Passkey at Indeed

Passkey at Indeed

Passkey at Indeed

Passkey at Indeed

Designing a Frictionless Passkey Experience for User Trust & Adoption

Designing a Frictionless Passkey Experience for User Trust & Adoption

Designing a Frictionless Passkey Experience for User Trust & Adoption

  • 01 Problem & Goal ————

  • 02 Research ————

  • 03 Solution ————

  • 04 Outcome 🌟 ————

  • 05 Reflection ————

Problem & Goal

In response to rising concerns around account security, Indeed needed a secure and frictionless login experience for its 350+ million monthly users. The goal was to implement a passwordless authentication system using passkeys, improving security and user experience while reducing the rate of failed logins and password resets.


Objective: Design a streamlined passkey authentication flow that minimizes login friction, enhances security, and meets accessibility standards.

Enter: Passkey

Enter: Passkey


Passkeys are a phishing-resistant, drop-in replacement for passwords. They rely on biometric verifications like FaceID or TouchID and can be used across different devices, platforms, and ecosystems.

Using a passkey is a bit like using a password manager, since a user’s credentials are stored in the cloud and easily accessible from any connected device, just like other cloud-synced features like a user’s photos, contacts, emails, and documents.

Passkeys are a phishing-resistant, drop-in replacement for passwords. They rely on biometric verifications like FaceID or TouchID and can be used across different devices, platforms, and ecosystems.

Using a passkey is a bit like using a password manager, since a user’s credentials are stored in the cloud and easily accessible from any connected device, just like other cloud-synced features like a user’s photos, contacts, emails, and documents.

“Passkeys are a replacement for passwords. They are faster to sign in with, easier to use, and much more secure”

~ Apple

Research

I used user interviews, competitive analysis, and usability testing, to gather comprehensive insights into user perceptions and challenges with Passkey. These methods allowed me to uncover key user concerns around privacy, platform familiarity, and the need for educational support, guiding design decisions aimed at improving adoption and satisfaction.

Key Research Findings:

  • Education is Key: Although users responded positively to Passkey, there was mixed understanding of its purpose and functionality, highlighting the need for clear communication.

  • Privacy Concerns: Some users were uneasy about using personal data, such as biometrics, underscoring the importance of transparency around data usage and storage.

  • Unfamiliar Technology: Passkey’s varying experiences across platforms led to confusion, especially for first-time users or those with multiple devices.

  • Convenience is King: Users prioritized convenience and ease of use over security, suggesting that convenience could drive broader adoption.

I used user interviews, competitive analysis, and usability testing, to gather comprehensive insights into user perceptions and challenges with Passkey. These methods allowed me to uncover key user concerns around privacy, platform familiarity, and the need for educational support, guiding design decisions aimed at improving adoption and satisfaction.

Key Research Findings:

  • Education is Key: Although users responded positively to Passkey, there was mixed understanding of its purpose and functionality, highlighting the need for clear communication.

  • Privacy Concerns: Some users were uneasy about using personal data, such as biometrics, underscoring the importance of transparency around data usage and storage.

  • Unfamiliar Technology: Passkey’s varying experiences across platforms led to confusion, especially for first-time users or those with multiple devices.

  • Convenience is King: Users prioritized convenience and ease of use over security, suggesting that convenience could drive broader adoption.

I used user interviews, competitive analysis, and usability testing, to gather comprehensive insights into user perceptions and challenges with Passkey. These methods allowed me to uncover key user concerns around privacy, platform familiarity, and the need for educational support, guiding design decisions aimed at improving adoption and satisfaction.

Key Research Findings:

  • Education is Key: Although users responded positively to Passkey, there was mixed understanding of its purpose and functionality, highlighting the need for clear communication.

  • Privacy Concerns: Some users were uneasy about using personal data, such as biometrics, underscoring the importance of transparency around data usage and storage.

  • Unfamiliar Technology: Passkey’s varying experiences across platforms led to confusion, especially for first-time users or those with multiple devices.

  • Convenience is King: Users prioritized convenience and ease of use over security, suggesting that convenience could drive broader adoption.

I used user interviews, competitive analysis, and usability testing, to gather comprehensive insights into user perceptions and challenges with Passkey. These methods allowed me to uncover key user concerns around privacy, platform familiarity, and the need for educational support, guiding design decisions aimed at improving adoption and satisfaction.

Key Research Findings:

  • Education is Key: Although users responded positively to Passkey, there was mixed understanding of its purpose and functionality, highlighting the need for clear communication.

  • Privacy Concerns: Some users were uneasy about using personal data, such as biometrics, underscoring the importance of transparency around data usage and storage.

  • Unfamiliar Technology: Passkey’s varying experiences across platforms led to confusion, especially for first-time users or those with multiple devices.

  • Convenience is King: Users prioritized convenience and ease of use over security, suggesting that convenience could drive broader adoption.

By collecting feedback and iterating throughout the process, I ensured that user convenience and transparency were prioritized in the final design.

Solution

Through a series of strategic design sessions, user testing, and iterative refinements, I crafted an intuitive passkey login experience for job seekers across multiple platforms.

Research & Insights: Conducted user research to understand authentication pain points and validate the appeal of passwordless methods. Collaborated with security and product teams to ensure alignment on technical and UX requirements.

User Journey Mapping: Mapped out and designed user flows for the end-to-end passkey experience, addressing edge cases for both new and returning users.

Prototyping and Testing: Created interactive prototypes in Figma, refining based on insights from usability testing sessions. Worked closely with engineering to ensure feasibility and optimize load times.

Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partnered with engineering, product management, and legal teams to align on compliance and accessibility, ensuring the new passkey flow met global security standards. Worked closely with customer success to ensure passkey implementation would not disrupt user authentication and would reduce authentication-related CS calls.


Here you can see the evolution of the passkey design throughout the testing and iteration process:

“Passkeys present no tradeoff between security and usability” ~ Okta

The Final Design

The Final Design

The Final Design

The final design is a reflection of all the knowledge and insight we gained from competitive analysis, user testing, and internal feedback from stakeholders.

View the Prototype

View the Prototype

View the Prototype

View the Prototype

Outcomes

The initial data indicates that the passkey rollout has been a resounding success.

90%

Sign-in success rate

90%

Sign-in success rate

90%

Sign-in success rate

90%

Sign-in success rate

82%

Passkey enrollment in target audience

82%

Passkey enrollment in target audience

82%

Passkey enrollment in target audience

82%

Passkey enrollment in target audience

#1

Fastest and easiest sign-in method

#1

Fastest and easiest sign-in method

#1

Fastest and easiest sign-in method

#1

Fastest and easiest sign-in method

Reflection

Reflection

This project reinforced the importance of balancing security with user experience in high-stakes authentication workflows. Looking ahead, I would explore opportunities to further improve the passkey sign-in experience - such as more robust cross-device authentication support - to enhance security without compromising convenience.

One of the most valuable insights from this project was the importance of deeply understanding user motivations. While the UI and UX were streamlined across just a few screens, the real key to driving successful adoption lay in interpreting and meeting users’ expectations for an ideal authentication experience.

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Additional Information