Workflow when Not Logged In

Get Started
1

I would like some opinions on which workflow is better, or if either of these is acceptable…

Workflow #1:

  1. User is Logged Out
  2. User Views an Article
  3. User wants to add a Comment
  4. System displays “You must be Logged In to leave a Comment.”
  5. System display “Log In” button
  6. User chooses to “Log In”
  7. System displays “Log In” Form
  8. User Logs In
  9. System redirects back to Article Page
  10. System displays “Add Comment” button
  11. User chooses to “Add Comment”
  12. System displays “Add Comment” Form
  13. User Submits Comments

Workflow #2:

  1. User is Logged Out
  2. User Views an Article
  3. User wants to add a Comment
  4. System displays “You must be Logged In to leave a Comment.”
  5. System display “Log In” button
  6. User chooses to “Log In”
  7. System displays “Log In” Form
  8. User Logs In
    :
    :
    :
  9. System displays “Add Comment” Form
  10. User Submits Comments

Obviously the second Workflow is 3 steps shorter, but it is also more code to write (or re-write in my case)!!

One advantage of Workflow #1 is that is gives the User more options and places to “jump off”. Maybe a User logs in and then decides they want to re-read a particular Comment BEFORE they add their own. With the few extra steps in Workflow #1, the User has that option, whereas Workflow #2 is an “all or none” approach.

Thoughts?

Thanks,

Debbie

2

This isn’t rocket science. When the logged out user is viewing an article and the add comment button is clicked, your server side code first checks if the user is currently logged in. If they are not, then present them with the login form. After they log in, just redirect them back to the article they were viewing and the user can then add their comment as if they were logged in originally.

3

in workflow #1 I’d replace 4,5,6,7 with just one step. As in a page which says you must be logged in, with a form, and a login button. If you also do it by Ajax so it’s on the same page the user wont get thrown from pillar to post and their journey is completed in 6 steps.