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Note: This is for a service mainly powered, or should I say funded, by video ads. Not really UX-friendly, I suppose, but what can we do

Here's the flow right now:

Sign in

Home -> Login form -> Video Ad* -> Use service

Sign up

Home -> Registration -> Video Ad* -> Account activation^ -> Use service

* Can be skipped

^ A code is sent to a mobile device, and has to be entered in the form. This can be skipped (via "Activate later" button or something.)

The service will be used mostly on mobile devices. Space will be tight (as there would also be an announcement portion in the home page), so the login/registration forms are in a separate page.

I am aware that the steps should be as short as possible, but can anyone recommend an acceptable amount of steps before a user can use the service? If ads couldn't be removed, is there really nothing I can do to improve the UX flow of the service?

Also, could anyone give some kind advice on how we can avoid confusion between the user and the overall flow?

Thank you in advance :)

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  • Does "home" have anything useful if I don't log in? If no, the login screen should be your landing page. Short answer to your question - no. The "maximum number" of steps is relative and depends on who your users are and the product you are providing.
    – Nicholas Pappas
    Sep 14, 2014 at 17:26
  • Home doesn't have anything useful, really, other than the link to the help page, some posters/ads, and a few lines of text.
    – ton
    Sep 14, 2014 at 17:34
  • why is everyone voting this down?
    – colmcq
    Sep 16, 2014 at 14:38

2 Answers 2

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It all has to do with effort and reward. If the user feels that the reward (getting to use your service/product) is greater than the effort (following through with the sign up process) , the product will be used. For example, if there's a long log in/register process to see a funny cat very few will probably log in. If there's a long log in/register process to access an internet bank, many more users will probably do it. It's all up to you to find out:

  • How important is every step in the log in process?
  • What can be removed?
  • Can some required steps be delayed for later?
    • If the user starts to use your service, he/she will have a greater acceptance towards filling in more info etc.

Remember that users don't want to use the controls that you invent. Users wants to reach a goal.

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3
  • Good point. It does have great reward. Though I'm not completely sure about what needs to be skipped -- I think there's none :(
    – ton
    Sep 16, 2014 at 17:58
  • Then your job is to convince people that whatever lies behind the sign in/up process is worth it!
    – Henrik Ekblom
    Sep 17, 2014 at 7:39
  • Yeah, perhaps a few persuading phrases would also help
    – ton
    Sep 17, 2014 at 18:49
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The days of registration via any kind of form i thought had died, especially on a mobile where text input=hell on earth.

My advice is that you need to go back to business and figure out if you can allow signup and signin to be the same and that the login can be accomplished via an API such as google + or twitter

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  • 1
    There are still a number of users (like myself) which either don't use services like Facebook or Twitter or don't want to sign up with them.
    – Kweamod
    Sep 16, 2014 at 9:32
  • out of interest, why dont you want to sign up with them?
    – colmcq
    Sep 16, 2014 at 9:55
  • privacy issues.
    – Kweamod
    Sep 16, 2014 at 10:33
  • oh ok. then email and password too
    – colmcq
    Sep 16, 2014 at 14:37
  • In this case for a particular client, login using social accounts isn't an option. Privacy issues... hmm, maybe so.
    – ton
    Sep 16, 2014 at 17:36

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