I just got back this week from a vacation that I’ve been dreaming to avail myself of for a decade. It was delightful, and once again served as a reminder that to be effective at my job requires periodic distance from it (though admittedly I did check in a couple times, because sometimes I need a break from my break).

Before heading out I’d wrapped a multi-week project that was a collaborative effort across several organizations. That kind of achievement feels good in and of itself, but I was also reminded that working with great people can be quite a bit of fun. And that fun can power great results. Happiness in work matters!

The project in question was related to verifiable credentials, of which I’ve spoken before. That post has some solid background links on the topic; here’s another series from NIST that’s also instructive:

• Digital Identities: Getting to Know the Verifiable Digital Credential Ecosystem
• Digital Identities: Understanding mDL Credential Formats
• From DMV to Wallet: Understanding Verifiable Digital Credential Issuance

Or if you have even less time, these one-page introductions to three fundamental concepts, from my friends at Freewallet:

• Decentralized Identifiers
• Cryptographic Keys
• Verifiable Credentials

Happy reading!