About the project
The goal of the project was to improve the user experience during the process of creating and entering passwords. By streamlining the flow and optimizing the process, I aimed to reduce the frustrations of users and lower the number of users abandoning the password setup process.
Define the problem
I noticed a high churn rate at the password step, which prompted me to analyze how our users are setting and entering passwords using Yandex Metrica Webvisor. Through this analysis, I identified several issues:
Complexity of the password flow: The original process was unnecessarily complicated, featuring character limits and manual password comparisons. These complexities resulted in user confusion and frequent errors.
Mobile Issues: On mobile, the keyboard covered the input fields and made it difficult for users to accurately enter and compare passwords.
Set the hypothesis
I hypothesized that by simplifying the password creation process, particularly by reducing it to a 4-digit PIN optimized for mobile devices and streamlining error handling, our team could reduce user frustration and lower the rate of password changes.
Research & discovery
Through competitor analysis, I found that our competitors use simpler password flow without complex restrictions, such as specific character or length requirements. This makes the password creation process more convenient for users and reduces frustration. Based on this information, we decided to simplify our own password flow.
Brainstorm and analyze ideas
After analyzing the existing process and exploring potential improvements, I identified several areas that could be optimized in the password flow.
Simplifying password entry: Introduced a 4-digit PIN entry to make the process faster and more intuitive, especially for users, particularly on mobile devices. This decision was inspired by competitors research showing that simpler password flows perform better.
Optimizing for mobile devices: With 98% of our traffic coming from mobile devices, I designed a custom numeric keyboard, similar to the one typically used for entering PIN codes, to streamline the password entry process. This solution provides a more intuitive and user-friendly experience, particularly for mobile users.
Password confirmation: Shifted the password confirmation to the second step in the flow, creating a more streamlined and user-friendly experience that minimizes errors.
Handling errors: Optimized error handling by automatically directing users to reset their password after three incorrect attempts, removing the need for manual comparisons and improving security.
Improving security flow for failed attempts: Implemented a process that automatically redirects users to reset their passwords with OTP verification after three unsuccessful login attempts. This simplifies the recovery process for users and reduces frustration.
Design the solution
Simplifying password entry:
— Old Flow: Required a password with specific character limits.
— New Flow: Introduced a simple 4-digit PIN entry.
Optimized for mobile devices:
— Old Flow: The keyboard would cover the input fields on mobile.
— New Flow: Designed a custom numeric keyboard (desktop was deprioritized due to only 2% of users using it)
Password Confirmation:
— Old Flow: Password confirmation happened on the same step, requiring users to manually compare the two fields.
— New Flow: Moved the password confirmation to the second step, providing a cleaner experience and reducing errors.
Handled errors:
— Old Flow: After incorrect password entries, users had to compare two fields manually.
— New Flow: If the password is entered incorrectly three times, users are automatically sent to reset their password with OTP verification. This eliminates manual comparisons and improves security.
Improving security flow for failed attempts:
— Old Flow: The system would lock users out after three incorrect attempts and block the button, sending users to OTP only if they clicked "Forgot Password."
— New Flow: Automatically directs users to OTP after three incorrect attempts, streamlining the reset process and removing frustrations.
Result
The simplified and more intuitive password flow led to a significant decrease in churn rate by about 5.6 times. This demonstrates the impact of streamlining the password setup process on user retention.
