SSO Domain Verification
Design an enterprise setup flow for proving domain control before enforcing single sign-on for matching users.
The brief
Understand the problem
Background
An organization may use domain ownership to claim users or enforce an identity provider. DNS changes can be delayed, delegated domains can overlap, and premature enforcement can lock out administrators.
User context
Identity administrator Laila is connecting example.co to the company identity provider. A subsidiary already uses eu.example.co, and two emergency administrators must keep an alternate sign-in route.
Product problem
Verification and enforcement need separate, comprehensible stages with ownership conflict resolution and tested recovery access.
Objective
Create domain entry, DNS proof, ownership conflict handling, and safe enforcement review for enterprise sign-on.
What to design
Define the experience
Required experience
- Enter a domain and inspect affected users
- Publish and verify a DNS record
- Resolve an existing domain claim
- Test sign-in and enable enforcement with recovery controls
Screens and states
- Domain setup
- DNS verification
- Ownership conflict
- Enforcement review
Core user flow
Follow the critical path
- 01
Laila enters example.co and reviews user and subdomain impact
- 02
She publishes the generated DNS record and waits for propagation
- 03
The service identifies the subsidiary claim and preserves its boundary
- 04
She tests identity-provider sign-in and verifies two recovery administrators before enforcement
Product rules
Requirements and constraints
Requirements
- Use a unique verification value with copy and validation guidance
- Show DNS lookup evidence and propagation status
- Explain parent-domain and subdomain ownership relationships
- Require a successful test and recovery-admin confirmation before enforcement
Constraints
- Verification cannot expose secret identity-provider credentials
- Domain proof does not by itself authorize user takeover
- At least one tested recovery route must remain
Reality check
States worth considering
Finish line
What to deliver
- Four desktop screens showing verification, conflict, and enforcement safety
Optional direction
Visual resources
Use these as a starting constraint if you want one. They are not part of the required solution.
Cormorant Garamond & Proza Libre
Clear interface writing gives people the confidence to understand what changed and decide what to do next.
Cormorant Garamond & Proza Libre
Clear interface writing gives people the confidence to understand what changed and decide what to do next.