UX Writing for Password Change
I logged into my Wells Fargo bank account the other day and received the message on the left: Action Required: Change Password. The image on the right is my edit of their wordy message. I’d like to tell you my process of how I arrived at this new design.
First, this message from WF came out of nowhere. I made a final payment on a loan, and the next day when I tried to login I was told to change my password.
To be honest, I’d probably changed my password twice in the 8 years I’ve had this account. So this message seemed at first, out of character, and then, annoying and frustrating.
There was no choice, I had to follow their instructions and change my password.
There’s something here to be said about Password Expiration Policies, and I could labor on about how Wells Fargo presents a horrible user experience in its online platforms, but I won’t … and for now just focus on the content design and my process.
Also, I realize making these changes does not factor in the research done for their users (Whom I guess skews over 40 years of age). Yet since I am one of their users, and my experience was at odds with what I’m used to, I have some perspective for editing the microcopy.
Tone of voice within different situations.
This isn’t so much an error message as it is a required action, but it shouldn’t feel as cold and sterile as the microcopy makes it out to be. My account was not breached, so the message should not sound so immediate and direct. I changed the tone to fit the directive of the situation. Since I have no relationship with the bank, or a teller, or any customer support, my relationship is solely digital and through the app. I want the experience to be, at a minimum, welcoming and humane.
Hierarchy and informing the user.
The hierarchy of information was almost non-existent. I separated the microcopy to inform the user the situation and how to solve it. I made the instructions on password requirements more readable in a list form, rather than a paragraph block text. Make the text easy to read and comprehend.
As commonplace as changing a password can be, someone might be confused (Like me) as to why they have to do this. I included two links to dialogs about why the user has to change their password, and hints for basic, secure password generators. Inform the user so they know exactly what is happening, provide context for the issue, and elaborate on ways of solving the problem.
The Dos and Don’ts are an edited version of recommended suggestions that come directly from the desktop site.
Clarify.
Adjusting slightly the form fields to be more specific, I also gave the option to remember the password. There might be legal reasons for an entity as big as a national bank to not include certain elements such as Remember password, but I wanted to include the option. So many times, the new password you created is not stored in the browser (sometimes for good reason), unless you prefer to store it, and once you create the new password, you are immediately asked to enter it again as you login.
Complete!
The necessity of telling the user they will receive a confirmation email doesn’t seem necessary, especially if in their settings they’ve already selected to have such email notifications toggled on. So I got rid of it completely. The culmination of the previous actions should end with a result of acknowledgement that supersedes any other information.
Also, what does Continue mean in this context? Continue to sign in? Continue to Settings? Changing the CTA to describe what the next action is important, rather than having a vague option. Can I not sign off because of the locked symbol at the bottom of the screen? Am I still signed in with my new password? Will I have to sign in after clicking Continue?
My process involves asking lots of questions, and trying to arrive at creating an experience which informs and supports the user. I’m still new to Content Design, but I’m reveling in moving forward within the industry.
