[Sigia-l] Can entering information twice prevent entry error?

[Juan Lanus]

"Fu-Tien Chiou" <FChiou at genex.com> wrote:

>Scenario here, one of my clients wanted to increase the number of 'correct' email addresses (for general website registration), and correct bank account number (for a financial application).  
>They suggested to have users re-enter the email address and account number in the form.
>... overall, it will have a negative user experience and not necessarily improve entry error. What do you think?  

I think that this will drive a negative reaction from your users. And also that it will not help reduce errors.

For example email address will usually be entered automatically by the (modern) browser thru remembered values entered previously. 
It would be more effective to set a prompt that the browser could recognize. In this field the gain might be marginal.
To ensure that the email address is OK the best way is to do as this list's majordomo did when you registered: send the user a message and make them click in a link there.

To ensure that the account number is correct the way is to check it against a database in the bank with the user's name as an aproximate key and other data you might have available like ZIP code, address, gender, birth date, whatever you have in the form.
Then ask the bank if with the available data, the entered account number is good. 
The bank should not tell more than yes or not, for security reasons. They will never answer by sending the correct account number.
Technically, this might mean to perform an HTTPS transaction against a server in the bank while the user is on hold, or to have an X25 (?) connection with the bank.
The user should see a message saying that something is wrong among the account number, the name, the address. Because this is waht the bank said. A negative response will not automatically mean "Wrong account number!."
-- 
Juan Lanus
TECNOSOL
Argentina






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