I guess "confirm password" is a legesy which never got changed. I think you should go ahead with your gut feeling and actually test user response after deployment. If the rate of "forgot password" or "mistyped password" rate increases i's better to have the confirm password.
If not then you are confirmed that it's right decision to drop "confirm password" regards suman "Steven Chalmers" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent by: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 07/10/2008 04:27 AM Please respond to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To IxDA <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> cc Subject [IxDA Discuss] "Confirm password" field - Superfluous? I have a design for a new user registration form in which I am proposing to not use a "Confirm password" field and would like your feedback on this decision. The form will have 4 fields, all of which are required: 1. User name (This will be supplied to the user prior to their using this form) 2. Password 3. Hint question 4. Hint answer The form also has some explanatory text that describes the use of the hint question and answer which is that the pair of fields will be used when the user forgets their password. If the user forgets their password, or thinks it was entered wrong, they will will click the "Sign in using the hint question" link. The hint question will be displayed and the user is to enter the hint answer. Doing so will sign them in and present them with a form to reset their password. The justifications for the decision to not use a "Confirm password" field are as follows: 1. I believe that it is rare that people type new passwords incorrectly. 2. Assuming that it is rare why should 100% of the people have to retype the password? 3. In the event that the user does type their new password incorrectly on the registration page, which they will realize the first time they try to sign in, they can follow the "Sign in using the hint question" link. 4. Having a second password field doubles the chance that they will make a typo error on their password. The resistance I am getting is as follows: 1. It is convention to enter passwords twice. My response: I need a better reason than that. 2. Since we are only showing asterisks or dots for each character the user doesn't know if they have typed the correct password or not. My response: A user is likely to be paying more attention to the typing of a new password than for most form fields and thus is that much more likely to get it right. No data to support that, just a gut feeling. 3. Users would rather find out sooner than later that their password was wrong. My response: Agreed, but at what cost? 1% of the users who mistype their password benefit from 100% of the users typing their password twice with no benefit. Thoughts? Steven Chalmers ________________________________________________________________ Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ....... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe ................ http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines ............ http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .................. http://www.ixda.org/help ForwardSourceID:NT00015D1A =====-----=====-----===== Notice: The information contained in this e-mail message and/or attachments to it may contain confidential or privileged information. If you are not the intended recipient, any dissemination, use, review, distribution, printing or copying of the information contained in this e-mail message and/or attachments to it are strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please notify us by reply e-mail or telephone and immediately and permanently delete the message and any attachments. Thank you ________________________________________________________________ Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ....... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe ................ http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines ............ http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .................. http://www.ixda.org/help
