailed forms on a mobile device, whereas I prefer using a desktop. We’re working on creating a seamless experience that allows users to switch between devices — starting on mobile and finishing on desktop, or vice versa — without interruption,” he said.

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IT Developers Look to Grow Services Available in MyTN

To grow registration in the MyTN application, the state conducted some focus groups and found that likely users were 25-54 years old with full employment, a college education and stable household income and living in urban and suburban areas. The state is striving to improve adoption and use in rural areas, Imsand said.

Tennessee identified key services where likely users could be pinpointed through analytics and demographic data provided by advertising platforms. MyTN integrated state-issued permits and licenses into its digital wallet, leveraging an existing framework to reach individuals who require these credentials, such as those needing a license to serve alcoholic beverages. The state used targeted commercial advertising and social media campaigns to effectively reach these specific audiences.

The MyTN development team aims to integrate the state’s primary licensing and permitting agency, which handles nearly 85% of professional licensing across Tennessee. This service is expected to reach 150,000 to 200,000 users.

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One of the key goals is for state agencies to integrate their services into MyTN at no cost to them.

“We have allocated funding so that state agencies can participate without needing to provide their own funding,” Imsand said. “All we need are the requirements from the agency and our team performs the work.”

Tennessee prioritizes user privacy within MyTN, ensuring that all analytics on state services and identity management systems are conducted at an aggregate level, keeping user identities anonymous. “Our analytics operate at a high level; we don’t collect any identifying data,” he added.

MyTN also includes a notifications framework to alert citizens about important services. For example, if a vehicle registration deadline is approaching, the app can notify users.

Keep this page bookmarked for our coverage of the NASCIO 2024 Annual conference. Follow us on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @StateTech and the official conference account, @NASCIO. Join the conversation using the hashtag #NASCIO24.