Enhancing security with Touch ID authentication

Apple's introduction of Touch ID changed the landscape for digital security, allowing third-party apps to utilize fingerprint authentication. With Fidelity's security requirements and users' desire for fast, secure authentication, the need for Touch ID became clear. The app had received criticism for not adopting Touch ID quickly enough, with 24% of user comments on the Fidelity iOS app pointing to this hangup.

My Role

I led the design focusing on user flows and logic rather than visual design. My task was to create an intuitive login experience while building awareness of this new feature. The challenge was to strike a balance between maintaining high security and providing a user-friendly experience.

Actions Taken

Competitive Analysis: I studied apps that had already implemented Touch ID to identify best practices and common pitfalls. Apple's recommended approach included two calls to action: "Enter Password" and "Cancel." However, I noticed that several apps, such as Amazon and Mint, removed the "Enter Password" option, encouraging users to focus on fingerprint authentication. By simplifying the options, we could guide users toward the correct action, reducing confusion.

Screenshots taken from the Amazon, American Express, Google Drive, and Mint experiences.

User Testing: Given limited resources for formal usability testing, I conducted guerrilla testing with colleagues who regularly used Touch ID. This approach provided quick feedback on the intuitive aspects of existing Touch ID implementations and user expectations. It also helped us identify common points of friction in the authentication process.
User Flow Diagram: To ensure that users were aware of the Touch ID feature, I designed a flow that prompted an alert when accessing any section requiring authentication. This alert informed users of Touch ID and invited them to set it up after logging in, ensuring a smooth transition from traditional authentication to fingerprint-based login.

Results

The impact of Touch ID implementation was significant. Within a month of its release, the app's rating on the App Store increased from 2.8 to 4.0. Additionally, login rates improved by 15%, indicating that users found the new authentication method more convenient and engaging. These results demonstrated the success of our design approach and the positive effect on user experience.

Based on this success, we planned to extend fingerprint authentication to the Android platform, leveraging the insights gained from the iOS implementation. By addressing user pain points and adopting a user-centered approach, we created a smoother, more secure authentication process that met both security and usability requirements.

Thanks to the Mobile Design Team