GAMES UX
Making account access easier for the user
Xbox Passkey is a 6-digit code that users can utilise to access their Xbox Live account rather than using an email and password. In this piece, I’m going to explore how the Xbox Passkey service could be improved. Let’s dive in.
This method is commonly used because it’s quicker to enter the code than the password — using a maximum of 6 digits instead of having to employ the on-screen keyboard to enter the password.
It also works as an additional layer of security that the users can enjoy on the Xbox to ensure no one without permission uses the console. Like my siblings…
I turn on my Xbox with the controller, enter the Passkey, and I’m ready to play. Microsoft can tell you more about Passkey in detail if you want to use it on your Xbox.
To begin my analysis, I think it’s important to understand my context. I usually play sitting in a comfortable armchair in front of my 37″ TV, two meters or less away from it. I play on an Xbox One S, with that beautiful and ergonomic controller.
1. Instruction image adapted to this task
One of the things I investigated was the input instructions image (yellow rectangle, image 2). As you can see in the blue rectangles in image 2, it has iconography associated with the typical media control buttons. I was curious about that, so I raised a couple of questions to understand those icons inside the blue rectangles.
Does this mean the top controller buttons do the actions below them in the Passkey (example X is to jump to the left digit)?
No. I found out it did not influence the input of Passkey digits. Yes, I tried multiple “button” combinations, just like a good fighting game.
Does this mean there is a device without the top buttons and the media control buttons are the equivalent?
No. I went and investigated the devices used to input the Passkey. The Passkey is a feature for Xbox One consoles — users need an Xbox controller or a remote to use it. Xbox also has an Adaptive Controller but, as the name says, it’s an adaptation of the existing controller — the same buttons, just with a different design.
Do these media icons have anything to do with the Passkey?
No, they don’t. Users don’t need them. I went to the internet and friends and asked them if they knew. It’s the representation of the controller buttons equivalent for controlling media: it tells the user which button to press when watching a video or using media.
Why does it need a change?
It’s not relevant information. In such a simple screen, it can confuse users to think they can use them to alter the digit inputs. They can’t.
What would I do?
Take them out.
