Where to put the login form?

Last night I was discussing about a user interface with one of my friend for his upcoming website. We discussed many aspects of it but want to share the placement of login form in particular.

Let’s analyse why people come to our home page. To see the cool graphics work we put there? To see what the website is all about, its features? To become a member? To login, if they are already a member? We might get assertive answers to each of these questions; but which ‘Yes’ is the most important one? Of course, the numbers will say it all.

The most popular example to consider here would be Gmail. Like any other service, it too, highlights the main features on the homepage but has placed the login form right there opened and focused (read that as ‘ready to type in’).

I really appreciate one web-based email provider for the user experience it has in offer; it is awesome but it gives me hard time whenever I switch between computers. From the home page, I have to click on the ‘Login’ link and wait for separate login page to load. Why? I can’t reason. And what occupies the home page? Eye pleasing graphical work that explains how the product works and its features make it better than others. But do I have to bother about that now? I am already a member!

Some websites take the middle route – they provide a popup based login form. So waiting for another page to load is avoided; but user still needs to click on the ‘Login’ link! And sometimes even have to click on the Username field to focus and start typing. Ah!

Unless login isn’t required to access the content or avail the services on the website, 9 out of 10 times, if not more, people come to the home page to login. Login! Login!!

It is very natural to have some cool, fancy stuff on the home page, highlight the product features etc., so let it be but don’t ignore the user for that. Give her the first thing she wants – the login form. Home page IS THE PLACE to have the login form. It can further be improved by setting the focus on the Username field by default.

Many banks offer lesser loan interest rates for new customers; we don’t have to be alike. Let’s care for what we already have; our existing users!

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Published:: July 6, 2009 / 16:35

Category:: User Experience

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Not Just A Thought…

Fantasies have to be unrealistic. Because the moment, the second that you get what you seek, you don’t.- you can’t- want it anymore. In order to continue to exist, Desire must have its objects perpetually absent. It’s not the ‘It’ that you want, it is the fantasy of ‘It’. So, Desire supports crazy fantasies.

This is what [Blaise] Pascal means when he says that we are only truly happy when daydreaming about future happiness. Or why we say: “The hunt is sweeter than the kill”. Or “Be careful what you wish for”. Not because you’ll get it. Because you’re doomed not to want it once you do.

So the lesson of Lacan is: Living by your wants will never make you happy. What it means to be fully human is to strive to live by ideas and ideals and not to measure your life by what you have attained by your desires but those small moments of integrity, compassion, rationality, even self-sacrifice. Because in the end, the only way that we can measure the significance of our own lives is by valuing the lives of others.

- Abstract of Prof. Gale's speech from the movie "Life of David Gale"

..........................................................................

It is good to see ourselves as others see us. Try as we may, we are never able to know ourselves fully as we are, especially the evil side of us. This we can do only if we are not angry with our critics but will take in good heart whatever they might have to say.

- Mahatma Gandhi

Jessie 7.8.09 / 9pm

Just in time for me! I was in two minds over the same issue for one of my projects and almost went for the popup. Thanks for putting it so convincingly.

k noel 7.8.09 / 9pm

i think the underlined statement is critical .we are workin on a cotnent based app and not all visitors need to login , only if someone is posting. we have a separate login page and that works fine for us.

Kumar 7.8.09 / 9pm

Yes Noel, that’s true. The login form need not necessarily be on the home page if login is not mandatory for a visitor to access the content or use the service; that’s why the underline.

Israel 7.10.09 / 12am

Well, that depends on your page’s goal.
If logging in is essential to make the site useful for a visitor (for example, community sites) or if the site’s goal is to convert a visitor to a member (for example, community or e-commerce sites) – then it would make sense to locate the login form in central area of your homepage. If the site can functionate without having visitors to log in at the first page (for example – Amazon.com or corporational websites that require logging in for downloading white papers, but perfectly functioning even if a visitor hasn’t logged in) – than it’d be unnecessary to show the login form before it became essential.

Kumar 7.10.09 / 9am

Thanks Israel. Yes, I agree.

Anonymous 7.10.09 / 12pm

ok But whats that punch line

Kumar 7.10.09 / 12pm

That’s Sanskrit and means “Let’s enjoy together. Let’s work together. Let our study become so radiant that there is no hatred between us.”

1. Anonymous 7.10.09 / 12pm
  
  oh I see all junk characters on screen. The thought is nice.

Arun 9.2.09 / 11am

Kumar,
very good thought about login form. on the same line there is registration required. and same similar question arises for Registration form. i am impressed by your line below -
Many banks offer lesser loan interest rates for new customers; we don’t have to be alike. Let’s care for what we already have; our existing users!

No need to attract for new existing will bring new customer for you if you provide good service to them. so give more importance to what you have.

Kumar 9.8.09 / 9am

Thanks for the comments Arun; glad that we agree on these views.

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