Login best practices

Use these guidelines to make your website consistent with B.C. government login best practices. These recommendations help guide your implementation to make the login process feel seamless and intuitive. It's important that you’re familiar with identity assurance concepts before learning about login best practices. 

Individuals should have a consistent experience when logging in to all B.C. government websites. These best practices cover the most common login scenarios and are based on: 

• Analysis of existing B.C. government websites
• Feedback from ministries and agencies that use the B.C. government login website (also known as the common login page)
• Usability research findings, including input from individuals who have logged in using the B.C. government login website
• Industry best practices

Credentials

Generally speaking, login credentials are an electronic way to prove who you are – like a user ID and password. These best practices are focused on the main credentials available in the B.C. government login website:

• BCeID (Basic, Business, and Personal)
• BC Services Card app
• IDIR

The basics

• Language consistency – minimize confusion by using standard terms
• Government website headers – consistently present log in and log out actions and display the name of the individual logged in

Login scenarios

These scenarios describe and illustrate how the login process should happen.

• Link to your secure website – correctly link to your website from content on different websites 
• First time login – considerations for the first time individuals log in to your website
• Login for individuals returning to your website – options for handling when an individual returns to your website to log in
• Planning for when an individual cancels their login – make sure an individual doesn't get lost when they cancel logging in
• Other considerations –  special scenarios like inviting individuals to use your website or for the help desk supporting individuals who use your website