Daily UX Writing Challenge, Day 3: Sign-in error
It’s another day! I hope you’re feeling as optimistic as I feel lately. Let’s get right to it.
Day 3
Scenario: The user entered the wrong email address to sign in to their account.
Challenge: Tell the user to enter the right email.
40 characters max
This one looks pretty easy till you discover, it actually isn’t. For starters, what does a wrong email address mean?
Did the user have a typo? or forget what email address they used to register? I can’t tell but one thing I’m sure of is that I’m going to get my user to remember that email address, fix it, and not feel ashamed — I’m that kind hehe.
Avengers, ARISE!
In this article, I’ll delve into the thought process and solutions used to tackle the challenge of notifying users when they’ve entered an incorrect email address for account sign-in. The primary goal was to ensure the error message was crystal clear without any hint of hostility, making it easy for users to understand and rectify their mistake.
Thought Process:
Having been in the shoes of someone who occasionally mistypes their email or password, I’m familiar with that feeling of silliness when you get an error notification. I also understand how confusion can arise when the error message isn’t clear enough. It can be a simple misspelling, or it might be a case of forgetting the email used for sign-up. My aim was to ensure that the message was as clear as day, without coming across as hostile. I wanted to assure users that we’re here to help, not to chastise. To mitigate the risk of losing a user, I’d have highlighted the option to recover their account or create a new one but I had such a hard time on Figma and the clock was ticking. Regardless, if I were working with a professional designer, that’s an option I’d have suggested.
The Problem:
The challenge was to effectively notify a user that the email they entered was incorrect and guide them to enter the correct email.
Possible Solutions:
1. Direct Communication: It was crucial to be direct and clear in letting the user know about the error without beating around the bush. A straightforward approach ensures the message is easily comprehensible.
Presenting…HER
Voice & Tone:
For this scenario, I kept the voice and tone clear, (friendly), and practical. I do realize the tone might not seem friendly, especially with the use of the word(valid), I personally know I’d go “Oh so you think I’m dumb?” but after testing multiple options and carrying out surveys, this was surprisingly what resonated more with people. It should be noted that my test rabbits, sorry, my test participants are aged 16–26.
The objective was to provide a useful message that resolves the issue without creating unnecessary frustration. The tone was informal and approachable, devoid of any hint of hostility. In this case, the situation didn’t call for clever puns or wordplay, as straightforward communication was most effective.
Conclusion:
This case study highlights the thought process and solutions applied to the challenge of notifying users about an incorrect email address during the sign-in process. By adopting a clear, and practical tone, the error message effectively communicates the issue while maintaining a user-centric approach. It ensures that users understand their mistake without feeling discouraged or frustrated. In the end, it’s a user-friendly solution that helps guide users toward the right course of action, whether it’s recovering their account or creating a new one, without losing their trust or confidence in the platform.
So, what do you guys think? How would you have approached this?
