In our years of experience with mobile app development, we have closely seen and empathised with the struggles of users and adopted best practices to avoid them.

Here are a few thoughts and questions that users have expressed during usability tests of apps while going through the sign-up process.

Why do you need my data?

Imagine the long and languorous forms with endless fields. At the bank, at the GP, at the recruiter, at the insurance company. And then on the phone!

Today’s users are much more tech-aware and guarded about their data and information. Creating trust in a new brand is most important and also the most difficult. Enable users to trust you by asking only what you really really need.

Give me instant feedback.

Your user has filled in all the details and fields but they may have made a mistake. Their email is not in the right format. The password does not have the minimum number of characters.

Tell them instantly as they move to the next field. Not when they feel it’s all done and are about to click “save”. The call-to-action button is designed to give instant satisfaction and is meant to ‘action’. A sneaky feedback taking it all away just when I have clicked “save” and am ready to move to the next step is a total killjoy.

Do not hide what I need to know!

So you need a robust password and you have rules for it? The phone number needs to be in a certain format. The image upload is not optional. Tell your users all that right up front.

Display the rules under the relevant field. Do not make them second-guess.

Do not test my grammar skills.

Sign in, Sign up, Sign out, Log in, Log out – very cute phrasal verbs! But not all your target audience is going to be English speaking. And phrasal verbs can be very confusing. So let’s make your app a little more inclusive and tame those phrasal verbs?

‘Log in’ and ‘Log out’ have become industry standards. So is ‘Sign up’. Although it may be replaced with ‘Create an account’.

However, using all variations of the word “sign” – ‘Sign In’, ‘Sign Out’ and ‘Sign Up’ is an absolute ‘No’. Imagine a non-native English speaker having to refer to a dictionary and being schooled on phrasal verbs.

Skip the sign up altogether.

So users can have limited interaction with your app without having to sign up? That’s even better. Your app is ready to add value to the user without demanding any data from them in return.

Put in prompts at the right place to remind the user to sign up.

Not sure how you can ensure a smooth sign up for new users while building your mobile app? Our box of ‘Appiness has all the tips and tricks. Give us a shout!