UX Patterns

An Unnecessarily Detailed Look at the Design of the Login Screen

Login is possibly the most boring afterthought of any design project and it’s possible that you won’t read past this sentence as a result.

Still with me?

Good. Login is easy and has nothing to do with the amazing product you’re designing. And after designing dozens of other screens over the last six months, you can’t be bothered with this screen. “The hard work is behind me, just slap a standard login in there and leave me alone.” (If you’re not saying it, you’re thinking it.) The only good thing about login is that secretly you love when a sprint is devoted to something like this because then you can throw something together on the Tuesday evening before sprint grooming then call in sick for the rest of the week.

Yes, the login is fairly straightforward. And with most users comfortable staying logged in, it’s likely that many users won’t even see it. But there are times when they will see it — logging in for the first time, or the first time in a loooong time — and your login screen shouldn’t disorient or confuse them. This can’t be the first time they see the crazy new marketing campaign featuring a dancing lobster, but it also can’t look like a generic system screen causing a user to think they’re on the wrong site.