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I've seen this topic : Combining Sign in and Registration form

It gives me some answers, but let me show you the issue we're encountering.

We are doing a small app, and we want users to be able to login / register on the same screen. As we want to keep it as simple as it can be, we thought about using this kind of form :

Screen shot of login form with login/email input field, password field and two buttons - login and register

This form could fit well in our case, but some questions:

is it too simple? Will users take that registration seriously if we don't ask them some email or something else?

is it too confusing? Are two actions too much for a single form? Should both buttons have the same color? If not, what colors should they be?

3 Answers 3

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Isn't it too simple?

Isn't it too confusing?

In the UX field, simplicity is the goal we all are trying to strive for. However, when design patterns are not common practice, even if simple, will lead to confusion.

The username and password fields are commonly associated with sign in when they are displayed like in your screenshot (i.e. in the header). The "Register" button, even though it's close to the username and password fields, is NOT associated with them to most user. To most people, the Register button looks like a link to the registration page. This disconnect will confuse users when they try to click on the Register button without inputting anything in the username and password field.

The common practice, if you want to consolidate registration and sign in onto one screen is to have a sign in/registration page. On that page, user will able able to sign in or register:

enter image description here

Input Field Tip is Confusing

One input field should have one purpose but in your mockup, I see the input field tip states "Login/Email". What does it mean? Login with email? Since you have the tip stating "Login/Email", user will certain not think they could also register too.

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Logging in is an action that requires the input of the two fields (user name and password).

Register is not an action but a link that takes you to a different page to enter your data and then sign up.

So, remove the register button from that form because it is a distinctly separate process from logging in.

Optionally, you may also put the entire registration form on the front page if you really want them to register. This is much more friendly and inviting than a red register button. If you do that, make sure that the registration "pane" or "box" is clearly separated from the "login" box.

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    Clicking on register button won't send the user to another page : it will register him with the username and password he just set. Feb 28, 2014 at 18:31
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    You might want to relay that information to your users so they don't get confused. Most people expect a separate registration form from logging in. What would happen (and how do you show it) if the user types in valid and existing credentials and clicks on register? Feb 28, 2014 at 18:40
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Hmm I would have to say why not make usage of content switching with javascript for the form area?

Basically you could separate content:

Email/Password & Login button in one instance with a URL asking "Not a User?" If they're not a user then click said URL swaps the "login" content to "register" content. The "register" content will show basically the same content except there won't be a login
button, instead you'll see a register button. The "Not a user?" message will in turn be changed to "Already a Member?".

Hopefully that made sense, I had the same issue for a registration piece a while back that required the same "minimal" concept.

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  • This is actually what we've done right now, but we're thinking about making it even more simple, if it's possible. Mar 4, 2014 at 14:46

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