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We want all users to enter their employment ID so we can identify them, but it's not so important that we require them to register or remember a password.

Some users will be registered for the service, and they will have to enter a password in order to gain access to further functionality.

What is the best way of explaining to new users that they can just enter their UID without needing to register or use a password? This is what we have come up with, but I'm concerned that these users will get confused and think they need to register.

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  • Why not just keep an Employee UID field and then password protect the admin section itself?
    – JonW ♦
    Jun 3, 2014 at 9:59
  • The admin features aren't all in one admin section - its more like extra functionality on certain screens that can also be accessed by normal users.
    – conradj
    Jun 3, 2014 at 10:08
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    Well in that case why not prompt for the password the first time someone tries to access such a feature, and then you don't have to ask again when they're accessing other admin sections? No need to present a (potentially confusing) password field to everyone when most don't need it.
    – JonW ♦
    Jun 3, 2014 at 10:26
  • That's one option that could work for some. However many of our screens would then include potentially confusing buttons to everyone when most won't need them ;-)
    – conradj
    Jun 3, 2014 at 10:36

1 Answer 1

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I'd suggest using progressive disclosure to ask for password.

You should only ask for Employee ID and Login. Only for administrators, toggle the question into a password field.

Progressive Disclosure for Password

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  • I think this is a very good solution. Maybe, when the user clicked 'are you administrator', the label of the upper field should change in something appropriate (maybe admin ID vs. user ID). Furthermore I think it should be possible to go back to the default state (a link 'I'm not an administrator' should do the trick).
    – Ruudt
    Jun 3, 2014 at 13:11
  • Thanks for the appreciation @Ruudt. Reverting to the back state is a good idea, it can be implemented the same fashion also.
    – Vaibhav K
    Jun 3, 2014 at 13:17

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