UX_Progressive Registration

We’re planning on implementing a change to login/signup (user registration). We are going to be implementing something known as Progressive Registration.

Here’s what it looks like from the users point of view:

1. User goes to site, plays around, decides to sign up
2. User goes to the sign up form, which has only one field, email address
3. User enters email address hits “register”
4. User gets email with a link
5. User clicks link, goes to the “Set/Reset your password page”, once they provide a password that is accepted,
6. User is redirected to their “profile page” where they can
7. User fills out the minimal required information (perhaps none) to get started as a registered user

This accomplishes a few strategic goals all at once:

1. Passwords never go in the mail
2. Passwords are only known by the user and encrypted in the system
3. Users do a minimum of steps and provide a minimum of information (lowering the barrier to entry) to get registered
4. User provide more information as they understand the value of it being in the system, if we don’t convince them / deliver value, they won’t invest in the system.