[thelist] user perception

[M. Seyon]

Message from Sarah Sweeney (11/16/2004 11:31 AM)
>>So, only managers need to log in? Can there be two 'home' pages, one URL
>>for managers, another for guests? Or, a big button that says 'Enter',
>>and a 'Manager Login' below?
>
>This is exactly what I have. I figured that the big "Enter" button would 
>be pretty clear, but apparently for some people it isn't :)

Who's supposed to enter? The managers? Or the guests?


>>Most sites have, side by side, 'Create an account' and 'Already have an
>>account? Log in here:' which seems to remove any ambiguity. Either I
>>already have an account, or I don't.
>
>The problem seems to be people assuming they have an account (I have no 
>idea why), and complaining when the system tells them that no account was 
>found for them. Even though the "no account found" message also says that 
>they can enter as a guest and points them to the big "Enter" button, they 
>either don't read this or choose to ignore and send me an email telling me 
>there's a problem with the system.

Obviously I can't see the system but here's the impression I get from the 
steps you've described.

See big ENTER button
Try to login
Get told I don't have an account
See big ENTER button again

"If it didn't work for me the first time why should it work the second? I'm 
lost. I'm going to email the administrator to find out why it's broken."


>I think my next plan of attack is to ask the client if they know why users 
>keep assuming they have an account. If this doesn't help, I'm out of ideas 
>again.

I'd say you should have done this a long time ago. Design does not exist in 
isolation. If you don't understand why your users are having a problem, how 
can you possibly attempt to solve it?

Which is why I asked previously, what login information are they attempting 
to use? Blank form fields? Or some other login, possibly from a related 
system? (Related in their minds, not related in yours - if they're 
inexperienced enough their *Windows login* could be "related", but that's 
pure speculation cause I don't know your users. Question is, do you?)

regards.
-marc

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