UX & Security, Part 4: User Feedback

~ Written By Scarlett Sidwell

When logging into a site, these four items must be communicated to a user:

• While entering a password, warn the user if their caps lock key is active, in a non-intrusive way.
• After the user enters their username, check if your system can identify them. If they don’t exist in the system, let the user know that their account couldn’t be found.  They could have a typo, or need to register for an account.
• After a user enters their password, check to make sure the password meets the rules and restrictions. If these restrictions aren’t met, let the user know that the password can’t be correct because it doesn’t mean all of the restrictions.  Then, list the restrictions.  This additional information could jog the user’s memory of what their password is, or is missing.
• If failed attempts at logging into your site will lock the user out of their account, let them know. Tell them how many more attempts they have before the account is locked.  In addition to this, tell the user what is required to unlock the account.  Their behaviour might be different if unlocking their account requires calling customer service M-F, 8am-5pm.

In most systems, communicating these items to a user is simple and quick to implement. It’s a small step that could have a big impact on customer satisfaction.  We just have to bunker down and do it.

To read the original blog please visit: http://labs.sogeti.com/ux-security-part-4-user-feedback/