User:KStoller-WMF/sandbox

Group:	WMF Product & Technology - Contributors Group
Start:	2025-11
Backlog:	#T409236
Lead:	Tech Lead: Michael Große Product Manager: Kirsten Stoller

Overview

The Growth team is auditing and improving the account creation experience across Wikimedia wikis. Account creation is one of the first steps in a newcomer’s journey, yet the current flow is text-heavy, cluttered, and inconsistent with standard web practices.

This project aims to make account creation clearer, faster, and more aligned with modern reader and contributor needs. The focus is on reducing friction for newcomers, clarifying the experience for logged-in users, and ensuring that all account creation workflows behave as expected.

Current status:

November 2025: Early planning

Problem

Currently less than 44% of users who start filling in at least one field on the “Create account” form successfully create an account.

The current account creation flow presents several usability challenges:

The interface is cluttered and text-dense, discouraging new contributors from completing registration.
There are no "one click" or easy login methods offered.
Multiple warnings, menus, and pop-ups create unnecessary friction and cognitive overload.
Logged-in editors can access a functioning account creation form, which can cause confusion about whether they are creating a new account or modifying their own.
On mobile, the option to create an account is difficult to discover.

Goals and Approach

This project should explore more than just the account creation form, but

Simplify the account creation interface and make it mobile-friendly and visually clear.
Reduce unnecessary text, warnings, and interruptions.
Clearly communicate the benefits of creating an account (e.g., tracking edits, notifications, mentorship).
Align the experience with standard web conventions and expectations.

A/B test account creation prompts (for example when logged out users attempt to edit).
[In consideration] Explore ways to encourage temporary accounts to convert to regular accounts.
[In consideration] Investigate methods to reduce the impact of IP blocks on good-faith newcomers.