Discussion

aarreedd: Facebook must have optimized for this. Do whatever they do.And make it so they don't have to log back in frequently.

troymc: I can relate because my dad is 84 and he really struggles with simple things like entering a password to sign in to Gmail. He forgets what he did last time and so I'm back to explaining how moving his mouse causes the pointy-arrow thing move around on the screen, to get it pointed at the wide rectangle near the middle of the screen, etc. No UI library is going to solve his struggles.I solved most of the sign-in problem for my dad by picking a simpler browser than Google Chrome, and by tweaking his browser settings to be just-so. That's not going to be much help for you, the website creator...Maybe allow passkeys for login? These days, passkeys usually get stored/supplied by the underlying OS. (By usually, I mean that's the statistically most common source of the passkey today. They can also come from a browser plugin or a hardware key.)

rr808: I quite like the new trend where you can login just by entering the 2fa on SMS or email. Skip the whole username/password.

simonw: I worry that passkeys are going to confuse the heck out of less technically sophisticated users the moment they hit an edge cases, and I bet they can find edge cases.

dewey: I really dislike these "magic links" as a login procedure as you always have to switch between apps instead of just filling login / 2FA with your password manager. SMS is even worse as it's also insecure.As an additional option, I can see the benefit for people who live in their Gmail app and don't have a password manager.

OuterVale: A valuable approach is to aim for AAA WCAG conformance. Obviously it isn't a perfect way to go about it and there are other considerations here, but at level AAA you're more likely than not ensuring an extremely clear and usable interface.

kartika36363: easiest ui is no ui

raw_anon_1111: On iOS, the code from Messages or email is auto populated. But just don’t do email. Too many things can go wrong.But I do love pass keys.

Gigachad: Login is probably the number 1 issue I have seen with old people. They generally have a book of passwords where most of them are simple or reused. And if they get logged out it's a nightmare to get back in.I'd suggest not having a password at all. Either use SMS/Email codes, or Passkeys.

Gigachad: Passkeys are even better since you don't have to pull out your phone or switch to email to grab a code. It just logs you in.Also for old people, its impossible to fall for a phishing page using Passkeys. Unlike auth codes where you can type the code in to a fake login page.

anyfactor: I am really interested in the concept of elder/senior citizen technology. The basic design concept for them is answering "what am I looking at?"I created this tool (https://anftr.com/) for some of my ex-colleagues in their early 50s who were trying to navigate the world of office software. They were struggling with Microsoft Word and Excel, and I have seen them yell at ChatGPT and bash their mouses constantly, hoping the computer will load files faster.Essentially, you focus on text and video demos. The foundational design concept for elder tech is providing clear instructions and minimizing interactions.If you want them to sign in, you should not require them to press a button more than two times.To address things they tend to forget, consider a human custodian or "IT concierge" model, please. The reality is that after a certain age, people really struggle to learn new things and prefer talking to a person for help. Technology has its limitations.If you are working with users aged 50 to 80, provide them with a phone number and charge a subscription for the service or a one-time payment. It might be borderline exploitative, but I have noticed that elderly individuals want a "solution" rather than a lesson.You explain how to do something, and if they are eager to learn, they will. You offer them a solution either way. Please do not create a monetization model for this custodian service and keep the charge as low as possible.The money you receive from this serves purposes: it is designed to help them second guess and try to help themselves. If you do not charge for something, they will just keep asking you questions. When you charge for something, they perceive it to have more value compared to it being free.Do not prioritize ease of operation that compromises their security.

morkalork: This is a lame complaint but I hate it just because it will by default open the website in a browser session belonging to the email app when you click the magic link. That extra step of finding the menu and telling it to open the signed-in page in the real chrome instance just grinds my UX gears.

lysp: The other potential issue is the age of the users.Magic emails might work for general users, but for an 80yo who struggles using a mouse. Teaching them to click on links in emails is probably not the best practise.

ancienthner: I mean the UX is not having dementia and that's entirely another matter. I hate the idea that if you're old you can't use computers like a normal person.

gucci-on-fleek: I help my grandparents out with computer stuff quite a bit, but I live far away, so I usually have to help over the phone. So having an interface that you can easily describe over the phone is pretty important to me.When I try to sign in to most apps on my TV, it usually displays an code that you can type in on another device so that you don't have to type in a long password using the D-pad on the remote. Could you maybe implement something similar for your website? This way, my grandmother could just call and read me a code, and then I could handle the sign in remotely. As long as you only need to sign in ~once a year, this would be my preferred option.Not all seniors have trusted friends/family who can help them, but lots do, so making it easier for the helpers will in turn make it easier for the seniors. Plus, there's no phishing risk for the senior with this method, so it's a relatively secure option too. (There is a phishing risk for the helper, but presumably they're the least vulnerable person in this scenario)

Traubenfuchs: 1. bind user to email2. allow login via magic link via email, after login the jwt/cookie/whatever should have no expiration date3. (optional) allow one user to have multiple emails + merging accounts/users (call it backup email to collecr multiple user emails in advance, soft nudging only, not mandatory to use the product!)4. (optional) offer any other way to login (un+pwd), google oAuth…It‘s THAT easy.