Why use this pattern?
Use this pattern to ensure your service is consistent with best practices for Government of Yukon online accounts.
People should have a simple and predictable experience when creating an account or signing in to and out of an account.
This is the pattern we use for Government of Yukon online services accounts.
When to use this pattern
Provide user accounts if your users will need to regularly access or update their data in your online service.
When not to use this pattern
Do not create user accounts if you can provide a usable service to the most amount of people without them. For example, if a small group of users need accounts but the majority of people do not, don’t require accounts for everyone.
This is because user accounts are:
- A barrier for many users and make it more likely they will leave; and
- difficult to build and maintain.
If you want to let users check the status of a one-off transaction, give them a unique reference number they can use.
Unique references are hard to remember so you should send them in an email or text message to the user.
Where to use this pattern
Let people use as much of your service as possible before they need to create an account.
Government of Yukon online services accounts
If you decide that people need accounts for your service, we recommend using the Government of Yukon online services account platform.
Email [email protected] for more information about this platform-level product.
Different levels of confidence
A Government of Yukon online services account can be used on its own to authenticate someone.
A user’s account can also be combined with another identity factor if your service needs a higher level of confidence.
You should aim to get a higher level of confidence in someone’s identity if you or your service are at high risk of identity-related crime.
You should check someone’s identity if any services you or your organization will show a user personal information about themselves.
Email [email protected] when making these types of decisions.
How it works
If you decide that a user needs an account as part of your service:
- Create a simple user journey;
- make the sign-up process clear; and
- use clear and consistent language.
Create a simple user journey
Make it clear what you need users to do when they create or link their account. Linking is sometimes referred to as onboarding.
Linking can include service-specific information or finding and matching existing records in other connected services.
Show a clear difference between creating an account, linking an account and signing in. Presenting the options side by side is not enough because users might miss one of them or not understand the difference.
Make the account creation and linking process clear
- If a user fails to create or link an account, they might not be able to use your service at all.
- Make sure the account creation and linking of accounts is solely about that task. Do not add any distracting content.
- After a person has created an account, their journey is not over. Make it clear what their next steps are to use your service.
If you use a Government of Yukon online services account as your base, the account creation steps have already been defined and meet the digital service standards.
Users can become confused about the difference between a Government of Yukon online services account and other tasks related to account linking.
Take steps to distinguish the different tasks.
Use clear and consistent language
Instructions and descriptions that use consistent wording helps people understand how something will work. Your service should surprise people as little as possible.
If your service has accounts, use these phrases.
Headings and links
- Create your account
- Sign in to your account
- Sign out of your account
- Forgot your password
- Link your account
Buttons
- Create account
- Sign in to account
- Sign out of account
- Forgot password
- Link account
Create your account
Use the phrase “Create your account” instead of ‘Register’, ‘Sign up’ or something else.
Enter your email address
Use the form label “Enter your email address” rather than “Enter a username” or something else.
Email address recommendations
Where possible, use email addresses for usernames because they are:
- Memorable; and
- unique.
However, not everyone has or wants to use an email address. The number of users without access to email will vary from service to service.
You should conduct user research to understand users and have a plan for helping people to use the service.
Always let people make changes
Whatever approach to usernames you take, make sure you let people change their email address or username.
Create a password
Use the form label “Create a password” rather than “Password” or something else.
This helps users to understand that they’re not being asked to enter an existing password.
Password recommendations
The ideal password should:
- Be at least 8 characters long;
- contain lowercase letters (a-z);
- contain uppercase letters (A-Z);
- contain a number (0-9);
- not contain your first or last name; and
- not contain your email address.
When building a service that does not use a Government of Yukon online services account, you should:
- Screen new passwords against a list of known compromised passwords;
- skip password hints and knowledge-based security questions;
- limit the number of failed authentication attempts
- warn users before their account is locked. For example, if their account will be locked after 5 unsuccessful attempts, warn the user after the 3rd attempt;
- allow copy and paste functionality in password fields to facilitate the use of password managers;
- allow the use of all printable ASCII characters as well as all UNICODE characters (including emojis); and
- allow users to optionally see the password they are entering.
Button
Use the button label “Create account”.
Sign in to your account
Use the phrase “Sign in to your account” instead of “Signin”, “Login” or “Log in” or something else.
“Sign in to your account” can be used as a verb in sentences, links or headings to describe an action.
Enter your email address
Use the form label “Enter your email address” rather than “Username” or something else.
Enter your password
Use the form label “Enter your password” rather than “Password” or something else.
Button
Use the button label “Sign in to account”.
Sign out of your account
Use the phrase “Sign out of your account” instead of “Signout”, “Log out” or something else.
“Sign out of your account” can be used as a verb in sentences, links or headings to describe an action.
Signing users out of different sessions
If your service uses Government of Yukon online service accounts, people will stay signed in until they sign themselves out. This happens at the platform level.
When a user signs out, terminate their session at your service level.
Button
Use the button label “Sign out of account”.
If possible, put the “Sign out of account” button in the same area where the “Sign in to account” button was shown. This makes for a consistent experience.
After they have signed out
We recommend you encourage people to sign out after they done using your service.
After a person has signed out of their account, tell them. Use “You have signed out of your account” on the same page or on a confirmation page.
In the same area as the signed out message, provide a link or button for the person to sign back in to their account.
Forgot your password
Use a link with the phrase “Forgot your password” on the “Sign in to your account” page.
The link should send the user to a page where they can reset their password.
Enter your email address
Use the form label “Enter your email address” on the “Forgot your password” page.
Email the user a link to reset their password.
If the user has forgotten their email address, provide an email or phone number they can contact someone. You can also use a service along the lines of Get help with a Government of Yukon online services account.
Link your account
Use the phrase “Link your account” after a user has signed in to their account.
Button
Use the button label “Link your account”.
This should send the user to a page where they can connect their account with something else.
Linking can include service-specific information or finding and matching existing records in other connected services.
After they have linked their account
Return the person to your service so they can use it.
Get help with linking your account
If the user needs help linking their account, provide an email so they can contact someone.